How To Ship Clothes: 3 Steps + What It Costs (2026)

Shipping clothes requires the right-sized packaging, packing materials to keep products safe and secure in transit, and a shipping label so the package gets to the right destination. Your business pays the shipping service based on the package’s weight, size, and destination, and you can then choose to pass those shipping fees to the customer or build them into the product pricing to offer free shipping.

Online apparel revenue reached $662.7 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to $840.01 billion by 2030. As the ecommerce apparel industry continues to accelerate, so too will your business’s need to ship clothes to customers.

This guide walks you through the three main steps required to ship clothes, what USPS charges by package weight, how shipping works on resale marketplaces, and what changes when you ship clothes internationally.

How to ship clothes

Shipping clothes requires three easy steps, regardless of whether you’re sending out an order for a single T-shirt or a full wardrobe. Each step below covers what you need to do and which materials you’ll use.

1. Choose your packing container

Select the right container for your items based on their size, weight, and durability, and on your company’s branding:

• Package size. Shipping costs vary by box size, so choose a packing container that fits your items snugly. Choosing the right size box can also minimize movement, lessening the risk of damage while items are in transit.
• Container weight. The weight of your package will also impact the shipping rate you incur, and lighter materials cost less to send. There are a few different options to consider based on what you’re shipping:
  • Poly mailers work well for single pieces of soft clothing that won’t get crushed, like T-shirts, leggings, and knitwear.
  • Padded mailers work best for small accessories or embellished pieces that need light protection but don’t necessarily require a box.
  • Cardboard boxes suit multiitem orders, folded shirts and trousers that should arrive flat, and structured pieces, like blazers.
  • Double-walled corrugated boxes work for heavy orders like coats, formalwear, and high-value pieces that need the most protection in transit.
• Durability. Look for packaging materials that protect against bumps, crushing weight, and moisture. Reinforced cardboard and double-walled boxes keep their shape under the heft of other parcels, cushioning materials, like bubble wrap, safeguard delicate items during transit, and moisture barriers, like a poly bag, can keep water out of your packages.
• Branding. Your customer’s experience starts when their package arrives, so choose a container that matches your brand identity. Consider investing in custom-branded packaging or opt for eco-friendly materials to promote your commitment to sustainability.

2. Package clothes for shipping

Once you’ve selected a shipping container, pack each item with two kinds of protection:

• Moisture protection. A poly bag, plastic sleeve, or garment bag keeps rain and humidity away from the fabric.
• Cushioning. Air pillows, crinkle paper, or foam boards fill space so the items won’t shift or get crushed.

Start by bagging your clothing item, then add cushioning around the bag. You’ll likely want to use both protection measures for all packages, but especially for delicate or valuable pieces, like a silk blouse or vintage wedding dress. You can also add decorative touches like tissue paper, ribbon, stickers, or a custom thank you note for a better unboxing experience.

Fold or roll each piece based on its fabric and structure:

• Roll soft knits. T-shirts, leggings, and sweatshirts take up less space rolled and won’t develop sharp fold lines.
• Fold structured pieces. Fold button-down shirts, blouses, and tailored trousers along their seams, with tissue paper tucked inside each fold.

These items need extra care:

• Suits and blazers. Turn the jacket inside out at the shoulders, tuck one shoulder into the other, and fold it once at the waist with tissue paper between the layers. Fold trousers along their creases. Place both in a garment bag inside a box that doesn’t press on the lapels, or hang the suit in a wardrobe box if it needs to arrive pressed.
• Wedding dresses, prom dresses, and other formalwear. Fold the dress gently, crossing the sleeves over the body and rolling the train or skirt up from the hem. Place undyed tissue paper between layers of fabric. Place the dress in a plastic garment bag inside a sturdy box, and fill extra space with air pillows so beading and tulle don’t get crushed.
• Multiple items. Fold items individually and stack them before placing them in a protective bag. If there's a risk of color transfer or snagging, place tissue paper between the items or use individual bags for each piece.
• Delicate fabrics. Choose rigid packaging materials and a box big enough that it won’t compress the contents. Wrap each item in acid-free tissue paper and fill in extra space with padding materials.

