True to Size

Ask ten print shops what true to size means and they'll land on the same answer: the garment's actual measurements — chest width laid flat, body length, sleeve length — fall within about a half-inch of the size chart's numbers, size after size, order after order. Most basic tees hold to that standard because the pattern blocks are decades old and stable; fashion and juniors lines drift more, since they get re-cut for trend seasons.

For a buyer speccing a bulk order sight-unseen, that reliability is the difference between trusting a chart and ordering a sample first. Gildan's 5000 and Hanes' Beefy-T have held their measurements for years, which is exactly why they're the default safe pick for a 200-piece order with no time to sample; a newer fashion brand whose chart changed twice in two seasons hasn't earned that trust yet.

Before committing to a large run on an unfamiliar blank, order one mid-size sample, lay it flat, and measure chest and length against the published chart — a true-to-size garment lands within a quarter to half inch of what's promised. If it's off by more, size the whole order up or down rather than trusting the label, and log the actual measurement in your own records for next time.

The mistake is assuming a true-to-size claim on one brand's chart carries over to a different brand's numbering — a shirt can hold to its own chart perfectly while still fitting smaller than another brand's medium, because there's no universal medium in apparel, only each supplier's own chart.