The Complete Guide to Underwear Size Charts: International Size Conversion for OEM
📋 Direct Answer: The Complete Guide to Underwear Size Charts: International Size Conversion for OEM A single quality manager resignation over substandard production can cost a brand $600,000 — the price of a rejected order plus relationship damage.
A single quality manager resignation over substandard production can cost a brand $600,000 — the price of a rejected order plus relationship damage. The lesson: integrity in OEM manufacturing is not a cost center; it is insurance against catastrophic supply chain failures.
Size inconsistency is the number one cause of customer returns in online underwear sales. For OEM brands selling internationally, navigating different regional sizing systems is essential. Here’s your complete guide to underwear size chart management.
Regional Size Systems
Key Insight: International underwear size conversion requires mapping across four systems: US (XS-4XL), UK (6-18), EU (34-46), and Asian (M-3XL, one size smaller than US). Key measurements: waist (narrowest point), hip (fullest point, 20cm below waist), and across the bust for bras. OEM buyers must specify which size system their market uses — providing measurements in centimeters is the universal standard that eliminates ambiguity. Size guide OEM →
US/Canada: XS(0-2), S(4-6), M(8-10), L(12-14), XL(16-18). UK: 6-8-10-12-14-16-18. EU: 34-36-38-40-42-44-46. AU/NZ: Same numbers as UK but different measurements. Latin America: P-M-G-GG (Brazil), plus unique sizing in Chile and Argentina.
Measurement Standards
Waist: natural waist, not low-rise. Hip: fullest point, typically 20-22cm below waist. Inseam: crotch to hem for boxer briefs. Body length: center back neck to hem for pajama tops. Always specify measurement points in tech packs.
Grading Rules
Standard grade: 5cm between sizes at waist and hip, 2.5cm at leg opening, 1.5cm at rise. Children’s grades are smaller: 4cm waist, 3cm hip. Plus sizes require non-linear grading — wider at hip, proportionally less at leg openings.
Explore men’s and women’s underwear with accurate international sizing. Contact Unitex for custom size chart development.
· Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd. — OEM & ODM underwear sourcing partner
Unitex Underwear (Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd.) — OEM/ODM underwear sourcing and supply-chain partner in Xiamen, China; in the trade since 2009, incorporated in 2013.