At Men Thobes UK, we get asked this a lot. When you’re ordering something made specifically for you, “how long will it take?” isn’t a small question. So here’s the honest answer, start to finish: manufacturing usually takes us 5–7 business days, and delivery takes around 5 business days on top of that — so you’re looking at roughly 2 weeks in total, from the moment your design and measurements are confirmed.
But that number on its own doesn’t mean much unless you understand why it takes that long — and what we’re actually doing during that time. So let’s walk through it properly.
We're Not a Sourcing Company. We're the Manufacturer.
This matters more than it sounds like it should. A lot of “custom thobe” sellers in the UK are sourcing from someone else and adding their own markup and turnaround time on top — which means when you ask them about your order, they’re often waiting on an answer from somebody else too.
We’re not that. Men Thobes UK is a pioneer and manufacturer of thobes, with our own production facility based in Pakistan and a partner shop right here in the UK — 42 Cumbernauld Rd, Stepps, Glasgow, G33 6EW. When we give you a timeline, it’s because we control every stage ourselves, not because we’re relaying a guess from someone else’s factory.
That’s also exactly why we’re able to give you an honest, specific timeline instead of a vague “it depends” — because we’re the ones actually making it.
"Ready to start designing your custom thobe?"
Start your custom orderHow We Onboard You: Bespoke Comes First
Before we talk timelines, it’s worth explaining how we actually start an order — because this is where a lot of the “how long will it take” answer actually gets decided.
The first thing we always ask is simple: is there a specific design you’re looking for? We mean that genuinely — anything. Because we run an end-to-end service, from fabric sourcing through to the final stitch, we’re not limited to a fixed catalog the way a reseller would be.
If you already know what you want, we build to that. If you’d rather choose from our existing designs, that’s completely fine too — but even then, “custom” still means something real: your size, your fit, small adjustments in colour, and embroidery worked exactly how you want it (yes, we run our own embroidery machines in-house too — more on that below).
The Fabric: Toyobo Finish, Built for the UK
Every thobe we make uses Toyobo finish fabric — this isn’t a generic choice; it’s the fabric specifically made for thobes, and it’s genuinely well-suited to UK weather. Our standard blend is polyester and cotton, which gives you a wrinkle-free finish — meaning you’re not stuck ironing it over and over before you can wear it.
This is part of why our production takes the time it does — we’re not pulling from a shelf of pre-cut fabric rolls. Sourcing and preparing the right fabric for your specific order is one of the first real steps in the process.
Our In-House Setup: Why We Can Actually Do "Bespoke"
We run our own tailoring machines and cutting machines, built specifically for thobes, with specialists who work on nothing else. This is the actual reason we can offer bespoke as a genuine service rather than a marketing word — because the entire setup exists in-house, under our control, not spread across multiple outsourced workshops.
Combined with our own embroidery machines, this means when you ask for a specific detail — a sleeve adjustment, an embroidery pattern, a colour tweak — we’re not passing that request along to someone else and hoping it comes back right. We’re doing it ourselves.
"Ready to start designing your custom thobe?"
Start your custom orderSo, How Long Does It Actually Take?
Here’s the real breakdown:
Manufacturing: 5–7 business days This starts once your design, fabric, and measurements are confirmed. The exact timing within that range depends on the complexity of your design — a straightforward order moves faster than one with heavy embroidery or detailed customisation. Throughout this stage, every thobe goes through our quality control checks before it’s ready to leave the facility. Since it’s our own in-house manufacturing, we’re the ones directly responsible for that quality, at every step — not a third party we’re hoping does it right.
Delivery: around 5 business days Once your thobe is finished, it’s on its way to you.
All in: roughly 2 weeks, from confirmed order to delivery.
If you need it faster — for Eid or another fixed date — a rush production option is available for an additional fee. Get in touch as early as you can if you’re working to a deadline, since rush slots are limited.
Not Sure What Size to Order?
Getting your measurements right the first time is what keeps your order moving on schedule — if we need to go back and forth on sizing, that adds time before manufacturing can even start. If you’re unsure how to measure yourself accurately, we’ve put together a full walkthrough here: How to Measure Yourself for a Thobe.