The hardest part of buying clothes online is knowing whether they’ll fit. Size labels vary from brand to brand, so the way to find your size online is to stop trusting the letter on the label and start comparing measurements. This takes five minutes and a tape measure, and it works for any shop, not just ours.
Step 1: measure something you already love
Your body measurements tell you what you are. A garment you already own tells you how you like things to fit, which is more useful. Pick a piece you reach for all the time, of the same type you want to buy: a tee for a tee, a sweater for a sweater, trousers for trousers.
Lay it flat on a table, smooth it out without stretching it, and measure:
- Chest: straight across from one armpit seam to the other, then double it.
- Length: from the highest point of the shoulder, next to the collar, down to the hem.
- Shoulder: from one shoulder seam to the other.
- Sleeve: from the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff.
- Trousers: waist straight across and doubled, plus the inseam from the crotch seam to the hem.
Step 2: read the size chart the right way
Before comparing, check what kind of numbers a chart shows. Some brands list body measurements, others list garment measurements. Every EcoModa size chart lists garment measurements in centimetres, so you can compare them directly with the piece you just measured. Chest is the full measurement around, which is why it’s about double your flat measurement.
You’ll find the chart under Size guide, next to the size selector on every product page. Here’s the chart for our heavyweight tee as an example:
Heavyweight Cotton T-Shirt (cm)
| Size | Chest | Shoulder | Sleeve | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 100 | 48 | 19 | 68 |
| M | 104 | 50 | 20 | 70 |
| L | 108 | 52 | 21 | 72 |
| XL | 112 | 54 | 21 | 74 |
| 2XL | 116 | 56 | 21 | 76 |
| 3XL | 120 | 57 | 21.5 | 78 |
If your favourite tee measures 106 cm around the chest and 71 cm long, you’re between M and L. That brings us to step 3.
Step 3: decide what to do between sizes
Being between sizes is normal. Which way to go depends on the piece and how you like to wear it:
- Relaxed and oversized pieces: our Cotton Crewneck Sweater is cut oversized on purpose. Take your usual size for the intended slouchy look, or size down for a closer fit.
- Tees: size up if you want a boxier fit or plan to layer over it, and size down if you like it trimmer. The tee’s chart also includes a weight guide, from 50–62 kg for S up to 100–115 kg for 3XL, as a quick sanity check.
- Jackets: think about what goes underneath. Our corduroy jacket sizing guide explains how much room to leave for a sweater.
- Everything else: when in doubt, size up. Most of our pieces have a relaxed cut, and a slightly loose fit is easier to live with than a tight one.
Step 4: check the details that labels hide
Chest gets all the attention, but the other measurements often decide whether something actually feels right.
Shoulders
If the shoulder seam sits well past your shoulder, the piece is designed with dropped shoulders, as on our heavyweight tee and crewneck. That’s intentional. If you prefer a sharper look, compare the shoulder measurement with your own garment first.
Length
Taller or with a longer torso? Compare length before chest. A tee that’s 2 cm short is far more noticeable than one that’s 2 cm wide.
Trouser waist and inseam
Our Straight Linen Pants and the trousers in our sets have elastic drawstring waists, so they cover a range rather than a single number. Inseam matters more. Measure from the crotch seam to where you want the hem to land. The linen pants are cut to fall cleanly to the ankle.
Step 5: keep a note of your numbers
Once you’ve measured your favourite tee, sweater and trousers, save the numbers on your phone. Next time you shop anywhere, you can check a size chart in seconds instead of guessing.
And if it still doesn’t fit
Sometimes a piece just doesn’t sit right, even with careful measuring. That’s why every EcoModa order has free returns within 10 days of delivery on unworn items, with the tags still attached. We send you a prepaid return label within two days of your request, and you get a full refund to your original payment method. Read the full returns policy.
Have a sizing question we haven’t answered? Get in touch. Tell us your height and the measurements of a piece you love, and we’ll suggest a size.