Buying guide · Sizing
Half of all workwear returns are self-inflicted: sizes guessed from a favourite tee, waists quoted from denial, one 'L' assumed to equal another. The cure is five measurements taken in five minutes with a fabric tape — and the two rules that turn them into garments that fit on arrival.
The rules
Rule one: measure the body, not the wardrobe. A favourite old garment has stretched, shrunk and been chosen for reasons memory flatters; the tape hasn't. (Workwear sizing is also honest by regulation — EN ISO 13688 requires declared sizes to map to body dimensions — so honest inputs meet honest labels.)
Rule two: read the maker's chart, every time. Sizes are not standardised across brands — one maker's L is another's XL, and workwear cuts vary deliberately (a coverall allows for layers and crouching; a softshell doesn't). Match your numbers to each chart rather than transferring letters between brands. Two refinements finish the job: size outer layers over what's actually worn beneath (the winter-shell rule from the layering guide), and for teams, collect measurements at intake rather than asking people to shout sizes across a yard — it's quicker than one exchange paperwork cycle, and it feeds the quantity maths a real size curve, including the range edges.
Quick reference
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Trousers fine standing, tight crouching | Seat measured small or ignored | Order by hip measurement, prefer stretch fabrics |
| Knee pads sit on shins | Leg length wrong | Order tall leg — pad position is the protection |
| Jacket tight over fleece | Sized to summer body | Outer layers size over real underlayers |
| Polo L fits, brand-B L doesn't | Charts differ between makers | Numbers to chart, every brand, every time |
| Boots blister | Length right, shape wrong | See lasts — and fit late in the day |
Questions
Tape around the fullest part of the chest, under the arms and level across the back, snug but not compressed, with arms relaxed. Match that number to the specific maker's size chart — letters like L and XL aren't standardised between brands.
Not as a rule — modern workwear is cut for work, including layering allowances where relevant. The exceptions are deliberate: outer shells sized over real underlayers, and coveralls tested in a crouch. Otherwise measure honestly and follow the chart; oversizing creates its own snag and drape problems.
Measure at intake with a fabric tape — five measurements per person, five minutes — rather than collecting self-declared letters. It feeds orders a real size curve including tall legs and extended sizes, and it costs less than one round of exchange postage.
Everything in these guides is stocked, embroiderable and priced for teams.