What Is a Size Chart and Why Do You Need One?
Creating an accurate sizing chart is a crucial step for any fashion business, whether you’re launching a new line or updating your current offerings. Without a carefully crafted sizing chart, your customers will be left with no choice but products from your store in the hope it will size them. Of course, this doesn’t always happen going by the high rate of returns many fashion stores record. It’s even worse for online stores.
An effective sizing chart minimizes returns, boosts customer satisfaction, and helps build brand loyalty. In this post, we will discuss what a size chart is all about, why it’s important, and how to create one for your business.
What is a Sizing Chart?
A sizing chart is an essential tool in the fashion industry, providing customers with detailed measurements to help them choose the right size for clothing and accessories. To put it in another perspective, it’s a list containing all the points of measure on the body, from the hips and waist to the chest, bust, etc.
The main purpose of a sizing chart is to ensure there is a sizing fit for customers buying your products. Nobody wants to buy a piece of dress only to realize it’s way smaller than their body size, all because the product’s size wasn’t properly communicated.
Whether you run an online store or a physical retail space, a well-designed sizing chart reduces confusion, enhances the customer experience, and minimizes returns due to poor fit.
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Example of Sizing Chart
Here’s an example of a sizing chart to give you a fair idea of what it is:
Why Size Charts Are Important for Your Fashion Business?
Sizing charts aren’t only meant to reduce garment returns; they can also help foster consistent sizing for your brand. Below are some of the reasons why creating one for your business is important:
1. Reduces Returns and Exchanges
One of the biggest reasons for returns in the fashion industry is poor fit. When customers receive items that don’t fit as expected, they’re likely to return them, costing your business time and money. A well-designed size chart helps customers make informed decisions, reducing the chances of receiving the wrong size and ultimately cutting down on returns and exchanges.
2. Improves Customer Satisfaction
Nothing frustrates a customer more than purchasing an item they’ve been excited about, only to find that it doesn’t fit right. Providing a detailed size chart ensures customers know exactly what they’re getting, increasing the likelihood that they’ll be satisfied with their purchase. Happy customers are more likely to return to your store and recommend your brand to others.
3. Builds Trust and Brand Loyalty
A clear, accurate size chart shows that your brand cares about the customer experience. It fosters trust, as customers feel more confident in their purchase decisions when they have reliable information about fit and sizing. This builds loyalty, as shoppers are more likely to return to a brand that consistently delivers well-fitting products.
4. Boosts Sales
When customers are confident that they’re selecting the right size, they’re more likely to complete a purchase. Uncertainty about fit is a common reason for cart abandonment in online shopping. By offering a detailed, easy-to-use size chart, you can reduce hesitation and help customers feel confident in their choices, leading to increased sales and conversions.
5. Ensures Consistency
A good size chart helps your brand maintain consistency across different styles and collections. While individual garments may vary slightly, a standardized size chart ensures that your customers can expect a certain level of fit across all your products. This consistency leads to fewer surprises and more satisfied repeat customers.
6. Caters to a Global Audience
If your brand operates internationally, a size chart becomes even more important. Different countries use different sizing standards (e.g., US, UK, EU, Asian sizing). Offering a size chart with conversions helps customers from various regions understand what size will fit them, broadening your market and making your products more accessible to global customers.
7. Supports Inclusive Fashion
Inclusive sizing is increasingly important in today’s fashion industry. Offering a detailed size chart that caters to different body types (e.g., plus sizes, petite, tall) shows that your brand values inclusivity. This can set you apart from competitors and attract a wider range of customers, boosting your brand’s reputation and sales.
Internal vs External Size Chart: What’s the Difference and Why Does It Matter?
Sizing charts can be internal (private) or external (public). Let’s see how they differ and their use cases.
Internal Size Charts
An internal size chart is primarily used within your company by designers, product developers, and manufacturers. It sets the standard for how each size in your range should be produced and ensures consistency across all garments. This chart is more technical and detailed than an external size chart, often including precise measurements for different parts of a garment (e.g., chest width, sleeve length, inseam, etc.). It takes into account the widest, smallest, fullest, etc. parts of a garment’s measurement.
External Size Chart
An external size chart is a customer-facing tool designed to help shoppers choose the right size when purchasing from your brand. Unlike internal charts, which are highly technical, external size charts are simplified and presented in a way that’s easy for customers to understand. These charts provide general measurements for the chest, waist, hips, inseam, and other critical areas based on the size labels (e.g., S, M, L, or 0-12).
