• Home
    • Recent
    • Calendar
    • Register
    • Login
    Iron Heart Forum
    Iron Heart Forum

    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Live Reveal - Thursday 12th of June at 1700BST

    Is there a global sizing standard?

    The Resource Centre
    7
    11
    3.4k
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • GilesG
      Giles
      IHUK Crew
      Joined:

      Is there a global sizing standard?

      We are frequently asked why Iron Heart sizing is different from some other (mainly western) brands.

      Most importantly, there is no global standard for clothes sizes, there never has been and I suspect there never will be. There are not national standards either, so saying for instance that you are a US Large is completely meaningless. Brands choose how they determine sizing, end of.

      So for example, just because you have always been an M in Ralph Lauren, does not mean that you will be an M in Japanese or British, or indeed some other US brands.

      Sizing varies between geographies because peoples size and shape varies between geographies. In The Netherlands, the average male height is a tad over 6 feet and weight is 194lbs, in the USA 5' 8" and 200lbs, and in Japan 5' 6" and 155lbs

      The brand that most gets this geographical variance in body size, in my opinion, is Shimano Lifestyle Gear.  Here is a sizing label from one of their garments, to me, this truly illustrates that they understand that clothes sizing is a variable based on geography….

      Sizing varies with time.  The average weight of a male in the US was 165 lbs in 1990 and in 2020 it is 185lbs.

      The above are the reasons that:

      1. We publish sizing tables per garment
      2. We have links to videos showing how we measure, and thus how a customer can check sizing of something he/she has that fits well
      3. We reach out to check whether a customer is sure of their sizing before we ship an order.  Yeah, it's a pain for all concerned, but far better we try and get the customer something that fits, than have the disappointment, hassle and expense of returning something that does not fit

      "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

      last edited by Giles 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • neph93N
        neph93
        見習いボス
        Joined:

        Unusual role swap here. My instinctive answer to the question was: «No, measure your clothes», while yours is thorough and detailed [emoji1]

        “Some of those that work forces
        Are the same that burn crosses”

        • Virginia Woolf
        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • GilesG
          Giles
          IHUK Crew
          Joined:

          😃 😃 😃

          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • KasiK
            Kasi
            見習いボス
            Joined:

            Come to a conclusion, for me What is size doesn’t matter.. but measurement are important.

            Sizes go up and down.

            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

            The world's insane
            While you drink champagne
            And I'm livin' in black rain 4Q 🖕

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • GilesG
              Giles
              IHUK Crew
              Joined:

              More data…..

              Historical increase in size
              In almost all countries of the world, the average body size has increased significantly over the last 100 years. While German men were still approximately 13 cm smaller at the beginning of the 20th century, Spanish men increased over 14 cm and Iranians even over 16 cm. With the women, the height of South-Korean-women rose by over 20 cm.

              These drastic increases are unique in the history of mankind. In no phase of the evolution humans became so much bigger, as since the industrial revolution at the end of the 18. century. In the preceding 1000 years both men and women did not grow at all on average and before that only by 1-2 cm per 1000 years.

              "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • KasiK
                Kasi
                見習いボス
                Joined:

                .

                The world's insane
                While you drink champagne
                And I'm livin' in black rain 4Q 🖕

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • mclaincauseyM
                  mclaincausey
                  見習いボス
                  Joined:

                  @Giles:

                  Sizing varies between geographies because peoples size and shape varies between geographies. In The Netherlands, the average male height is a tad over 6 feet and weight is 194lbs, in the USA 5' 8" and 200lbs, and in Japan 5' 6" and 155lbs

                  Body Mass Index (BMI)
                  Japan: 25.0
                  Netherlands: 25.6
                  USA: 30.4

                  We win again, losers! USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!

                  Think it, be it.

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • goosehdG
                    goosehd
                    Mod Squad
                    Joined:

                    …that is such a depressing statistic.  😞  Especially when one considers all of the additional health issues that come with it.

                    "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • D
                      DrPat
                      Iron Heart Deity
                      Joined:

                      The OP also needs to be a sticky in the Facebook group.  Perhaps with an explanation of why a small brand like IH doesn’t have any incentive to make a size 8XL.

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • GilesG
                        Giles
                        IHUK Crew
                        Joined:

                        @DrPat:

                        Perhaps with an explanation of why a small brand like IH doesn’t have any incentive to make a size 8XL.

                        🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

                        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • nurunuruN
                          nurunuru
                          Raw and Unwashed
                          Joined:

                          @mclaincausey:

                          @Giles:

                          Sizing varies between geographies because peoples size and shape varies between geographies. In The Netherlands, the average male height is a tad over 6 feet and weight is 194lbs, in the USA 5' 8" and 200lbs, and in Japan 5' 6" and 155lbs

                          Body Mass Index (BMI)
                          Japan: 25.0
                          Netherlands: 25.6
                          USA: 30.4

                          We win again, losers! USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!

                          Somewhat tangential, but I remember back when I lived in Japan I had to do an annual health check through my employer.  The doctor gave me a summary at the end and said everything was just fine apart from my being overweight.  I'm 5'10" and back then had a 30" waist.  No idea what I weighed, but couldn't have been more than 165 lbs I'm guessin'.

                          I did not take him seriously.

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • First post
                            Last post
                          Copyright Iron Heart 2022.