Pricing for Die Cutting, Slit Rolls, and Materials

Your Die Cut Project is Unique to You

Your drawings, materials, processes, etc., are all unique to you. We cannot create a calculator to give you an exact price for your project.

But, we can share what affects price

While it would be difficult to offer you an exact estimate, we can provide advice on how to design economically efficient parts without sacrificing your desired features.

Hold on, I'm just buying rolls

There are thousands upon thousands of flexible materials, and the list grows every year. We, unfortunately, aren't able to list all of them

The Factors that Affect

Die Cutting Project Costs

Die cutting projects can cost as little as $500 to millions of dollars per year, depending on the material, design, labor, quantity, and more.

Each individual die cut part might range anywhere from fractions of a penny to over hundreds of dollars per part because the price per part is very volatile based on a few key factors.

How Does Project Scaling Affect My Price?

The Minimum Order Quantity of materials plays a significant role in determining your price per part. As the following chart demonstrates, larger orders help justify the minimum order cost of materials.

Materials typically make up 70-80% of a converting order. As volume increases, the proportion of material costs may comprise up to 90-95% of the total order cost.

Quantity	Setup Hours	Setup Costs	Run Hours	Run Costs	Material Costs	Material Waste %	Total Cost	Price Per Part↓
1,000	10	$500	10	$500	$23,750	60%	$24,750	$24.75
5,000	12	$600	48	$2,400	$23,750	10%	$26,750	$5.35
10,000	14	$700	95	$4,750	$23,750	5%	$29,200	$2.92
100,000	20	$1,000	950	$47,500	$158,333	1%	$206,833	$2.07

Fixed labor costs remain relatively constant as the order quantity increases, resulting in a lower price per part.

The hypothetical part design being priced is…

A simple shape (4 x 4” footprint)
Using one moderately priced material accounting for 200-300 ft of waste for press setup
- Additional materials increase part complexity and waste
Assuming that the vendor's Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) is 10,000 parts-worth of material

As your volume increases, the material waste caused by setup accounts for a much smaller share of the total material. At lower quantities, the waste percentage is higher, resulting in a higher price per part.

You are exponentially more efficient when using the material in larger quantities. The high-volume order is the most efficient machine run due to a more balanced material-to-parts ratio; however, at some point, it will plateau at the lowest possible price per part.

What Does it Take to Get a Die Cutting Project Off the Ground?

Projects often begin with free samples, a handful of prototypes, or even rolls of material. This is sufficient to get through the early stages of a die cutting project.

However, once you start getting into functional testing and validation, the demand requirements typically increase, prompting you to start investing in the project. Below are several upfront costs realized during a new die cutting project.

Paid Samples

Depending on your stage in the product development process, you may need to test materials and designs. Paid samples (often 100-200 parts) are typically produced on our flat bed laser or using a digital knife.

Although the price per part will be higher than full-scale production due to a smaller quantity, the overall cost will be lower since using a laser or digital knife costs less than a rotary die cutting machine.

digital and laser die cutting

Hard Tooling

Die cut tools can cost anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars, depending on the quantity and complexity of your design.

Lower quantity projects with simpler designs may require less expensive tools than the alternative. While Strouse typically covers part of the tooling cost, the initial cost is yours.

The Factors that Affect

Material Cost

Let's say that you have already planned your process; you may only need the right materials to get started.

The cost of materials is affected by the following:

Availability factor
The type of material and adhesive you use
Formatting (number of rolls, size, etc.)
Minimum Order Quantities

Strouse offers material sampling and sourcing services, as well as boxed goods. However, we do not manufacture our own flexible materials in-house, so we recommend planning for a multi-week lead time to be on the safe side.

Improve Cost-Efficiency with

Stock Orders

The Stock Order Program is a method of placing multiple orders simultaneously and, oftentimes, planning product releases over a scheduled period.

Stock orders help you get bulk prices for materials, reduce the effects of material delays, make the most out of machine runs, and more.

If you need consistent orders, have a sensitive timeline, or plan to scale up your project in the future, Strouse's Stock Order Program might be an excellent option.

