International Clothing Sizing (ISO 3635 / EN 13402)
Direct Answer
International clothing size designation standards governed by ISO 3635 and the European standard EN 13402 replace arbitrary regional vanity numbers (S/M/L, 38/40) with exact anatomical body measurements in centimeters. Utilizing standardized figure pictograms, garments are marked with primary control dimensions including chest/bust, waist, hip girth, and body height.
Source: ISO 3635:1981 / EN 13402-1/-2/-3 (Size designation of clothes)
Specs
| Governing Standards | ISO 3635 / EN 13402-1, -2, -3 / CEN (European Committee for Standardization) |
| Measurement Unit | Centimeters (cm) of barefoot/underwear body girth and length |
| Men's Primary Control Dimensions | Chest Girth (cm) | Waist Girth (cm) | Height (cm) | Inside Leg (cm) |
| Women's Primary Control Dimensions | Bust Girth (cm) | Waist Girth (cm) | Hip Girth (cm) | Height (cm) |
| Girth Grading Step | 4.0 cm intervals for standard sizing (e.g., 88, 92, 96, 100, 104 cm) |
| Height Grading Step | 6.0 cm intervals (e.g., 164, 170, 176, 182, 188 cm) |
| Labeling Format | Standardized human figure pictogram with numerical metric callouts |
The EN 13402 Body Measurement Framework
To eliminate the confusion of national sizing codes (where a US 8 equals a UK 12, an EU 40, and an Italian 44), EN 13402 mandates labeling garments with human body measurements rather than garment dimensions. The manufacturer is responsible for engineering the appropriate garment ease (looseness for movement):
- Bust / Chest: Measured horizontally around the fullest part of the chest under the armpits.
- Waist: Measured horizontally around the natural narrowest waistline between the lowest rib and iliac crest.
- Hips: Measured horizontally around the maximum circumference of the buttocks.
Standard Metric Girth Steps and Drop Intervals
EN 13402-3 establishes a mathematical grading grid:
- Girth Steps: Girth measurements increase in exact $4.0\text{ cm}$ increments (e.g., Chest $96\text{ cm}$, $100\text{ cm}$, $104\text{ cm}$).
- Drop Categories (Body Build): The difference between chest and waist girth defines the body taper:
- Athletic Build (Drop $\ge 12\text{ cm}$)
- Regular Build (Drop $8\text{ to } 10\text{ cm}$)
- Portly Build (Drop $\le 4\text{ cm}$)