Tailoring & clothing repair

Tailoring & clothing repair in South Africa

Updated 4 November 2026

Clothing alterations in South Africa usually cost between R 50 and R 325 per item, depending on the garment and the work. A hem or a trouser shortening sits at the low end, and a jacket is at the top of the range. To get a price for your exact job, describe it on BlaBlaPrice, and sellers who do this work reply with their own offer.

Check what the quote includes

Price lists in South Africa are not written in the same way. One list says its prices include VAT, while others do not say, so ask whether VAT is in the figure before you agree. Some lists also price a lined skirt or a metal zip separately, because the lining or the zip changes the work. Ask the seller what a range depends on, and whether the price covers the zip or the lining you need.

Season: book before the cold months

November is early summer in South Africa. Summer runs from December to February and winter from June to August, so a warm coat, a jacket or heavy trousers are best brought in before the cold months start. Booking earlier than that gives the tailor time to measure, fit and finish properly, and gives you time to collect the item and try it on.

How it is done here

Most price lists in the results are for work done at a shop, so you usually bring the item in yourself. Jackets and some garments are measured in centimetres, and that is how sellers describe the length. Ask whether a seller in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria or Gqeberha also collects items, and whether the price is quoted per item or per alteration.

What to write in your request

Name the item and the work: trousers to shorten, a zip to replace, a skirt to take in. Add the fabric (cotton, a polyester blend or leather), the measurements in centimetres, how many items you have, your deadline, your city and your budget in rand. Lining matters: a lined skirt is listed at R 185, against R 165 for an unlined one.

Getting offers is free for buyers. You describe the job in your own words in a chat and can add a photo. BlaBlaPrice's AI asks for missing details, looks through sellers' websites and price lists in South Africa, and shows the prices and businesses it finds. Sellers registered on BlaBlaPrice reply in the chat with their own offer, and your contacts stay hidden until you choose to share them. For related jobs, see Dry cleaning & laundry, or create a request on the home page.