How Much Does Die Cutting Cost? Tooling, Materials & Labor

Industrial die cut orders range from $500 to millions per year, with prices per part from pennies to several hundred(s) of dollars.

The Buyer's Guide to Die Cut Parts

Die cut parts are often a critical component of rapid production, but how do you know whether they'll suit your product?

How Die Cutting Helps Lower Manufacturing Costs

Whether you’re dealing with quality issues, slow assembly, or looking to improve your manufacturing strategy, die cuts can help improve your process.

The Hidden Cost of Tight Tolerances

Tolerance is critical to driving a product’s design, manufacturing, and cost. These key questions provide a roadmap to a successful project.

Why Does Strouse Cover Part of My Tooling Cost?

When you’re looking at your quote for the first time, you may not realize it, but Strouse actually covers a significant portion of the tooling costs for our clients.

Reducing the Cost of Waste in Custom Manufacturing

Although you can’t entirely avoid setup waste, several preventable factors can reduce it, saving you money.

Factors That Impact The Cost of Your Flexible Materials

Flexible materials are sold at ever-shifting prices based on a range of factors. You’ve likely been left with the dreaded answer about material pricing: it depends.

What Makes up the Cost of Laser Cutting?

The cost of laser cutting services depends on many factors. It can be extremely variable due to the range of project requirements and custom designs.

How Much Do Custom Die Cut Gaskets Cost?

We’re constantly calculating the cost of custom gasket cutting for our clients, so today, we hope to provide you with insight into its pricing.

What Affects My Die Cut Price?

The price of die cut parts is affected by several factors, including the complexity of the design, the type of flexible material used, order volume, tooling requirements, and any secondary operations such as lamination or liner removal. Larger project scales typically reduce per-unit costs.

What Affects the Cost of Die Cutting? Die cutting costs are influenced by material selection, part geometry and complexity, tolerance requirements, tooling type (steel rule vs. rotary), run length, and setup fees. Custom or tight-tolerance parts may require specialized tooling that adds to upfront costs.

How Does Project Scaling Affect My Price? Scaling a die cutting project to higher volumes spreads fixed costs like tooling and setup across more parts, significantly lowering the per-unit price. Smaller runs tend to have higher per-piece costs due to those same fixed expenses being divided among fewer units.

How Do You Get a Die Cutting Project Off the Ground? Starting a die cutting project typically requires a part design or drawing, material specifications, target quantity, and any relevant tolerance or performance requirements. Strouse works with customers early in the process to review designs for manufacturability and cost efficiency.

Is Die Cutting Worth The Cost? Die cutting is generally a cost-effective solution for producing precise, consistent parts at scale from flexible materials. When compared to manual cutting or alternative methods, die cutting offers superior repeatability and efficiency, making it worthwhile for most medium-to-high volume applications.

How Much Does Slitting Cost? Slitting costs depend on the material type, roll width, slit width tolerances, and volume. Like die cutting, higher volumes reduce per-unit costs. Contact Strouse for a custom quote based on your specific slitting requirements.

What Factors Affect the Cost of Flexible Materials? The cost of flexible materials is driven by material type (foam, film, adhesive, fabric, etc.), thickness, adhesive properties, supplier availability, and order quantity. Specialty or engineered materials typically carry higher costs than commodity substrates.

Does Strouse Offer Credit Payment Options? Yes, Strouse offers credit payment options for qualifying customers. Contact Strouse online or call to discuss payment terms and credit arrangements for your project.

How much does my project cost, and what affects the price?

Die Cutting Project Costs

Factors that Drive the Price Per Part Up ⬆️

Factors that Drive the Price Per Part Down ⬇️

How Does Project Scaling Affect My Price?

What Does it Take to Get a Die Cutting Project Off the Ground?

Paid Samples

Hard Tooling

Is Die Cutting Worth the Cost?

Custom Slit Roll Costs

Material Cost

Credit Options

Full Payment Upfront

50% Upfront, 50% at Shipment

Full Payment at Shipment

Net 30 Terms