Open to buy — OTB — is the number a store buyer protects most carefully: how much stock the store may still commit to this period without overloading the floor. It works well for ready-to-wear suits. It works less well the day the store adds made-to-measure, because MTM garments are bought after they are sold.
Treating both the same way leaves stores either starving MTM of budget or double-counting it. A small change to the plan fixes this.
The formula, in units
Open to buy = planned sales + planned closing stock − opening stock − stock already on order
Most stores run OTB in money. The worked example below uses units, so the logic is clear without prices.
Why the two tracks draw on OTB differently
Bulk stock (from 50 per style) MTM orders (from 1) When it is bought Before it is sold After the client has ordered Does it become stock? Yes, until sold No — it goes straight to the client Risk if demand is wrong Markdown or leftover sizes Very little; no order, no purchase What OTB should hold The full run, at commitment A reserve for expected client orders Clock to plan around Sample 7–14 days for a new style; production 14–21 days after the lock Production 14–21 days after measurements, cloth and construction are locked
Same table as a list
Bulk stock (from 50 per style): bought before it is sold, becomes stock until sold, risks markdown or leftover sizes; OTB should hold the full run at commitment. New styles need a sample (7–14 days) and production runs 14–21 days after the lock.
MTM orders (from 1): bought after the client orders, goes straight to the client, carries little stock risk; OTB should hold a reserve for expected client orders. Production runs 14–21 days after measurements, cloth and construction are locked.
In both cases production days are not delivery days; freight and the client's final fitting come after. In the shop's own words: bulk from 50 is a stock decision, MTM from 1 is a client decision.
A worked example: a three-door menswear store
The store plans to sell 240 suits this season across three doors: 200 from stock, 40 made-to-measure.
Stock side: planned sales 200 + planned closing stock 60 − opening stock 90 − already on order 50 = OTB 120 units. That is room for two more bulk styles of 60, or one style of 120 graded across a wider curve.
MTM side: no closing stock and no opening stock. The store holds a reserve of 40 client orders, released one order at a time as clients are measured.
Mid-season check: if MTM is running ahead — say 30 orders by mid-season — the buyer moves reserve from the stock side to MTM, rather than ordering another bulk style.
The MTM reserve should never be spent on stock "because it is sitting there". It is committed to clients who have not walked in yet.
What changes in the buyer's routine
Two lines in the OTB sheet: stock commitments and MTM reserve.
Release MTM by order, not by season. Each client order draws down the reserve.
Commit bulk at the lock. A bulk run is committed when size split, cloth and construction are confirmed, not when the sample is approved.
Plan holiday timing early. Order early before Spring Festival; confirm holiday dates on WhatsApp +65 8013 8838.
Definitions of the two tracks are in the dual-track glossary; a store's first order on each track is in first order by shop type, and timing reorders is covered in the reorder point formula.
The MTM route is on our made to measure suit factory page; bulk runs on our suit manufacturer China page. Send your season plan on WhatsApp +65 8013 8838 and we tell you which parts sit on which track.
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.
Should MTM be in the OTB at all? Yes, as a reserve. It keeps the buyer from spending client money on stock.
Can one style run on both tracks? Yes: bulk from 50 for the core sizes, MTM from 1 for clients outside the run.
When does a bulk commitment hit OTB? At the lock, when size split, cloth and construction are confirmed.
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 your season plan in units and the styles you are considering. 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: 2026-10-27. 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.
