Size labels are the most confusing tag inside a garment. The same M can mean a 96 cm chest in the US, 100 cm in the EU and 92 cm in China. This article gives you the conversion tables we use in Maigoc's size templates, plus the Chinese height/girth notation that domestic buyers expect.
Tops: women's (T-shirts, blouses, sweaters)
- XS = US 0–2 / EU 32–34 / UK 4–6 / JP 5 / CN 155/80A
- S = US 4 / EU 36 / UK 8 / JP 7 / CN 160/84A
- M = US 6–8 / EU 38 / UK 10 / JP 9 / CN 165/88A
- L = US 10 / EU 40 / UK 12 / JP 11 / CN 170/92A
- XL = US 12 / EU 42 / UK 14 / JP 13 / CN 175/96A
Bottoms: men's denim (waist, in inches)
- 28" = EU 44 / CN 73 cm waist
- 30" = EU 46 / CN 78 cm waist
- 32" = EU 48 / CN 82 cm waist
- 34" = EU 50 / CN 88 cm waist
- 36" = EU 52 / CN 93 cm waist
Footwear (women's)
- EU 36 = US 5.5 = UK 3.5 = JP 23.0 cm = CN 230
- EU 37 = US 6.5 = UK 4.5 = JP 23.5 cm = CN 235
- EU 38 = US 7.5 = UK 5.5 = JP 24.0 cm = CN 240
- EU 39 = US 8.5 = UK 6.5 = JP 24.5 cm = CN 245
- EU 40 = US 9 = UK 7 = JP 25.0 cm = CN 250
China's height/girth notation (GB/T 1335)
On Chinese-market labels, sizes are written as height/girth + body type, e.g. 170/92A. The first number is the wearer's height in cm, the second is the chest girth (for tops) or waist girth (for bottoms), and the letter is the body type: Y (slim), A (regular), B (full), C (extra full).
How to design a size label that works in any market
- Print the home-market size in the largest font (e.g. 170/92A in China, M in the US).
- Add a smaller secondary line with the cross-region equivalents you ship to.
- Use the GB/T 1335 height/girth + body-type code on the back of every Chinese SKU — it's required by domestic retailers like Lining and Anta.
- If you sell on Amazon US or EU, also print the inch / cm body measurements directly on the label — buyers don't trust the letter.
Size returns are 80% of all apparel returns. A clear size label saves more money than any other label decision.