How to Make a Size Chart for Your Clothing Brand
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To make a size chart for your clothing brand, measure your own finished samples flat, in centimetres, at the same points every time: chest width (straight across, just below the armholes), body length (high point of the shoulder to the hem) and sleeve length. Record one row per size, state clearly that these are garment measurements rather than body measurements, and add one line of fit advice, such as whether to size down for a closer fit. If you build on blanks, start from your supplier's chart, but publish the numbers you measure on your decorated, washed samples.
That is the short version. The rest of this guide covers how to measure properly, what to do with oversized and cropped cuts, and the details that catch out brands working on blank garments.
Garment measurements vs body measurements
There are two kinds of size chart, and mixing them up causes most sizing complaints.
- Body measurements tell a customer which size suits their chest or waist. High-street retailers use them because they control the pattern across a whole range.
- Garment measurements describe the item itself, laid flat. A customer can lay their favourite tee on the bed, measure it and compare.
For a small brand selling oversized or boxy pieces, garment measurements are the better choice. A boxy tee is meant to be far wider than the body, so a body-measurement chart would push people into the wrong size. Whatever you choose, say which it is in the chart heading. "Chest 58" means something very different as a flat garment width than as a body circumference.
How to measure a t-shirt for a size chart
Lay the garment flat on a hard surface, smooth it without stretching it, and use a soft tape or a metre rule. Measure every size, not just the medium.
| Measurement | Where to measure | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Chest width | Straight across the front, side seam to side seam, just below the armholes | Use the same distance below the armhole on every size |
| Body length | From the high point of the shoulder, where it meets the collar, straight down to the hem | Measure the front unless you state otherwise |
| Sleeve length | From the shoulder seam to the sleeve hem | On dropped shoulders, say where you measured from |
| Shoulder width (optional) | Across the back, seam to seam | Less useful on dropped-shoulder cuts, where the seam sits off the shoulder |
Three measurements are enough for most tees. Chest width and length do most of the work, because they decide how the garment hangs. For hoodies and sweatshirts, use the same points; you can add the hem width if your rib hem pulls in noticeably.
Use centimetres, and be consistent
UK and European customers expect centimetres. If you sell into the US, add inches in a second column rather than replacing the metric figures. Round to the nearest centimetre. Half-centimetre precision suggests an accuracy that cut-and-sewn knitwear rarely holds from piece to piece.
Reading your blank supplier's size chart
If your range is built on blanks, your supplier's chart is the starting point, and it tells you a lot about the cut. Here is the chart for our 300 GSM heavy oversized t-shirt, as listed on the product page in garment measurements:
| Size | Length (cm) | Chest width (cm) | Sleeve (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 70 | 58 | 23 |
| M | 72 | 59 | 25 |
| L | 74 | 60 | 26 |
| XL | 76 | 63 | 27 |
| XXL | 78 | 67 | 27 |
Look at how it steps between sizes, known as the grading. Length goes up by 2 cm a size all the way through. Chest width moves only 1 cm from S to M and M to L, then opens up by 3 cm to XL and 4 cm to XXL. In plain English, the smaller sizes share a similar wide, boxy body and differ mainly in length, while the bigger sizes get noticeably roomier. That is useful to pass on: a customer between S and M is choosing length more than width.
Now compare a different silhouette. Our boxy cropped t-shirt lists a medium at 58 cm chest width and 64 cm front length. That is almost the same width as the oversized medium, but 8 cm shorter. The two cuts suit different customers and need separate charts, even if both say "M" on the label. Our fit guide to boxy cropped vs oversized tees goes further into choosing between them.
Measure your own samples before you publish
Never paste a supplier's chart straight onto your product page without checking it. Order samples in every size you plan to sell, then measure them yourself. Our guide to sampling blank t-shirts before a bulk order covers wash and wear testing in more detail. Four things can move the numbers:
- Washing. Cotton jersey can change after its first wash. Measure a sample before and after washing it on your own care instructions, and publish the figures your customer will live with.
