The sizing inconsistency behind size discrepancy

Although many fashion and apparel insiders would agree that poor fit is a problem industry-wide, improving existing sizing practices remains a challenge.

Garment fit can be problematic for retailers for a wide range of reasons, including diminishing margins attributable to a high number of returns or markdowns. The impact of poor fit on customer satisfaction can be detrimental to brand loyalty and even brand image. Ill-fitting garment stock that doesn’t move can also have considerable environmental impact due to material waste.

So how do your company's sizing practices measure up?

Read our e-guide to spot:

• what’s really behind your garment fit issues,
• the knock-on effect on contract manufacturing,
• room for improvement at multiple levels of your business operations.

 In many cases, sizing inconsistency is the root cause of these recurrent business issues.

Across the worldwide clothing manufacturing industry, a boundless degree of variance can be found in fit and sizing practices. As a result, depending on the garment cut, fashion label or country of origin, consumers can encounter wildly different size standards. Because it is not feasible to adopt sizing criteria at international level, garment manufacturers set sizing standards that reflect their own consumer data. Garment sizing is typically based on the standard measurements of a single fit model representative of the target market. Sizing standards naturally vary from one brand to the next, and shoppers are often frustrated by the lack of consistency in sizing and any related inconveniences.

The current high rate of retail fashion returns can be explained in part by the sustained growth of online sales. Another major factor driving this trend is garment fit itself, which can deviate within a size, fail to meet customer expectations or even result in poor-quality merchandise. Although many fashion experts would agree that sizing inconsistency is a problem industry-wide, the answer to the industry’s garment fit conundrum is not an easy one. It is clear that doing nothing about size and fit issues has even more damaging consequences for fashion companies.