How do I care for my suit?

Brush it, air it, and press it. Don't dry-clean it often; the chemicals age the fabric. Rotate two suits rather than wearing one daily, hang it on a broad hanger, and bring it to me once a year for a proper press.

What if I gain or lose weight?

Bring it back. Your pattern is on file, and most suits have fabric in the seams to let out or take in. A body that changes doesn't have to mean a suit you retire. That's the advantage of having a tailor.

How long should a good suit last?

Cared for and rotated, a canvassed bespoke suit lasts ten to twenty years; I have clients wearing suits I cut fifteen years ago. The pattern stays, so replacing or adding is always easy.

Do you offer lifetime adjustments?

Bring the suit back any time for a re-press, a button, a small letting-out or a refresh. Your measurements stay on file, so the suit ages with you, not against you.

Care · Care & the long run

How to care for a suit so it lasts a decade

Updated July 2026 · Sam’s Menswear editorial team

A well-made suit is built to last a decade. Whether it does is mostly down to how you treat it between wears, and almost none of it is dry-cleaning. Here are the habits that matter.

Rest it between wears

The single most important rule: never wear the same suit two days running. Wool needs a full day to recover its shape and let moisture evaporate. Rotate two or three suits and each lasts far longer than one worn into the ground.

Hang it right

A wide, shaped wooden hanger (not a thin wire one) keeps the shoulders true. Hang trousers by the cuff or folded over a proper bar. Give the jacket room to breathe; a suit crushed in a packed closet holds the creases of its neighbours.

Brush, don’t clean

A soft clothes brush after each wear lifts out dust and city grime before it settles into the fibres. This does more for the life of a suit than dry-cleaning ever will, and it takes thirty seconds.

Steam, don’t press

A steamer relaxes wrinkles and refreshes the fabric without the harsh heat of an iron. If you must iron, use a press fabric and low heat. Over-pressing puts a shine on wool you can’t undo.

Dry-clean rarely

Dry-cleaning is hard on wool; the solvents strip the natural oils that give fabric its life. Twice a year is plenty for a regularly worn suit; spot-clean marks and steam out odours in between. Over-cleaning ages a suit faster than wearing it does.

Fix small things early

A loose button, a fraying thread, a lining nick: deal with it while it’s small. That’s part of what buying local gets you: bring it back and it gets sorted before it becomes a real repair. Why owning one good suit beats three cheap ones →

Looking after a suit I made you? Bring it by; get in touch.