How to measure garments: a measurement sheet a manufacturer can work from

What a measurement sheet is

A measurement sheet — also called a spec sheet or size chart — lists every point of measure (POM) on a garment, the finished measurement for each size, how each point is taken and the tolerance allowed. It is the part of a tech pack a pattern maker reads first, and the part a QC inspector checks at the end.

Two rules make a sheet usable. First, measure the finished garment, not the body that will wear it: a factory needs '½ chest 54 cm', not 'fits a 100 cm chest'. Second, describe how every point is taken. Two people measuring 'chest' in two different places will get two different numbers, and both will be right.

A blank measurement sheet (CSV/Excel) and a tech-pack template can be downloaded from this page. Fill in the sheet for one base size first, then grade the rest.

Points of measure for tops

These are the points most factories expect on a T-shirt, sweatshirt, hoodie or polo. Measure with the garment laid flat, buttoned or zipped closed, without stretching:

• ½ chest — straight across the front, 2.5 cm below the armhole, side seam to side seam.
• Body length — from the high point shoulder (HPS), where the shoulder seam meets the collar, straight down to the hem.
• Shoulder width — shoulder point to shoulder point across the back.
• Sleeve length — from the shoulder point along the sleeve to the cuff edge; for raglan sleeves, state that it is taken from the neck instead.
• Armhole — straight, from the shoulder point to the underarm seam.
• ½ hem (sweep) — straight across the bottom edge; for rib hems, measure relaxed and state it.
• Neck width and front neck drop — seam to seam across the neck opening, and from the HPS line down to the centre front neckline.

Points of measure for bottoms and outerwear

Trousers, joggers, jeans and shorts are measured the same way, flat and closed:

• ½ waist — across the top edge of the waistband, relaxed; for elastic waists, give relaxed and extended.
• ½ hip — straight across at a stated distance below the waistband, often 18–20 cm.
• Front and back rise — from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband.
• Inseam — from the crotch seam along the inside leg to the hem.
• ½ thigh — straight across, a stated distance below the crotch, often 2.5 cm.
• ½ knee — at a stated distance from the crotch or from the hem.
• ½ leg opening — straight across the hem.

Outerwear, gloves, footwear and headwear

Outerwear uses the same points as tops, with a few additions: centre back length, hood height and width, pocket placement and size, and zip length. Jackets are usually designed to be worn over other layers, so state the intended layering — the ease built into the chest depends on it.

Gloves are normally sized by the wearer's hand: hand circumference around the knuckles (excluding the thumb) and hand length from the wrist crease to the tip of the middle finger. The finished glove spec then adds palm width, finger lengths and cuff length per size.

Footwear is sized in EU, UK or US systems, and the conversions between them are not exact — they vary by last and by brand. State which system your size run uses and give the foot length in millimetres for each size, so both sides are working from the same reference.

Headwear is sized by head circumference, measured around the forehead just above the eyebrows and ears. Give the circumference per size, and for one-size or adjustable items, state the range it must fit.

Ready to apply this to a real order?Start an RFQ

Graded size charts and grade rules

Grading is how the base size is scaled up and down. A grade rule is the amount each point changes between neighbouring sizes — for example, ½ chest +2.5 cm per size, body length +1.5 cm per size. Some points grade evenly; others jump at certain sizes, and the chart should show that.

You can supply either a full chart with every size measured out, or a base size plus grade rules. Both work. What does not work is a chart where the jumps between sizes are irregular without explanation — the pattern maker will ask, and every question costs time.

Tolerances, units and measuring a reference garment

A tolerance is the deviation you accept from each measurement. Typical industry ranges are around ±1–1.5 cm on major points such as chest, length and hem, and around ±0.5 cm on small points such as neck drop, cuff height or placket width. These are typical figures, not a standard — state your own per point, and the tolerances for your order are agreed with the factory.

Pick one unit and use it throughout. Most factories work in centimetres; US buyers often write in inches. Either is fine as long as the chart never mixes them and fractions of an inch are written consistently.

If you are working from a garment you like, measure it flat on a table: smooth it without stretching, close all fastenings, measure straight lines with a rigid ruler and curves with a tape on its edge. Measure twice and note anything that looks uneven between left and right. Send the garment or clear photos with the tape in shot along with your numbers.

How LOMERAQ uses your chart

Your measurement chart is the reference for the pattern. When the sample is made, it is measured against your chart point by point before it goes to you for approval. Once you approve the sample, the specification is locked: measurements, tolerances and grading are frozen in writing, and changes after that point are versioned rather than agreed verbally.

Bulk is then checked against that locked specification and the approved sample at final inspection. If you do not have a chart yet, send a reference garment or a sketch with key measurements with your RFQ — a technical reviewer replies, and the chart can be developed with you from there.