How to Create a Size Chart for Your Fashion Brand
Here’s a step-by-step guide for creating a size chart for your fashion brand.
Step 1: Identify Your Target Audience
Before you start drafting your size chart, it’s important to understand who your customers are. Are you catering to a specific region, such as the US, UK, or Europe? Do you offer standard sizes, plus sizes, petite, or tall options? Understanding your audience will help determine the sizing system and range you should use.
Step 2: Choose a Sizing System
Different regions follow different sizing systems, and choosing the right one for your audience is key. The most common sizing systems include:
US Sizing
UK Sizing
EU Sizing
Asian Sizing
If your business sells internationally, you might want to offer a size conversion chart that compares different sizing standards. For example, a US size 8 might be a UK size 10 or an EU size 38.
Step 3: Take Key Body Measurements
Accurate body measurements are the foundation of your size chart. Depending on the type of clothing you offer, you will need to include different measurements. Here are the most common measurements for fashion items:
Bust/Chest: Measure around the fullest part of the chest or bust.
Waist: Measure around the narrowest part of the waist.
Hips: Measure around the fullest part of the hips.
Inseam: For pants, measure from the crotch to the ankle.
Sleeve Length: Measure from the shoulder to the wrist for long sleeves.
Make sure to take these measurements from a sample size that represents your target audience to ensure accuracy.
Step 4: Create a Size Range
Based on your measurements, create a size range that fits your customer base. Most brands offer sizes ranging from XS to XL or numerical sizes like 0-14. However, you can adjust your size range depending on your target market. For example, if you cater to plus-size customers, you might extend your range to 3X or higher.
Step 5: Scale the Sizes
Once you’ve established your base measurements, you’ll need to “grade” your sizes to create a full range. Grading is the process of scaling your base size up and down to fit different sizes. This ensures that a size XS will have smaller proportions, and a size XL will have larger proportions while maintaining the intended fit.
Step 6: Design Your Size Chart
Now that you have all the data, it’s time to create the chart itself. A well-designed size chart is easy to read and visually appealing. Here’s what to include:
Size Labels: XS, S, M, L, XL (or 0, 2, 4, etc.).
Measurement Categories: Bust, Waist, Hips, Inseam, etc.
Values: Provide the corresponding measurements for each size in both inches and centimeters, if possible.
Best Practices for Creating a Sizing Chart
1. Know Your Target Audience
Your sizing chart should reflect the needs of your specific customer base. Are you designing for a particular demographic, such as women, men, or children? Are you focusing on plus-size, petite, or tall customers? Understanding your audience will help you decide which measurements to include and the range of sizes to offer. Additionally, consider where your customers are located—different countries have different sizing systems, so offering size conversions may be necessary.
2. Choose the Right Sizing Standard
Select the sizing standard that best suits your market. Common sizing systems include:
US Sizing
UK Sizing
EU Sizing
Asian Sizing
If your brand operates internationally, you may need to include conversion charts to account for regional differences. For instance, a US size 8 may be a UK size 10 or an EU size 38. Providing these conversions ensures that customers from different regions can confidently choose the correct size
3. Include Key Measurements
A sizing chart should include the most relevant body measurements and tape measure for the type of clothing you are selling. The most common measurements are:
Bust/Chest: For tops, dresses, and outerwear.
Waist: For dresses, skirts, and pants.
Height: For pants, skirts, and dresses.
Inseam: For pants and jeans.
Sleeve Length: For tops, jackets, and dresses with long sleeves.
Ensure these measurements are accurate and reflect the average body type of your target audience. For best results, test your garments on a variety of models representing different sizes.
4. Create a Clear, Easy-to-Read Chart
Your sizing chart should be simple, clear, and visually appealing. Use a clean layout that is easy to follow, with separate columns for each size and the corresponding measurements. Avoid overcrowding the chart with too much information. If possible, provide measurements in both inches and centimeters to accommodate international customers.
Conclusion
A well-crafted sizing chart is a powerful tool for any fashion business. It reduces confusion, improves customer satisfaction, and leads to fewer returns. Make sure to continually update your chart based on real-world feedback and evolving market trends, and your customers will thank you for it!
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