For high-value orders like formalwear, add shipping insurance when you buy the label. Shopify shipping insurance covers US shipments against loss, theft, or damage for up to $5,000, sold in $100 increments at 89¢ per $100 of coverage for domestic labels and $1.29 per $100 for international labels.

To add insurance, open the order, click Create shipping label, and enter a coverage amount in the Shipping insurance section. You can file a claim from your Shopify admin starting 24 hours after the package ships and up to 120 days later.

3. Prepare your shipment

Before you seal the package, place a slip inside with the recipient’s address and your return address. According to USPS, doing this ensures that the item can be delivered in case the outside label becomes damaged or falls off.

If you’re reusing an old box, remove all used shipping labels and barcodes so the only scannable label is the new one. Make sure to tape the opening well and reinforce every seam with two-inch-wide packing tape.

Weigh the package with a kitchen or postal scale, then buy a discounted shipping label in your Shopify admin or from your preferred carrier. Place the label on the largest flat side of the package, with the address running parallel to the longest edge, and keep it clear of seams and box edges so tape doesn’t cover the barcode.

How much does it cost to ship clothes?

Shipping clothes costs $8.40 to $13.65 for a package of one pound or less with USPS Ground Advantage at retail prices, depending on how far it travels. Heavier packages, faster services, larger boxes, and further distances naturally cost more. The sections below cover how weight, box size, and account type change what you pay.

Compare carrier costs by weight

USPS prices its two main package services by weight and by zone. Zones run from 1 to 9 based on distance from the origin ZIP code: Zone 1 is local, and Zone 8 covers the farthest points in the contiguous US.

The two services are:

• USPS Ground Advantage. The lower-cost ground service for packages up to 70 pounds.
• Priority Mail. A faster service priced by weight and zone, with flat rate boxes as an alternative.

The table below shows retail prices from USPS, effective October 4, 2026, for common apparel package weights:

At these prices, Ground Advantage costs less than Priority Mail at every weight shown, and the price difference grows with distance. A 20-pound package to Zone 8 costs $72.15 with Ground Advantage and $113.70 with Priority Mail. When you buy your label through Shopify Shipping, you’ll get access to discounted rates, so you’ll pay even less than the retail prices above.

UPS and FedEx are other carrier alternatives you can consider when shipping out merchandise. Check out the UPS shipping cost estimator and FedEx shipping cost calculator to see their estimated shipping costs.

Use flat-rate shipping options

Flat-rate shipping prices a package based on box size instead of weight. You fill a carrier-provided box and pay its set price.

USPS retail prices for Priority Mail Flat Rate are:

• Padded Flat Rate Envelope: $15
• Small Flat Rate Box: $14.65
• Medium Flat Rate Box: $25.80
• Large Flat Rate Box: $36.10

Flat-rate shipping can cost less than weight-based shipping for heavy, compact orders, like leather or denim jackets. A 10-pound package to Zone 8 costs $63.40 with Priority Mail by weight, or $25.80 in a Medium Flat Rate Box if it fits. Skip flat rate for light orders, which cost less with Ground Advantage, as well as bulky orders that won’t fit in the box.

Size also affects weight-based prices through dimensional weight. USPS charges parcels larger than one cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) based on actual weight or dimensional weight, whichever is greater. Dimensional weight is a billable weight calculated from a package’s length, width, and height.

Clothing is light for its volume, so a bulky box of sweaters or a puffy coat could be billed at a higher weight than what it actually weighs on a scale. Compress soft items into the smallest box that fits, or switch to a poly mailer to keep packages under one cubic foot.

Open a business account

Many shipping companies have discounted rates and extra services for customers with business profiles. For example, DHL offers volume discounts, shipping insurance, and return services through its DHL eCommerce program. If you sell with Shopify, you can buy discounted labels from your Shopify admin without opening separate carrier accounts.

Once you know your shipping costs, decide what to charge customers. Shipping fees often affect whether shoppers finish checking out: 40% of US online shoppers abandon a cart because extra costs like shipping, tax, and fees were too high.

To set your rates, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery in your Shopify admin, choose a shipping profile, and click Add shipping option in a shipping zone. Shopify shipping rates can be structured as flat rates, based on order price or weight, or carrier-calculated rates. You can also add free shipping for orders above a minimum value.

