Garment Sizing System Notes-3

1. Percentage returns in the catalogue retailing for casual apparels are 12-18%, More fitted fashion are 20-28% and for high fashion apparels are 35%.

2. The thumb rule to distribute an increament say 4 cm across the parts of the bodice: 62.5% to be done at the front.

3. Generic Size codes ( S, M, L, XL) are popular for sportswear and garments that fit loosely.

4. Mens clothing is generally communicated in terms of body measurement eg. 38.

5. In a study, it was found that the customer estimation of their body sizes were not accurate. People overestimated their stature and underestimated their hips. But was measured accurately.

6. Apparel sizing is often cited as the social benchmarking tool for women's bodies.

7. Bougourd explained that a size designation is most useful when tied to bodies' measurement.

8. Taylor and Shoben noted that the problem of grading sizing increase as the garment fit becomes closer to actual body shape conversely they decrease as the the garment category becomes looser.

9. Two inches girth grade was used as it was an easy division to a half inch measure when working on a folded front or back pattern piece.

10. In US, a grading of 1" done for smaller sizes, 1.5" for middle size and 2" for higher size. British and Australians work on flat 2" grading. 

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Garment Sizing System Notes-2

A. There can be three approaches towards development of sizing systems:

1. Indirect Approach: This approach measures dimensions such as weight and height and derive measurement based on these.

Shortcomings of indirect approach such as height relate to their variability. E.g. stature is composed of two components: trunk length and leg length. These two dimensions vary independent of each other they cannot be controlled by controlling their sums.

2. Direct:  This approach measures directly the dimensions to be measured such as chest girth.

3. Direct/Indirect:The third approach uses both the approaches.

As per ACK chan, in ready to wear garments, the exactness of fit is not too important at more than two dimensions of the body.

B. The design of the sizing system is a man-made convenience- based on factors of economy, fit and practicability.

C. It is a standard practice to use an odd number of sizes that will stand out for grading.

D. A size designation should have two things- length and girth.

E. As per ME Faust in "Apparel Designation and Sizing": Size designation should bear a definitive relationship to a garment's key measurements and convey adequate information to consumers of any target market.

F. The size interval ( Incremental difference) should incorporate the following:

a. A margin that is bigger than the measuring error.
b. Variation inherent in the manufacturing, allowing for stretch or shrinkage of the fabric during and after the process of manufacture.
c. Variations within the sizing of the body that the consumers are likely to accept.

As per ACK Khan regarding measuring error"... The intervals must be larger than the measuring error...", he further explains:

"...if a man of 88cm chest girth is being measured, it is possible for the measurements to appear as anywhere between 87 and 89 cm, due to different ways in which a person holds the tape measure during measurement taking. If a size interval of only 1 cm was chosen, this would mean a man may be assigned to different size depending on the way his body measurements had been taken. Also in a system, where small interval is used eg. 3cm, the argument in its favour is that it would lead to closer fitting garments. However acc to "Kunick" it is found that a garment that fits within the tolerance of +- 3 cm is quite acceptable, meaning that a size interval could be as wide as 6cm and still give a satisfactory fitting capacity. It can be further said that a garment can be of correct size but a bad fit, and in that case any variation in this size interval is unlikely to give any improvement. "

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Difference Among Pure Silk, Blended Silk and Part Silk Fabrics

As per BIS (Bureau of Indian Standard) the following definitions will apply. Please note that composition of only ground fabric or base fabric will be considered.

1. Pure Silk

If the content of silk in the fabric is more than or equal to 95% then it is termed as pure silk.

2. Blended Silk

If the content of silk in the fabric is more than or equal to 50% then it is termed as blended silk. A tolerance of +-3% is allowed on the declared content.

3. Part Silk

If the content of silk in the fabric is more than or equal to 20% then it is termed as part silk. A tolerance of +- 3% is permitted.

As per BIS, a silk fabric to be marked with the following information among others:

a. Name of the fabric eg. chiffon, crepe etc.
b. Blend composition e.g. pure silk, blended silk or part silk
c. variety of silk eg. mulberry, eri, muga or tussar

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Garment Sizing Systems Notes-1

1. As per S. Ashdown, devising a sizing system should seek to answer the following questions:

a. How many and which body dimensions must be used with reference to the garment in consideration. These dimensions are called control dimensions. These are also called primary dimensions. These are those that affect the goodness of fit in a garment and are the dimensions that are measured on a customer to match them with the right sized garment.

b.  What portion of the range to be covered. This is called size range. 

c. How the grouping of these sizing should be done. This is called Size, Inter size interval or size steps. 

d. How many sizes must be produced and how many garments must be produced of each size. This is called size roll. 

e. Which other dimensions are important for garment constructions. These are called secondary dimensions. These are dimensions are dimensions which are used together with primary dimensions to define the body size of one person as a whole.

f. How the garment must be labelled. The aim is of unmistakable identification, this is called size designation. As per the author "...often it is not clear whether the size codes printed on the label refer to the garment or body measurements or to which area of the garments and body in particular.

2. It is also important to know what portion of the population is provided for by the sizing system. This is called accommodation rate. This is between 65% to 85%

3. Choice of Intersize Interval can be understood with the following observations by Koblyakova:

a. One needs to find out the interval of indifference. It is defined as that interval between sizes along some dimensions that doesn't make a difference to the wearer.

b. The interval of indifference is considered to be twice the average tolerance level, which is defined as the largest increment along a dimension that will not be recognized by the wearer. The value of the level of indifference depends upon various factors:

i. Body dimensions with larger absolute values ( such as stature or hip girth) will have larger intervals of indifference than dimensions with smaller absolute values ( such as arm length or neck girth)

ii. Another factor affecting the interval of indifference is the property of the fabric used for garment. Greater flexibility and stretch of the fabric would increase the level of tolerance, therefore increasing the interval of indifference and hence the secondary intersize interval.

iii. As per Koblyakova, the following size step guidelines can be used for topwear:

6cm for Outerwear
10 cm for mens shirt
12 cm for knitwear.

iv. As per ISO, the following size step guidelines can be used- for topwear:

Womens, all size steps without knits- 8cm
Knits- 6cm

4. Secondary Dimensions describe a body in the details necessary to construct a garment that fits a body. 

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