Weight your first order towards the middle sizes, M and L, keep enough S and XL to serve the edges, and buy only a few pieces of 2XL and 3XL until sales show demand. A sensible t-shirt size ratio for first order planning is a starting estimate, not a rule, and the right split depends on who buys from you and which fit you are selling.
Our T-shirts come in adult sizes S to 3XL, and sizes can be mixed within the 100-piece minimum per style. That gives you room to shape the ratio around your own buyers.
Start with who is buying
Size demand follows your audience. Think about:
- Gender mix. A largely male audience skews towards L and XL. A largely female audience buying a unisex tee often skews towards S and M.
- Age. Younger buyers often choose oversized fits and may size down.
- Market. Body sizes and fit expectations differ between countries. If you sell in more than one country, plan the ratio for the larger market.
- Channel. Gift and merchandise buyers often pick a safe middle size. Repeat buyers on your own store know their size.
If you already sell any clothing, your own sales history is the most reliable guide. Use it before any general pattern.
Example ratios for 100 pieces
These are starting points, written as pieces out of 100. Adjust them to your audience.
| Size | Regular fit, mixed audience | Regular fit, mostly men | Oversized, mixed audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| M | 28 | 22 | 30 |
| L | 30 | 32 | 30 |
| XL | 18 | 24 | 17 |
| 2XL | 8 | 10 | 6 |
| 3XL | 4 | 4 | 2 |
Notice the oversized column leans smaller. The oversized fit has a dropped shoulder, a wider body and a longer sleeve, so many buyers take their usual size or one smaller to get the look without the shirt swamping them.
Building a size chart customers trust
A good size chart cuts returns more than any ratio does. Measure the finished garment, not the body, and publish the measurements you can check on the sample.
The core measurements for a T-shirt are:
- Chest width. Measured flat, one cm below the armhole, side seam to side seam.
- Body length. From the highest point of the shoulder to the hem.
- Sleeve length. From the shoulder seam to the sleeve hem. On oversized fits, say where you measured from, because the shoulder seam sits lower.
- Shoulder width. Seam to seam, useful on regular fits.
Add a short note on fit, such as “relaxed fit, size down for a closer look”. Buyers read that note more often than the table.
If you sell on a marketplace, the seller confirms the current size-chart requirements with the marketplace. We can measure your approved sample to whatever format you send us.
Check the chart against the sample
When your sample arrives, measure it yourself and compare it with the chart you plan to publish. Then try it on two or three people of different builds. Note where it feels tight or loose. That small test is worth more than a long debate about ratios.
Common sizing mistakes on a first order
A few patterns come up again and again with new brands:
- Ordering evenly across all six sizes. Equal numbers of S and 3XL rarely match demand. The middle sizes sell out and the edges sit unsold.
- Copying another brand’s chart. Their measurements belong to their pattern, not ours. Publish what you measure on your own sample.
- Leaving out 2XL and 3XL entirely. A few larger pieces keep your listing complete and tell buyers you thought about them.
- Forgetting fit notes on oversized styles. Without a note, buyers order their usual size, find it larger than expected, and return it.
- Measuring before washing. Wash the sample once and measure again, so your chart reflects the shirt your customer will actually wear.
Long sleeve and heavyweight
Long sleeve buyers care about sleeve length as much as chest width, so list it clearly. Heavyweight T-shirts feel more structured, and some buyers size up for a boxier look. Mention that in your fit note if it suits your styling.
Mixing styles and colours
The minimum is per style, so a regular fit order and an oversized order each need 100 pieces, each with its own ratio. If you order two colours inside one style, you do not have to split sizes evenly between them. A white tee may sell more in XL while a black tee sells more in M. The colour split is confirmed at quotation.
After the first order
Track sales by size and colour from day one. When you reorder:
- move pieces from sizes that sat on the shelf to sizes that sold out;
- keep at least a few pieces of every size so your listing stays complete;
- revisit the size chart if returns mention fit.
For how the minimum, samples and quotation fit together, see T-shirt minimum order, samples and what to send for a quote.
Send us your planned quantity per size along with the style and fabric from our white label T-shirts, and we will confirm it in the quotation. If you are unsure, send your audience and channel and we can talk the split through with you.