A client stands relaxed in his MTM sample. The sleeve length is right, the width is right, the shoulder is clean. And yet there is a diagonal fold running across the upper sleeve, front or back, that will not press out. The problem is not size; it is rotation. The sleeve has been set into the armhole at an angle that does not match how this client's arm hangs. That angle is the sleeve pitch.
Pitch is one of the most common corrections between a first MTM sample and a repeat order, and one of the hardest to describe in a message. This post covers how to read it and how to report it.
Why pitch varies from client to client
Arms do not all hang the same way. Many men's arms hang slightly forward of the side seam; some hang straighter or further back, depending on posture and build. A pattern sets the sleeve for a typical arm. When the client's arm differs, the sleeve twists to follow it, and the twist shows as folds.
On MTM from 1, pitch is a per-client correction — recorded once and carried to every later order. On bulk from 50 per style, pitch is set for the block and approved on the sealed sample; individual clients who need a different pitch are better served by MTM.
Reading the folds
Diagonal folds on the back of the upper sleeve: usually the arm hangs further forward than the sleeve is set. Report "pitch: arm forward; folds at back of sleeve".
Diagonal folds on the front of the upper sleeve: usually the arm hangs further back than the sleeve is set. Report "pitch: arm back; folds at front of sleeve".
Sleeve vent turning towards or away from the body: the rotation does not match the hand position. Report "vent faces inward / outward".
Folds under the sleeve head when the arm is lifted: an armhole or sleeve-head question, not pitch. Report it separately.
Describe what you see and which way the arm hangs. Leave the size of the correction to the pattern maker; that is a pattern decision, not a fitting-room one.
The photo set for a pitch report
Side view, both arms, relaxed. Client standing naturally, not posed. Camera at shoulder height.
Front view, hands relaxed. Shows whether vents and cuffs face forward or turn.
Back view. Shows folds on the back of both sleeves.
One close-up per sleeve of the fold you are reporting.
Report left and right separately. Many clients need a different correction on each side. The full sample photo set is in MTM sample feedback photo set, and posture notes in try-on wrinkles and posture notes.
A worked report
Client ref 0417, jacket sample. Right sleeve: arm hangs forward; diagonal folds at back of upper sleeve; vent turns slightly inward. Photos 1–4. Left sleeve: hangs clean. No change. Length, width, shoulder: approved.
Five lines. The pattern maker knows which sleeve, which direction, and what not to touch. A message saying "sleeves look a bit off" produces a guess.
Pitch, armhole and shoulder are different notes
If folds appear when the arm is raised but not when it hangs, the issue is likely the armhole or sleeve head — see high armhole jacket spec. Mixing pitch and armhole notes in one sentence is the most common reason a correction lands in the wrong place.
Making it stick
Once corrected and approved, write the pitch note into the client's fit record so every later order repeats it — see client fit record for repeat MTM orders.
The sample takes 7–14 days; after your report, the corrected order runs to production in 14–21 days once measurements, cloth and construction are locked. Production days are not delivery days. Sample review is on our sample policy page, the single-client route on our made to measure suit factory page. Send your pitch report on WhatsApp +65 8013 8838 and we confirm the correction in writing.
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 pitch be corrected by a local tailor instead? Often, by resetting the sleeve. Reporting it lets the next garment come right without that work.
Should pitch be measured? Report direction and photos. The pattern maker sets the amount.
Does pitch apply to bulk runs? Bulk from 50 per style uses the pitch on the sealed sample. Clients who need a different pitch go to MTM from 1.
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 side, front and back photos with your note per sleeve. 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: 2026-10-28. 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.