Plan for returns at the same time. An estimated 19.3% of online sales were returned in 2025, and 82% of consumers say free returns are an important consideration when they shop online. You can also set your return rules under Settings > Policies in your Shopify admin. Choose a return window (14, 30, or 90 days, unlimited, or custom), offer free return shipping or charge a flat return fee, add a restocking fee, and mark products as final sale.

Turning on self-serve returns lets customers request returns from your online store, where they’ll see which items are eligible for return, alongside any associated fees. Publish all details clearly in your shipping policy.

How to ship clothes sold on resale marketplaces

Selling clothes on resale marketplaces can boost your apparel retail business if you’re selling used or vintage clothing. ThredUp’s 2026 Resale Report found that US online resale grew 19% in 2025, compared to 3.6% for retail clothing overall, and is projected to grow from $29.7 billion to $48.3 billion by 2030.

Shipping on resale marketplaces works differently than your own online store, starting with who is responsible for buying the shipping label. Here’s how shipping works on three major clothing resale marketplaces:

Some sellers put convenience over cost as well. ThredUp’s report found that 23% of resellers would accept a lower payout in exchange for speed and convenience, and a marketplace’s prepaid label is the convenient option.

Buying your own labels makes the most sense when you sell the same items in your Shopify store and on marketplaces, when you want a faster shipping service than the default label, or when you want to ship in your own branded packaging.

If you sell on eBay alongside your Shopify store, Shopify Marketplace Connect can sync your listings, orders, and inventory between the two so you can manage marketplace orders next to your Shopify orders. The app also connects Amazon, Walmart (US only), and Target Plus (US only), but it doesn’t connect Poshmark or Depop. You’ll need to manage those orders in the marketplace’s app.

Extra considerations for shipping clothes internationally

Mailing clothes to other countries involves import rules, duties, and customs paperwork. Keep these considerations in mind as you get into international shipping.

Check import regulations

Each country sets its own rules for which clothing it accepts and how that clothing must be labeled. Check your destination for any apparel-specific restrictions, like:

• Used clothing bans. Some countries prohibit the import of secondhand apparel, including Indonesia and Ecuador.
• Fiber content labels. The EU requires textile products to carry a label listing their fiber composition under Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011.
• Prohibited and restricted items. Each destination keeps its own list. Use the UPS international shipping tool to look up rules and paperwork requirements by country.

Pay duties and taxes

International shipments are subject to duties and taxes, which are fees paid to the destination country’s government. Unless the shipper specifies otherwise, the receiving party pays them upon delivery, a model called delivered duty unpaid (DDU).

To collect duties at checkout instead, turn on duties and import taxes under Settings > Taxes and duties in your Shopify admin. Shopify calculates duties and import taxes from each product’s HS code and country or region of origin, so customers pay the full cost upfront. You then ship the item with a delivered duty paid (DDP) label from DHL Express, DHL Express Canada, DHL eCommerce, or Canada Post (US destinations only).

Prior to August 29, 2025, there was a duty-free de minimis exemption for imports worth $800 or less, which has since been suspended. US Customs and Border Protection now applies duties to all low-value shipments across every mode of entry, except bona fide gifts of $100 or less.

As of July 1, 2026, the EU now charges a fixed €3 customs duty on each different item, by tariff heading, in parcels valued at less than €150, which previously entered duty-free. USPS notes that new import requirements may also apply to these packages.

Fill out international shipping paperwork

International shipments require more paperwork than domestic ones. Documentation requirements vary by country, but many destinations ask for these two documents:

• Export packing list. Lists the package’s origin, contents, destination address, and transportation method.
• Commercial invoice. Lists the package’s contents and value so the receiving country can classify the shipment and apply the proper fees.

When you buy an international label in Shopify, the customs information comes from each product’s HS code and country of origin. Add both under Products, in the Shipping section of each product, where you can search for an HS code by typing a product description. You can also add codes while buying a label and save them to the product.

Clothing falls under two chapters of the Harmonized System (HS), split by how the fabric is made. Chapter 61 covers knitted or crocheted apparel, and Chapter 62 covers apparel that isn’t knitted or crocheted, like woven garments. A cotton T-shirt is knitted, so it’s classified under heading 6109, while a woven cotton men’s shirt falls under heading 6205.