Hoi An Tailors: How to Get Clothes Made That Fit

Hoi An tailors can make a suit, dress or shirt in a day or two, but the best results come from ordering early, choosing fabric carefully and allowing two or three fittings. This guide from our Vietnam travel blog explains how the process works, how to choose a shop and fabric, how long to allow, what to check before paying and how to get clothes home.

Ordering tailor-made clothes in Hoi An is one of the town's classic experiences, alongside its UNESCO-listed old streets. If you are planning the trip, apply for a Vietnam e-visa online and choose Da Nang as your entry airport.

How tailoring in Hoi An works

You choose a design, pick fabric, get measured, pay a deposit and return for fittings until the piece fits. Most shops can show catalogs or copy a garment or photo you bring.

Bring a favorite shirt, dress or pair of trousers if you want a copy; it is the most reliable way to get the fit you like. Ask for a written receipt with the design, fabric, price and fitting dates.

Choosing a tailor and fabric

Choose a tailor by recent reviews, the quality of samples in the shop and how carefully they measure you. A good shop takes many measurements and asks questions about fit.

Fabric matters as much as tailoring. Linen and cotton suit hot climates; wool blends suit a Hoi An suit for cooler countries; silk suits evening wear. Feel the fabric, ask what it is made of, and choose lining and buttons for suits. Avoid very cheap synthetic fabrics, which look shiny and wear quickly.

How long Hoi An tailors take

Simple shirts or trousers can be ready in a day, but plan at least two to three days for suits, dresses and coats, so there is time for fittings and changes. Order on your first day in Hoi An.

How long a Hoi An tailor needs also depends on the season: in peak months and before Tet, workshops are busier, so allow an extra day. Wedding dresses and complex pieces need more time. Our Hoi An travel guide fits a tailor visit into a three-day plan.

Checking quality before you pay

Check every piece carefully at the final fitting, in good light, before paying the balance. Small problems are easy to fix while you are still in town.

Look at the seams, which should be straight and finished inside; the lining, which should lie flat; buttonholes and zips; and pattern alignment at the seams. Sit, raise your arms and walk around. Two final tasks follow: getting clothes home and adding extras.

After your fittings

Tailoring in Hoi An does not end at the last fitting. These two points help.

Shipping home

Many tailors can ship clothes home by courier, or you can use a local post office or shipping agent. Ask for tracking and an itemized receipt, and pay by card where possible. Our guide to what to buy in Vietnam covers packing other souvenirs.

Shoes, bags and ao dai

Hoi An also has shoemakers and leather workers who make shoes and bags to measure, and many tailors make the ao dai, Vietnam's national dress.

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