Quick answer: In suit making, pressing is part of construction rather than a last tidy-up: seams are pressed as they are sewn, the cloth is shaped with steam over curved forms, and the finished jacket gets a final press that should set the shape without flattening the lapel roll or putting a shine on the cloth. Ask which parts are pressed during the make, write any cloth-specific pressing note, and judge the sample in daylight for shine, flat edges, seam marks and the lapel roll. 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 cloth reference and any pressing notes on WhatsApp.
A sample arrives and something is off, but it is hard to name. The lapels lie flat like paper, the cloth has a faint glaze at the seams, or the front looks tired before anyone has worn it. Often the cut and sewing are fine and the pressing is where the difference sits. In a tailored jacket the iron does as much shaping as the needle, so pressing is worth a few lines in the brief.
Why is pressing important during garment construction?
Because a suit jacket is flat cloth made to sit on a curved body. Seams pressed open after each step lie flat and let the next part go on cleanly. Steam over a curved form shrinks or stretches the cloth slightly where the chest, shoulder and sleeve head need shape. Edges pressed thin make the front and lapels look sharp. The final press presents the garment. Skip or hurry the early pressing and the final press cannot put it right; all it can do is flatten what is there.
The pressing stages
Seam pressing: seams pressed open or to one side after sewing — flat seams, a clean inside and no ridges.
Shaping: steam over curved forms at the chest, shoulder and sleeve head — the jacket holds the body shape.
Edge pressing: front edges, lapels and collar pressed thin — sharp, even edges.
Trouser pressing: creases set, seat and legs shaped — a straight crease and no twist.
Final pressing: the whole garment before inspection and packing — presentation, with the lapel roll kept.
What goes wrong when pressing is hurried?
Shine. Too much heat or a hard press without a cloth glazes worsteds, most visibly on dark smooth cloths.
Seam impressions. The edges of the seam allowances press through and show as lines on the face.
Flat lapels. A hard final press over the lapel kills the roll; see the lapel roll line.
Crushed nap. Flannels and other napped cloths flatten and change colour where pressed hard.
Water marks. Too much steam or a wet cloth leaves rings on some finishes.
Lifting fusible. Heat on a fused front can loosen the bond; see suit jacket bubbling.
Which cloths need a pressing note?
Napped and brushed cloths such as flannel, which should be pressed lightly from the back; see flannel construction notes. Textured cloths whose surface is the point, such as seersucker, where a hard press removes the pucker; see the seersucker brief. Dark, smooth worsteds that shine easily. And trousers where the client wants a crease that holds; see durable trouser crease.
The spec lines
Lapel: "soft roll kept; no hard press over the lapel".
Face: "press with a cloth on the face; no shine".
Seams: "no seam impressions on the face".
Napped cloth: "light press from the back; lift steam".
Trousers: "crease to the knee and down the centre of the leg" or "no crease".
Final press: "after inspection, before packing".
A worked note
"Client ref A-12. Dark navy worsted, cloth reference attached. Soft lapel roll to the top button; no hard press over the lapel. Press with a cloth on the face; no shine, no seam impressions. Trousers creased front and back to the hem. Please photograph the lapel from the side and the front in raking daylight."
At the sample
Look across the front in raking daylight: any glaze or seam lines?
Look at the lapel from the side: does it roll, or lie flat?
Run a hand along the front edge: thin and even, or thick in places?
Check the trouser crease: straight down the centre of the leg?
Photograph and write findings in words. Review steps are on our sample policy page.
Which track carries pressing notes?
MTM — from 1 piece: one client's suit with any pressing note for his cloth written on his order, and the same note repeated on later suits in that cloth.
Bulk — from 50 per style: a brand's style with the pressing notes fixed on the sealed sample and repeated for every piece in the run.
The sample takes 7–14 days; production takes 14–21 days after measurements, cloth and construction are locked. Production days are not delivery days. How pressing sits between sewing, inspection and packing is on our process page.
Send the cloth reference and any pressing notes 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 shine from pressing be removed? Sometimes a cleaner can lift a light glaze with steam and a brush; often it does not go completely, which is why the note belongs in the brief.
Why does a new suit arrive creased? Folded packing leaves soft creases that steam out. A creased jacket is a packing question; a flat, shiny one is a pressing question.
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 cloth reference, any pressing notes and photos of a finish you liked or disliked. 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.
