Ordering custom apparel gets frustrating fast when sizing goes wrong. You order a batch of hoodies for your team or event, and half of them come back too tight or swimming on the wearer. Getting the gildan size chart right before you order saves you the hassle of reprints, exchanges, and awkward conversations with staff about ill-fitting uniforms.
This guide gives you the exact measurements you need for Gildan’s most popular styles, from the classic G500 tee to heavier fleece hoodies. We break down men’s, women’s, and youth sizing separately, since Gildan cuts each differently and a medium in one line won’t match a medium in another.
We’ll also cover how to measure yourself or your team properly, what to do when someone falls between two sizes, and how fit changes across garment types like tanks, polos, and outerwear. Whether you’re kitting out a construction crew, printing merch for an event, or ordering staff uniforms through Apex Workwear, this chart takes the guesswork out of sizing so your first order fits right the first time.
Why Gildan sizing matters for custom apparel orders
Gildan dominates the custom apparel market for a reason. Its blank garments are the backbone of most screen printing and embroidery shops across Canada, which means the sizing you choose directly shapes how your finished order looks on real people, not just on a screen. Get the sizing wrong on a bulk order, and you’re not just dealing with one unhappy customer, you’re managing dozens of mismatched shirts, wasted print costs, and a reorder that eats into your timeline and budget.
The real cost of guessing
Sizing mistakes rarely stay small once you’re ordering for a team or event. A few numbers show why this matters:
- Reprint costs: reordering even five garments can add 10-15% to your total project cost once setup fees are factored back in.
- Turnaround delays: fixing a sizing mistake can add a full production cycle, often 5-7 business days, to your delivery.
- Staff frustration: uniforms that don’t fit get worn less, which undermines the branding you paid for in the first place.
Getting sizing right the first time costs nothing extra, getting it wrong costs you money, time, and credibility.
Why Gildan specifically needs its own chart
Gildan doesn’t size the same way every brand does. A men’s medium in the G500 tee sits differently than a medium in the Heavy Blend hoodie, and youth sizing runs on a completely separate scale tied to age rather than chest measurement alone. If you’re used to retail sizing from other apparel brands, assuming it carries over to Gildan is one of the most common mistakes we see at Apex Workwear when reviewing bulk orders before production.
How to measure yourself for the right Gildan size
Grab a soft tape measure before you order anything. Guessing your size from memory almost always leads to a shirt that’s too tight across the shoulders or too loose in the body, especially if you haven’t checked your measurements in a year or two. Accurate measurements take less than five minutes and beat trying on a sample that doesn’t match the actual production batch.
What you’ll need
Set yourself up properly first:
- A flexible tape measure (not a rigid one)
- A mirror or a second person to help
- A well-fitted shirt as reference, not a baggy one
Taking the three key measurements
Focus on chest, waist, and height, since these are the numbers Gildan’s charts actually use:
- Chest: wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest, under the arms, keeping it level across your back.
- Waist: measure around your natural waistline, not where your pants sit.
- Height: stand flat against a wall, measure from floor to the top of your head.
One accurate chest measurement matters more than any size label you’ve worn before.
Write these numbers down before you open a chart. They’re the only reliable way to match your body to Gildan’s actual garment dimensions.
How to read Gildan’s chest, waist and height measurements
Once you have your own numbers, match them against Gildan’s actual size chart rather than the size you normally buy off a shelf. Gildan lists chest range in inches for each size, and you find your size by checking which range your chest measurement falls into, not by picking whatever letter you usually wear. Waist and height matter most for fitted styles and youth sizing, where a chest measurement alone doesn’t tell the full story.
Reading the ranges correctly
Each size covers a range, not a single number, so a 40-inch chest and a 42-inch chest can both land in the same "Large." Here’s a simplified look at how Gildan’s adult unisex chart typically breaks down:
| Size | Chest (inches) | Length (inches) |
|---|---|---|
| S | 34-36 | 28 |
| M | 38-40 | 29 |
| L | 42-44 | 30 |
| XL | 46-48 | 31 |
Your chest measurement decides your size, your waist and height only fine-tune the fit.
Cross-checking with length and height
Always check the garment length against your height too, especially for taller or shorter wearers, since two people with the same chest size can need different lengths to avoid a shirt riding up or hanging past the hips.
Common Gildan fit issues and how to avoid them
Even with accurate numbers, a few recurring problems trip up custom apparel orders. Knowing these fit issues ahead of time saves you a second round of shipping and reprints.
Shrinkage after washing
Cotton Gildan styles, especially the G500 and Heavy Cotton lines, can shrink 3-5% after the first hot wash. Order a size up if your team plans to wash uniforms frequently in hot water, or stick to cold-wash instructions on the care label.
Sizing between men’s and women’s cuts
Women’s Gildan styles run narrower through the body and shorter in length than the unisex or men’s equivalents, so a women’s medium is not the same as a unisex medium. Check the specific chart for the style you’re ordering rather than assuming sizes carry across genders.
A size label means nothing until you check it against the actual chart for that exact style.
Ordering based on old sizing
Gildan updates cuts across product lines every few years, so a chart you saved from an old order might not match current stock. Always pull the current chart before placing a new bulk order.
Choosing sizes for group and custom bulk orders
Ordering for a group changes the maths completely. You’re no longer sizing one person, you’re managing a spread of body types against a single gildan size chart, and a size guess that’s slightly off for one person becomes a costly mismatch across dozens of garments.
Collecting sizes before you order
Skip the guesswork by getting real numbers from every wearer before you submit a bulk order:
- Send a simple size-collection form or spreadsheet to your team.
- Ask for chest measurement, not shirt size, to avoid retail-brand confusion.
- Include a sizing note for anyone between two sizes.
- Confirm numbers against the current Gildan chart for that exact style, not a general guess.
A five-minute sizing form saves a five-day reprint delay.
Planning for mixed sizing and growth
Most groups need a spread rather than one dominant size, so order a range across S to XXL rather than assuming everyone fits M or L. If your team grows or turns over often, order a few extra mid-range sizes upfront. At Apex Workwear, we review size breakdowns before production starts, which catches mismatches early and keeps your bulk order accurate the first time.
Getting your fit right, every time
Sizing shouldn’t be the part of your order that keeps you guessing. Once you’ve got real chest and waist measurements from everyone wearing the garment, matching them against the current Gildan chart takes minutes, not days. The whole point of this guide is to stop you reprinting stock, chasing exchanges, or explaining to your team why their uniforms don’t fit right.
Treat the chart as your starting point, not a shortcut. Measure properly, check the specific style you’re ordering, and build in a size range for group orders rather than betting on one dominant size. Do that, and your first order comes back fitting the way it should, first time.
If you’d rather skip the spreadsheet altogether, get a free custom apparel quote from Apex Workwear and we’ll walk you through sizing before a single shirt gets printed.
