How to choose a tailor in Nairobi: 6 checks

Choose a tailor with finished work you can touch, not photos pinned to a wall. A finished garment shows the seam finish, the buttonholes and the lining, and those three details decide whether the piece survives a year.

The checks below work for a school uniform, a wedding suit or a simple repair. Walk in with them and the conversation changes.

Choose a tailor with recent finished work

Ask to see a piece finished this month, and look at the inside first. A clean inner seam with even stitches means the person finishes what nobody sees. A raw edge with loose thread means the opposite.

Then check the buttonholes. Hand finished buttonholes sit flat and close cleanly. Machine ones are fine when the stitching is tight, so look for a neat line rather than a style.

Ask how many pieces the shop finishes in a week as well. A shop that takes ten orders at once rushes the final press, and the press is what makes a garment look sharp.

Turn a trouser leg inside out and pull the seam gently. Even tension holds, while a seam that gapes between stitches will split in the first month. Also look at the hem, because a hem that waves means the fabric was stretched while sewing.

Ask what thread they use on heavy fabric. A tailor with an answer is a tailor who has repaired their own work.

Choose a tailor who quotes in writing

Ask for the full price before any fabric is cut. The quote should name the labour, the lining, the buttons and the delivery date, because those extras are where a cheap quote grows.

Send the same request on WhatsApp and keep the reply. Therefore the agreed number lives in one message rather than in memory.

Ask how many fittings are included

Two fittings are normal for a jacket, and one is normal for a simple alteration. Ask when the second fitting happens and whether a rework costs extra.

A tailor who promises a perfect fit in one visit is guessing. A tailor who schedules the second fitting before you pay is planning.

Decide on fabric before the first fitting

Bring your own fabric or buy from the shop, but decide before measuring. Fabric shrinks, drapes and presses differently, so measurements taken for cotton are wrong for wool.

Ask how much the fabric shrinks after washing. Then buy a little extra, since a metre in reserve costs less than a remake.

Also bring the shoes you plan to wear with the garment. A trouser length measured in flat shoes is wrong for heels, and that error is what a second fitting usually catches.

Time the order around your event

Ask for the collection date in writing, then count backwards. A wedding suit needs a week of buffer for a second fitting, and December is the busiest month for every shop in town.

Visit the shop in the morning if you can. Morning appointments get the measuring done while the day is still calm.

Keep your measurement card

Ask the tailor to write your measurements on a card and photograph it. Chest, waist, sleeve, inseam and shoulder are enough for most garments. Next time you order, the shop starts from your numbers instead of a fresh guess.

Store the photo in your phone notes. It also tells you when your measurements change, which is useful information on its own.

Finally, keep one garment the tailor made well. A finished piece is the reference for every later order, since the fit you liked lives in that pattern rather than in a photo.

When you are ready to compare real services, browse local services on Twynon and read the work before you book. You can also browse the Twynon gallery to see how sellers photograph real items, or read how the platform works on your first visit.

A good tailor is a long relationship, and it starts with one finished piece you inspected. See the inside, agree the quote, count the fittings and keep your card.

For guidance on garment sizing, see the ISO clothing size standard.