One size, different fits: how European clothing sizes affect customer experience
Imagine finding the perfect jacket online. You know your usual size, select it, and place your order. But when the jacket arrives, it feels too tight. You try a different size, only to find that it is too loose. The problem might not be your body or your understanding of your size. It could be the sizing system itself. In a world where fashion brands sell across borders, customers expect a familiar size label to offer a reliable starting point. Yet a size 40 in one store may fit differently from a size 40 in another. What should be a simple purchase can quickly become a frustrating experience.
Europe’s clothing sizes have developed through different national systems, shaped by historical body-measurement data and local conventions. Countries such as France, Italy, Germany and the UK established their own sizing scales, which continue to influence how clothing is labelled today.
To bring greater consistency, Europe introduced EN 13402, a standard designed to identify clothing sizes using body measurements in centimetres. However, the transition has been incomplete, and national conventions remain in use alongside brand-specific size charts and garment measurements.
Modern retail adds another layer of variation. Even when two brands use the same size label, differences in garment cuts, proportions and fit can lead to very different results.
The label may be the same, but the garment is not necessarily the same size in practice.
These differences become particularly important in online shopping, where customers cannot try on a garment before buying it. Instead, they rely on size guides, product descriptions, photographs and customer reviews to decide which size to order. Someone who usually wears a size 38 might need a 40 in one brand and a 36 in another. Customers may spend extra time comparing measurements, or some may order multiple sizes to find the right fit. Others abandon their shopping carts when they cannot confidently choose between options. This creates unnecessary friction in an experience that should be convenient and straightforward.
When size labels do not communicate fit consistently, customers must do more work to complete a purchase.
The impact continues after delivery. A garment that does not fit may need to be returned or exchanged, requiring additional time and effort from the customer.
For retailers, returns bring extra handling and shipping costs, inventory challenges and potentially lost sales. Repeated sizing issues can also affect customer loyalty, making shoppers less likely to buy from the same brand again.
Not every return is caused by inconsistent sizing. Personal preferences, garment design and fabric also influence fit. However, unclear or inconsistent sizing information can contribute to avoidable returns, particularly when customers shop internationally.
For global fashion brands, this presents a significant challenge. A sizing system familiar to customers in one country may be difficult to interpret in another, even when the brand operates across both markets.
Simply adding more size charts does not always solve the problem. Customers may still need to convert between national sizing systems, compare measurements in centimetres or inches, and understand how a garment is intended to fit.
Brands can improve this experience by providing clear body-measurement guidance, garment-specific measurements and consistent product information. But what if customers could go one step further and no longer had to worry about choosing the right size?
Imagine an ideal shopping experience where customers simply enter their body measurements, choose the garments they love, and receive clothing produced to fit their individual bodies. Instead of customers having to find the right size, the garment would be made to fit them.
This is the vision ShapelyTech is working towards: a future where garments are made to fit consumers, so consumers no longer have to worry about finding the right size. The goal is not to make every garment fit everybody in the same way. Different cuts and styles are an essential part of fashion. It is about combining that variety with personalised fit, allowing customers to enjoy the styles they love without the uncertainty of traditional sizing systems.
European clothing sizing highlights a broader challenge in global retail: standardisation on paper does not always translate into consistency for customers. A size label may seem like a small detail, but it influences purchasing decisions, satisfaction and the likelihood of a return. As fashion becomes increasingly international, brands have an opportunity to make sizing information more useful, accessible and reliable. Customers are not simply buying a size 38 or a size 40. They are buying a product they expect to fit and an experience they expect to be convenient.
The real question is not whether every brand can use the same size label, but whether customers can confidently choose the right fit wherever they shop.