- Garment dyeing. Dyeing a finished garment involves heat and water, and cotton can shrink in the process. That is why the ecru versions of our 320 GSM ultra heavy t-shirt and 325 GSM long sleeve are cut slightly larger than the black. If you sell a custom-dyed colourway, measure the dyed pieces, not the undyed base.
- Different colourways. Following on from the point above, don't assume every colour of one style measures the same. Check each one you stock.
- Decoration. A large screen print or heavy embroidery won't change the measurements, but it can change how the front hangs. Wear-test a printed sample alongside a plain one.
Allow a small tolerance. Knitted fabric moves, so two cut-and-sewn pieces of the same size won't always match to the centimetre. A line such as "measurements may vary slightly between pieces" is honest and saves arguments.
Add fit advice customers can act on
A table of numbers is only half a size chart. Add one or two lines that tell people what to do:
- State the intended fit: oversized, boxy, cropped, relaxed.
- Give a clear sizing instruction. Our oversized tees advise ordering your usual size for the full oversized look, or sizing down by one for something closer to a relaxed regular fit. The boxy crop advises sizing up for a more relaxed, less cropped look.
- Give the model's height and the size they wear in your photos.
- Suggest the "measure a tee you own" check: lay it flat, measure the chest width and length, and compare.
This advice belongs on the product page itself, not hidden behind a pop-up. Our guide to writing product descriptions for your first drop shows where it sits alongside fabric, weight and care.
Hoodies, long sleeves and limited size ranges
Every style needs its own chart, and its own size range. Check what your blank comes in before you design a chart that promises sizes you can't supply. For example, the 500 GSM grey marl hoodie runs S to XXL, our 325 GSM long sleeves run S to XL, and the 350 and 380 GSM relaxed fit hoodies come in S, M and L.
Your range also affects how many of each size to buy. Once your chart is done, our guide to size breakdowns for a first drop covers the quantities.
Common size chart mistakes
- Letters only (S, M, L) with no measurements.
- Not saying whether figures are garment or body measurements.
- Giving chest width but calling it "chest", so customers read it as a circumference.
- One chart copied across every style, including cuts that fit differently.
- Supplier figures published without measuring washed, decorated samples.
- Listing sizes the blank doesn't come in.
FAQ
What measurements should a t-shirt size chart include?
At minimum, chest width, body length and sleeve length for every size, measured flat in centimetres. Shoulder width is optional and less useful on dropped-shoulder cuts.
Is chest width the same as chest size?
No. Chest width is measured straight across a flat garment, so it is roughly half the garment's circumference. Chest size usually means a body measurement around the chest. Label your chart clearly so customers know which they are reading.
Should I use my blank supplier's size chart?
Use it as your starting point, then measure your own samples in every size after washing and decoration. Publish the figures you measure, because those are what your customer receives.
Do I need a different size chart for each style?
Yes. An oversized tee and a boxy cropped tee can share a chest width but differ in length by several centimetres, so one chart for both will mislead customers.
How do I account for shrinkage in a size chart?
Wash a sample on your own care instructions and measure it before and after. If you are garment dyeing a colourway, measure the dyed pieces, as the process can change the size of cotton garments.
Should my size chart be in centimetres or inches?
For UK customers, centimetres. If you sell to the US, add inches in an extra column rather than replacing the metric figures.
Start with blanks you can measure
A good size chart starts with a sample in your hands. With zero MOQ on our blanks, you can order a single piece in each size, measure it, wash it and wear-test it before you commit to a run. In-stock blanks are dispatched the next working day from our UK warehouse, and we have been in textiles since 1972. Browse our heavyweight blank tees, hoodies and long sleeves, or compare several styles at once with the heavyweight t-shirt bundle. If you need printing, embroidery or garment dyeing to a Pantone shade, we can handle that as well.