Mannequins in tailored suits and stacked fabric rolls fill a tailor shop in Hoi An.

Travel guide

Buying well in Vietnam, starting with a suit in Hoi An

Having clothes made in Hoi An is one of the good things about a Vietnam trip, and one of the easiest places to spend more than you meant to on something you do not wear. The difference is time and fabric.

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Tailors

How tailoring in Hoi An works

Last checked 22 September 2026

Reviewed twice a year with our travellers’ feedback on fittings and fabric, and after any change in the customs rules on exporting antiques and wildlife products.

Hoi An has hundreds of tailor shops in and around the old town. Most are showrooms in front of workshops elsewhere in town, where the cutting and sewing is done. Quality ranges from excellent to poor, and the showroom rarely tells you which. The workshop and the time you give it decide the result.

A simple shirt or dress can be made overnight. A suit, a coat or anything that must fit closely needs at least two fittings, which in practice means two to three days. That is why we suggest three nights in Hoi An for anyone planning to have clothes made: order on the first afternoon, fit on the second day, collect and fit again on the third.

Process

The process, step by step

01
Bring a model
A garment you like the fit of, or a clear photograph. Copying something that already fits you well is the most reliable route to a good result.
02
Choose fabric in your hand
Handle it, check the composition label on the bolt, and ask what it is. Photographs of fabric in a catalogue tell you nothing.
03
Measurements and a written order
Price per item, fabric, lining, number of fittings and collection date, on paper, with a receipt for any deposit.
04
First fitting
Usually the next day. This is where most problems are solved. Try it standing, sitting and with your arms raised.
05
Second fitting and collection
Final adjustments. Do not pay the balance until it fits. Allow time for a third fitting if needed.

An artisan shapes clay on a spinning wheel beside shelves of terracotta figurines at a Hoi An craft village.

Three tourists sit on a wooden bench trying woodcarving tools at a traditional craft village in Hoi An.

Choose from the bolt, not from a catalogue. · The first fitting, usually the day after the order.

Fabric

Fabric, which is where most money is lost

The words on the bolt are not always the fabric in it. Wool is often a wool blend, cashmere is a claim rather than a description, and silk may be polyester. None of this is necessarily a problem if the price reflects it; it becomes one when you pay the price of the claim.

Ask for the composition in percentages, and have it written on the order.
Real silk is cool to the touch, warms in your hand and creases easily; shiny, slippery fabric that springs back is usually synthetic.
For suits, a mid-weight wool blend travels and wears better in the tropics than pure wool that will sit in a wardrobe at home.
If you want a specific cloth, bring it with you. Good tailors will work with your fabric and charge for the making only.

Price

How not to overpay

Tailors pay commission to people who bring them customers: some drivers, some hotels, some guides. The commission ends up in your price. Walk the streets, look at finished garments on the rails, compare two or three shops for the same item with the same fabric, and choose. That applies to recommendations from us too; use our list as a starting point, not a destination.

Agree the price for the item, including fabric and lining, before measurements. Late additions — a second pair of trousers, a waistcoat, a different lining — are where bills grow. Pay a deposit, keep the receipt, and pay the balance only after the final fitting.

A conical hat vendor carries a shoulder pole past colorful shops as a motorbike passes on a Hoi An street. — A street of tailors in Hoi An: compare two or three before you order.

Other shopping

Beyond Hoi An

MarketsBen Thanh Market in Saigon and Dong Xuan in Hanoi are worth seeing. Prices for visitors are high and bargaining is expected; the food halls are the best value inside.

Lacquer and ceramicsLacquerware is a genuine Vietnamese craft; ceramics from Bat Trang near Hanoi are sold across the country. Buy from a workshop where you can see pieces being made.

Coffee and teaVietnamese coffee from the Central Highlands packs well. Buy whole beans from a roaster rather than souvenir packs.

BargainingNormal in markets and street stalls, not in shops with price tags. Stay cheerful and be prepared to walk away; the price usually follows you.

Customs

What not to take home

Genuine antiques need an export permit, and most “antiques” on sale are reproductions anyway. Anything made from ivory, tortoiseshell, coral or wildlife is illegal to export and to import almost anywhere. Branded clothing and watches at market stalls are copies, and some customs officers at home will confiscate them.

Common questions

Questions travellers ask most

How many days do I need in Hoi An to have a suit made?

Three nights is comfortable: order on arrival, fit the next day, collect after a second fitting. Two nights is possible for simple pieces but leaves no room for corrections.

Can a tailor copy clothes I bring?

Yes, and it is usually the best way to get a good result. Bring the garment and, if you can, a photograph of how you want it to look.

Can clothes be shipped home?

Most tailors will arrange shipping. It is convenient and adds time and cost; collecting in person lets you check the final fit.

Should I use the tailor my driver or hotel recommends?

Look at it, by all means, and compare it with two others before ordering. If anyone insists on one particular shop, ask why, and walk on if the answer is vague.