For shops changing made-to-measure supplier
Switching made-to-measure suppliers without losing your fit or your customers
To switch MTM suppliers without losing your fit, do not start from a size chart. Send the new factory a suit you sell today, have it matched, and put a one-piece trial on a real customer before moving volume. Keep the old supplier running until the trial passes, then move customers over one reorder at a time.
- Reference garment
- you send one you sell today, we match it
- 1 piece
- trial before any volume
- 14 days
- in production, shipping extra
- 3 constructions
- fused, half canvas, full canvas
The four problems that make shops switch
Each one costs the shop something different. Knowing which one you are fixing tells you what to test in the trial.
The fit drifts
The second suit for the same customer does not sit like the first. It is the most expensive problem, because the customer notices it at the fitting and remembers it at the next purchase. Test it with a reorder for a customer whose fit you know well.
Lead times stretch
Quoted weeks turn into more, and your fitting appointments move with them. Ask any new supplier where its lead time starts counting and whether shipping is inside it.
Remakes drag on
A fault is found, and the conversation about who pays and how fast it is fixed takes longer than the suit did. Ask how faults are handled before the first order, not after.
Cloth changes under you
A cloth your customers reorder is discontinued, or a bunch is replaced. Ask where the cloth comes from and how you see what is current.
The matching process, step by step
This is how a switch runs with us. The order matters more than the speed.
- 1
Send a garment you sell today
Pick a suit or jacket that your customers already wear and that represents your house fit. Include the measurements and style notes it was made to, if you have them.
- 2
We match it
We match our pattern, construction and details to the reference garment. Fused, half canvas or full canvas, whichever the reference is.
- 3
One-piece trial
We make one suit for a real customer order. The minimum is one piece, so the trial is a normal order, not a special arrangement. Production is 14 days from the confirmed order, plus shipping.
- 4
Fit it in your shop
Put the trial on the customer. Write down what you would change and send the notes back. The next order carries them.
- 5
Move volume customer by customer
Once the trial passes, route new customers first, then move existing customers at their next reorder.
How not to lose existing customers during the switch
Keep the old supplier running for orders already in progress. A switch that strands a half-finished order is the fastest way to lose the customer who placed it.
Move new customers first. They have no history with the old fit, so the first suit they receive sets the standard.
For existing customers, move them at their next reorder, not all at once. Their measurement record and fit notes are your shop's records; send them with the order so the new factory starts from what you already know.
Check the cloth your regulars reorder. Ask for the current digital swatch book and request swatches of those cloths before the switch, so nobody finds out at the fitting that their cloth has changed.
Nothing changes for the customer at the counter. They are measured and fitted by the same people in the same shop. The factory is behind the wall, and it can stay there.
Questions to ask a new supplier before you switch, and our answers
Ask every supplier on your list the same questions and compare the answers side by side. Ours are below.
- What is your minimum order?
- One piece.
- How long is production, from which point, and is shipping included?
- 14 days in production from a confirmed order. Shipping is extra and comes on top.
- Can you match a garment I sell today?
- Yes. Send it as the reference, we match it, and the first order is a one-piece trial.
- Which constructions do you make, and where?
- Fused, half canvas and full canvas, in our own factory in Shanghai.
- Where does the cloth come from?
- From 33 mills and cloth merchants, 26 of them in Europe.
- How do I see the cloth?
- Through a digital swatch book, with swatches posted on request. We do not send full physical swatch books.
- What does it cost?
- Per two-piece suit, ex works Shanghai: CMT with your cloth from USD 100, full make from USD 155, half canvas full make from USD 185. Shipping extra, import duty paid by the buyer.
- How do I place orders?
- Through our AI ordering system. It suggests a size from height and weight and sends the order straight to the factory, with your measurements and notes attached.
- How much can you make?
- About 3,000 suits a month.
- What happens if something is wrong?
- We stand behind every piece: if something isn't right, we make it right.
Red flags when comparing a new supplier
A supplier that will not make a single trial piece is asking you to switch on trust. A lead time with no starting point, or one that quietly includes or excludes shipping, cannot be planned around. Cloth that cannot be traced to a mill or merchant is hard to reorder.
Suppliers say this about each other too. RJ MTM writes on its own site that a supplier calling 6 to 8 weeks normal is one not to sign with (rjmtm.com/wholesale-custom-suits, read 2026-09-23). For a side-by-side view of what other trade suppliers publish, see MTM suppliers compared.
Frequently asked questions
How do I switch made-to-measure suppliers without losing my fit?
Send the new supplier a garment you sell today as the reference, have it matched, and fit a one-piece trial on a real customer before moving more orders. At Centi Sartoria the trial is a normal order: the minimum is one piece and production is 14 days from the confirmed order, plus shipping.
How do I change MTM suppliers without losing my existing customers?
Keep the old supplier running for orders in progress, route new customers to the new factory first, and move existing customers at their next reorder with their measurement record and fit notes. Check that the cloths they reorder are available before the switch.
What should I ask a new made-to-measure supplier before switching?
Ask for the minimum order, where the lead time starts and whether shipping is included, whether they can match a garment you already sell, which constructions they make, where the cloth comes from, how you order, and what they do when something is wrong. Compare every supplier on the same list.
How long does a trial order take?
14 days in production from the confirmed order, plus shipping to your shop.
Do I have to send a garment?
It is the route we recommend. Matching a real garment your customers already wear is more precise than describing a fit in writing.
For shops that already sell custom suits
See the price sheet and your margin per suit
Three minutes, seven questions, free. You get the wholesale price sheet, your margin per suit at your own retail price, a direct line to a partner manager and an account on the AI ordering system.
Start the 3 minute checkOpens b2b.centisartoria.com/start