To measure a hoodie for manufacturing, lay it flat, fastened and smoothed, and record a fixed set of points of measure: body length from the high point shoulder, chest, shoulder width, sleeve length, upper arm, cuff, hem, neck width, hood height and width, and pocket size and position. For each point, state where it starts and ends, whether it is a half width or a full circumference, and the tolerance you will accept. That list is what a manufacturer builds the pattern from.
In this article
Who this guide is for
This guide is for brands, designers and anyone preparing a specification for a manufacturer. It is not a size guide for shoppers. A shopper measures a hoodie to choose between a medium and a large. A brand measures a hoodie so that a pattern maker can reproduce it, change it deliberately and check the finished garments against it.
That difference changes what matters. A shopper needs three or four numbers. A manufacturer needs every point that defines the garment, measured the same way every time, with the method written down.
Before you measure
- Lay the hoodie flat on a hard surface, front facing up. Smooth out wrinkles with your hands without stretching the fabric.
- Fasten it. Close any zip fully. Lay the hood flat above the neckline.
- Measure it washed. If the hoodie has been worn and washed, that is the size you actually like. If it is new and unwashed, say so, because fabric can shrink in the first wash.
- Use a soft tape measure and work in centimetres to one decimal place.
- Measure straight, not along curves, unless a point says otherwise.
- Find the high point shoulder (HPS). This is the highest point of the shoulder, where the shoulder seam meets the neck seam. Several measurements start here, so mark it with a pin or a piece of tape.
Hoodie points of measure
| Point | Measurement | Start and end | Half or full |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Body length | High point shoulder straight down to the bottom edge of the hem | Length |
| B | Chest | Straight across, edge to edge, 2.5 cm below the armhole | Half |
| C | Shoulder width | Shoulder seam to shoulder seam, straight across the back | Full |
| D | Sleeve length | Top of the sleeve at the shoulder seam, along the outer fold, to the end of the cuff | Length |
| E | Upper arm (bicep) | Straight across the sleeve, 2.5 cm below the armhole | Half |
| F | Cuff opening | Edge to edge across the end of the cuff, relaxed | Half |
| G | Hem width | Edge to edge across the bottom of the hem rib, relaxed | Half |
| H | Hem rib height | Seam to bottom edge of the rib | Length |
| I | Neck width | High point shoulder to high point shoulder, seam to seam | Full |
| J | Pocket width | Edge to edge across the top of the pocket, and again across the widest point | Full |
| K | Pocket height | Top edge to bottom edge of the pocket | Length |
| L | Hood height | Hood folded in half: along the front opening, from the top edge to the neck seam | Length |
| M | Hood width | Hood folded in half: from the back fold straight across to the front opening edge, at the widest point | Half |
How to take each measurement
A. Body length
Place the end of the tape at the high point shoulder and measure straight down the front to the very bottom of the hem rib. Some brands measure length down the centre back from the neck seam instead. Either works, but the two give different numbers, so write down which one you used.
B. Chest
Measure straight across the body from one side edge to the other, 2.5 cm (one inch) below the bottom of the armhole. Many people measure from armpit seam to armpit seam, often called pit to pit. That is also common, and it reads slightly differently, so state the method. This guide uses 2.5 cm below the armhole because it avoids the bulk of the seam.
C. Shoulder width
Turn the hoodie over and measure across the back from the point where one shoulder seam meets the sleeve to the same point on the other side. On a drop-shoulder hoodie this seam sits down the arm, so the shoulder measurement is wide and the sleeve is short. That is correct. Do not try to guess where a natural shoulder would be.
D. Sleeve length
Measure from the shoulder seam at the top of the sleeve, along the outer folded edge, to the end of the cuff. For raglan sleeves, which have no shoulder seam, measure from the centre back of the neck, across the shoulder and down the outer edge to the cuff end, and label it as a centre-back sleeve length.
E. Upper arm
Measure straight across the sleeve 2.5 cm below the armhole, at a right angle to the outer fold of the sleeve. This number controls how roomy the sleeve feels and how it sits when layered.
F. Cuff opening
Measure across the end of the cuff, edge to edge, with the rib relaxed. If the fit of the cuff matters to you, add a second measurement with the rib gently stretched to its natural limit.
G and H. Hem width and rib height
Measure across the bottom edge of the hem rib, relaxed, and again stretched if the hem should grip. Then measure the height of the rib from its seam to its bottom edge. A taller rib and a tighter hem are what make a hoodie sit cropped and boxy.
I. Neck width
Measure straight across from one high point shoulder to the other, seam to seam. On a hoodie this sets how the hood sits around the neck.
Pocket, hood and details
J and K. Pocket
Measure the pocket's width at the top and at its widest point, and its height from top edge to bottom edge. Then record its position: the distance from the high point shoulder down to the top edge of the pocket, and note that it is centred. Position is as important as size, because a pocket set too high or too low changes the look of the whole front.
