Quick answer: A military hem is a trouser hem cut on a slant, longer at the back than at the front, so the front sits clean on the shoe with little or no break while the back still reaches the top of the heel. Write the hem style as slanted, give both the front length and the back length on the order, and check it on the sample with the client standing in his own shoes. Shi Yuan (Suit Factory) takes MTM from 1 and bulk from 50 per style for overseas tailor shops, MTM boutiques and private-label brands, not retail — send the leg opening and the shoes he wears on WhatsApp.
A client wants trousers that look sharp at the front, with no fold over the shoe, but do not flap above the heel at the back. A straight hem cannot do both; one end is always too long or too short. The slanted hem, often called a military hem, solves that with a small angle. It is a quiet detail that clients notice when they walk past a mirror.
What is a military hem on trousers?
It is a plain hem cut so that the back of the trouser leg is longer than the front. From the side, the hem runs downhill from the front crease to the heel. The front rests lightly on the top of the shoe; the back covers more of the heel. The name comes from dress uniform trousers, which were cut that way to look clean when standing to attention. On suit trousers it is a finishing choice, written per pair.
Hem styles compared
Straight plain hem: level all round — most trousers, with any break.
Slanted (military) hem: lower at the back than the front — slimmer leg openings with little or no break.
Turn-ups: a cuff folded at the hem — a straight hem; turn-ups do not slant well.
Unfinished hem: left open for the shop — the shop sets the final length, straight or slanted.
When does a slanted hem suit the trouser?
When the leg opening is slim to medium and the client wants little or no break. A wide leg opening hangs away from the shoe, so the slant shows less and the back can look droopy. With turn-ups, keep the hem straight. With a full break, a slant adds little. How much break to choose is in the trouser break guide, turn-up choices in turn-ups.
How to write it on the order
Hem style: "slanted (military) hem".
Front length: finished outside-leg or inside-leg at the front, in your usual units.
Back length: finished length at the back of the leg, longer than the front.
Shoes: the heel height or the shoes he will wear, since the slant is judged on the shoe.
Heel guard: yes or no; a heel guard follows the slanted back edge; see trouser heel guard.
Leg opening: as on the trouser block.
If your shop prefers to set the hem itself at the final fitting, order the hem left open and mark it there; see unfinished hem.
Where does it go wrong?
Slant too steep. The back drags on the floor and the front looks short.
Slant on a wide leg. The back folds instead of hanging.
Crease off centre. If the crease is not straight down the leg, the slant looks twisted.
Uneven pair. Both legs must carry the same slant unless the client's legs differ.
A worked note
"Client ref A-12. Suit trousers, slanted (military) hem. Front length and back length as on the measurement form, back longer than front. No turn-ups. Heel guard yes, following the back edge. Leg opening as block. Judge with the client's own black oxfords, standing."
At the sample
Standing in his shoes, from the side: does the front sit lightly on the shoe with no fold?
From behind: does the back cover the top of the heel without dragging?
Walking: does the back flap or catch?
Both legs: the same slant?
Photograph side and back views standing; write corrections in words.
Which track fits a slanted hem?
MTM — from 1 piece: one client's trousers with the front and back lengths on his order, judged in the shoes he wears.
Bulk — from 50 per style: a brand's trouser style finished with a slanted hem in a size run, or left unfinished for shops to hem, with the choice fixed on the sealed sample.
The sample takes 7–14 days; production takes 14–21 days after measurements, cloth and construction are locked. Production days are not delivery days. The single-client route for shops is on our made to measure suit factory page, and bulk trouser programmes on our suit manufacturer China page.
Send the leg opening and the shoes he wears on WhatsApp +65 8013 8838 and we reply with what is still open.
FAQ
What are Shi Yuan's order tracks and clocks? Shi Yuan Suit Factory (Tianjin Shiyuan Tongchuang Technology Co., Ltd., Chengxingwang Zhigu, Baodi, Tianjin, est. 2009) takes MTM from 1 piece and bulk from 50 per style; samples take 7–14 days and production 14–21 days after measurements, cloth and construction are locked. WhatsApp +65 8013 8838.
Can turn-ups be slanted? It is rarely done; the cuff looks tilted. Keep turn-ups on a straight hem.
Does a slanted hem suit jeans-style or casual trousers? It is mainly a dress-trouser finish; on casual trousers a straight hem is more usual.
Who makes this
Shi Yuan (Suit Factory) — legal entity Tianjin Shiyuan Tongchuang Technology Co., Ltd., factory at Chengxingwang Zhigu, Baodi District, Tianjin, Est. 2009. Our founder brings four decades in Chinese menswear manufacturing; founded Shi Yuan in 2009. acumenwear.com is the export domain for Shi Yuan Suit Factory. Order threads: WhatsApp +65 8013 8838 · houzhenying226@gmail.com. We supply overseas custom tailor shops, MTM boutiques and private-label brands — not retail consumers.
Shi Yuan Suit Factory is not affiliated with Tianjin Shiyuan Clothing Co., Ltd.
Next step: sample or inquiry
Send the leg opening, the front and back lengths and the shoes he wears. Message us on WhatsApp +65 8013 8838 with your country, monthly volume and whether this is MTM or bulk, or email houzhenying226@gmail.com. We reply with the sample route and what we still need from you.
Last checked: 2026-11-05. Figures on this page were checked against Shi Yuan's own published terms (sample policy and process pages). Anything not listed here is confirmed in writing on the order thread.
