How measurements are checked on a finished garment
Short answer: The garment is laid flat without being stretched, and the measurements are taken at fixed points with a tape measure. Each measurement is compared with the size chart and with the permitted deviation.
The garment lies flat and unstretched
The first step is to lay the garment on a flat table and smooth it by hand without pulling the fabric. A knitted garment gives easily, and if you stretch it the measurements come out too large. So it is left to rest first, and the inspector touches it as little as possible while measuring.
The points are agreed in advance
Chest width is measured at a set place below the armhole, not just anywhere. Otherwise two people cannot measure alike, and the results cannot be compared. Each measurement has a fixed description of where the tape goes, so inspectors at different factories get the same number for the same garment.
The size chart is the reference
The size chart is a table of the measurements each garment should have in each size. It is the starting point of the check, and the customer's size guide is built on it too. If the garment strays too far from the chart, the garment is wrong, not the chart. See also Boody.
The deviation is part of the requirement
A figure is not given alone, but with how far it may deviate. A couple of millimetres is normal, because neither cutting, sewing nor fabric can make two garments exactly alike. The tolerance is part of the requirement, so a garment within it is approved, while one outside is judged separately.
Several garments per size
Several samples of each size are measured, because a single garment can be crooked by chance. If all measurements are within tolerance, all is well. One garment outside may be chance, but several outside point to a fault in the pattern or the production. See also Lindbergh and JBS of Denmark.
Before and after washing
Measurements are taken both before and after washing. After the wash you see the shrinkage, which is the difference between the two sets. A garment that fits in the shop but is a size too small after the first wash is not good. So measuring follows a fixed wash, so you can compare without guessing.
Why your own measurements may differ
If you measured a garment at home and got a different figure from the chart, there is usually a simple explanation. You may have measured in another place, the garment may have been stretched slightly, or you may have measured all the way round instead of across. Measure flat, without pulling.
The size guide is tied to the measurements
A size guide is built on the same measurements the inspector uses. If you compare a garment you already own with the measurements in the guide, you can find the size that fits. That is the most reliable way, because you compare measurements with measurements and do not guess from letters.
How to measure a garment yourself
Lay your favourite garment that fits you flat on a table and measure across at fixed places, such as the chest or the waist. Remember to double the figure if the chart gives the circumference. Note the measurements and compare them with the chart for the garment you are considering.
Frequently asked questions
Are measurements taken before or after washing
Both. The measurements after washing reveal the shrinkage, and they show whether the garment still fits once it has been worn and washed a few times.
Why do my measurements not match the chart
Because you may be measuring in another place or stretching the fabric slightly without meaning to. Lay the garment flat, do not pull it, and measure exactly where the chart says.
How much may a measurement deviate
It depends on the measurement, but often around half a centimetre to one centimetre. A couple of millimetres is perfectly normal, and the tolerance is stated together with the measurement in the size chart.
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