How to tell if an online tailor is genuine before you pay

Seven things to look for before paying

• A written quote. It should name the design, the fabric, your measurements, the total and the making time. A figure in a chat message with nothing else attached is not a quote.
• Cancellation terms. Can you cancel, until when, and what comes back to you? Custom work is rarely refundable once cutting begins, and an honest seller says so up front.
• Fault terms. What happens if the piece does not match what was agreed: who decides, who pays the postage, and how long you have to report it?
• Import charges. For an order crossing a border, ask who pays duties, taxes and courier fees at your end. “It depends” is not an answer you can budget around.
• Where the clothes are made. A real business says where its work is done and does not hint at a branch near you that does not exist.
• What it does not do. Limits are a good sign. A site that claims every garment, every fabric and any deadline is promising more than one workroom can deliver.
• How payment works. Know the method before you agree, and check with your bank or card provider what protection, if any, comes with it.

Send a test question

Before you commit, write with one specific question that cannot be answered by a pasted paragraph. Good examples: “My shoulders are narrower than my bust size suggests; how do you handle that?” or “I have 2.5 metres of printed lawn; is that enough for a knee-length kameez with full sleeves?”

You are judging three things in the reply: whether it answers what you asked, whether it admits what cannot be known until the fabric or photo has been seen, and whether it pushes you to pay. A careful, slightly cautious answer is worth more than an enthusiastic yes.

Warning signs

One of these on its own may be carelessness. Several together are a reason to walk away.

• Pressure to pay today, or a discount that expires within the hour.
• No terms page, or terms that contradict what you were told in messages.
• Catalogue photos from well-known brands presented as the tailor’s own work, with no explanation.
• A refusal to confirm your measurements and design back to you before cutting.
• A promise that everything will be perfect. Nobody honest can promise that about clothing made from numbers.

Running the checklist on us

It is only fair to answer our own questions. We make women’s clothing to measure in Pakistan and ship it worldwide, and we have no shops, studios or staff outside Pakistan.

• Quote: written and individual, showing the agreed design, fabric, measurements, customisation, total cost, delivery arrangements, processing time and the policies that apply. See what your written quote includes.
• Payment: in full in advance, before any garment is made, by bank transfer, Wise or a card payment link. That asks for trust on your side, which is exactly why everything else is in writing.
• Cancelling: a paid order cancelled before cutting is refunded minus the cost of any fabric already bought for it, and on Stitching Only nothing is deducted for fabric. After cutting starts there is no refund.
• Faults: when a finished piece differs from the agreed measurements or design, we correct it or remake it and do not charge for the work. You need to report it no later than 7 days after delivery, and you pay the postage in both directions.
• Import charges: the quote includes delivery to your address and any import duties, taxes and customs or courier fees.
• Limits: no rush orders, no alterations to clothes you already own, and women’s clothing only.

Where to read our terms in full

The complete wording is in our terms, with a shorter summary on the payment and cancellations page. To see how we answer a real question, describe your outfit on the quote form. Sending an enquiry is not an order: nothing is made until you have approved the written quote and paid. The custom stitching page lists what we make.