L and M. Hood
Fold the hood in half along its centre seam so the two front edges sit on top of each other. Measure the height along the front opening, from the top edge down to the neck seam. Measure the width from the back fold straight across to the front edge at the widest point. If the hood has two layers or a lining, note it, because a double-layer hood holds its shape very differently.
Finally, record the details that are not measurements: drawcord length and type, eyelets, zip length for a zip hoodie, label positions, and the fabric weight if you know it. Our hoodie GSM guide explains how weight changes the way the same measurements fit.
Half widths and stretched measurements
A flat hoodie only shows you half of each circumference. A chest that measures 62 cm across is 124 cm around. Factories work with both conventions, and a number without a label is one of the most common causes of a wrong sample. Write "half" or "full" next to every width.
Ribbed parts have two states. Cuffs and hems should be measured relaxed, and again extended when the stretch matters to the fit. Never stretch the body of the garment when measuring.
Tolerances
No factory produces every piece to the millimetre, so a specification includes a tolerance: the difference you will accept on each point. There is no single industry standard. The brand proposes tolerances and agrees them with the manufacturer.
As a guide to what is typical, published size specifications from clothing brands often allow about 1 to 1.5 cm on large measurements such as chest, body length and sleeve length, and less on small ones such as cuffs, rib heights and pocket placement. Fleece and other knits move more than woven fabric, so they are usually given a little more room. Agree your tolerances before the bulk order, not after it arrives.
Common mistakes
- Measuring on a body or a hanger. The garment has to be flat.
- Mixing half and full measurements without labelling them.
- Not saying where length starts. High point shoulder and centre back give different numbers.
- Stretching the rib and recording it as relaxed.
- Measuring a curved hem or raglan seam as if it were straight.
- Measuring an unwashed garment and expecting the washed one to match.
- Leaving out the hood and pocket. They are what people notice first.
- Rounding to the nearest whole centimetre on small points, where half a centimetre is visible.
A spec table you can copy
Copy this table into a document or spreadsheet and fill it in for your sample size. Add a tolerance for each row.
| Point | Measurement | Method | Size M (cm) | Tolerance (+/- cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Body length | From HPS | ||
| B | Chest | Half, 2.5 cm below armhole | ||
| C | Shoulder width | Seam to seam | ||
| D | Sleeve length | From shoulder seam | ||
| E | Upper arm | Half, 2.5 cm below armhole | ||
| F | Cuff opening | Half, relaxed | ||
| G | Hem width | Half, relaxed | ||
| H | Hem rib height | Seam to edge | ||
| I | Neck width | HPS to HPS | ||
| J | Pocket width | Top / widest | ||
| K | Pocket height | Top to bottom edge | ||
| L | Hood height | Folded, along front opening | ||
| M | Hood width | Folded, at widest point | ||
| Pocket position | HPS to top of pocket |
From one size to a size range
You only need to measure one size, usually the one you sell or wear most. The manufacturer grades the pattern from there: each point grows or shrinks by a set amount between sizes. If you already know how you want the range to scale, for example more length in the larger sizes, say so. Otherwise the grading is proposed for you and confirmed with the sample.
Measuring a hoodie for NO FUGAZI
You do not need a finished specification to work with us. Send the measurements above, or simply send the hoodie whose fit you want, and we measure it and build the pattern. Either way the fit is proven on a sample before any bulk production, with one round of changes included, and our minimum is 50 pieces. See how we make custom hoodies, how we work without a tech pack, or send us your measurements on WhatsApp.
Questions
What measurements does a manufacturer need for a hoodie?
At minimum: body length, chest, shoulder width, sleeve length, upper arm, cuff opening, hem width, rib height, neck width, hood height and width, and pocket size and position. Each one needs a stated start and end point and a note of whether it is a half width or a full circumference.
What is the high point shoulder on a hoodie?
The high point shoulder, or HPS, is the highest point of the shoulder, where the shoulder seam meets the neck seam. Body length and pocket position are usually measured from it, because it is easy to find on any garment and does not move with the shape of the hem.
Should hoodie chest be measured pit to pit or below the armhole?
Both are used. Pit to pit measures from armhole seam to armhole seam. Many specifications measure 2.5 cm (one inch) below the armhole instead, which avoids the bulk of the seam. The numbers differ slightly, so what matters is stating which method you used and using it every time.
Do I measure a hoodie flat or stretched?
Flat and relaxed, with wrinkles smoothed out but nothing pulled. The exceptions are ribbed cuffs and hems, which can be given two measurements: relaxed, and gently extended to their natural limit.
What tolerance is normal for hoodie measurements?
There is no universal standard; tolerances are agreed between the brand and the manufacturer. Published brand specifications often allow about 1 to 1.5 cm on large measurements such as chest and body length, and less on small points such as cuffs and rib heights.
Can I send a hoodie instead of measurements?
Yes. A reference garment is often the most reliable brief, because the pattern maker can measure it directly. Our guide to recreating the fit of a hoodie you own explains how that works.
Related reading
- How to make a tech pack – where these measurements sit in a full specification.
- Recreate the fit of a hoodie you own – starting from a garment instead of numbers.
