Sizes and fits refer to the basic dimensions, or overall size, of clothing. Size: indicates a person’s height and serves as the basis for designing and selecting the length of clothing. Fit: refers to a person’s chest or waist circumference, and is the basis for designing and selecting the looseness or tightness of clothing. Clothing categorizes body types based on the difference between chest and waist measurements — the chest-waist difference, as the name suggests, is the numerical difference between an individual’s chest and waist circumferences. According to national standards, body types are divided into four categories: Y, A, B, and C. See the table below (unit: centimeters). The currently used clothing size and fit standards in China are — GB/T 1335.1-2008 "Clothing Size and Fit – Men", GB/T 1335.2-2008 "Clothing Size and Fit – Women"; GB/T 1335.3-2009 "Clothing Size and Fit – Children". According to national standards, the size and fit labeling requires that tops and bottoms be marked separately, with the size and fit separated by a slash, followed by the body type code. For example, in a top labeled 175/96B, 175 represents the size, 96 represents the fit, and B represents the body type code. According to the national standard GB/T1335, body type A covers the widest range of people, accounting for 39.21%; body type Y is leaner, making up 20.98%; body type B is slightly heavier, at 28.65%; and body type C is more overweight, accounting for 7.92%. However, since the data used for this standard was collected in the 1980s and there has been no large-scale body measurement data collection in China since then, these figures may not fully reflect the current actual body type distribution of the Chinese population. Differences in altitude, climate, ethnicity, diet, and lifestyle greatly influence the variations in body types across different regions. Over the past thirty years, economic development disparities across various parts of China have also led to differing trends in body type changes in each region. Among northern men, the most common body type is 175/96B, whereas in the south it is 170/92A, and even smaller in regions like Yunnan and the two Guang provinces (Guangdong and Guangxi). The size and fit system reflects a brand’s positioning regarding its target customer base’s body types. The depth of research into sizes and fits can determine whether a brand remains regional or is able to expand nationally or even globally. Some leading brands in the industry place great emphasis on data research regarding their target customers in different regions. For example, outdoor brands like Toread, lingerie brands like Aimer, and fashion brands like EYING... all invest significant resources in collecting customer data, conducting in-depth consumer research, and developing their own rigorous size and fit systems. Although national standards require that clothing size and fit labels follow the pattern of height + chest circumference (waist circumference) + body type, some categories have special labeling methods: 1. Pants (Inch System)— Some brands use waist circumference + inseam length in inches for labeling. For example, GAP pants: 34/32 means a 34-inch waist and a 32-inch inseam. Of course, there are also simpler labeling methods that only indicate the waist circumference in inches, but those are relatively more generalized. Original article by Cangyan Tongxin. Please credit the author and source when reposting. ・END・ Outdoor Technology WeChat’s First Professional Platform for Sharing Outdoor Product Technology Love the outdoors? Follow us and gain some knowledge！
