A size set is one sample garment in every size of your range, made after the fit sample has been approved in the base size. Grading is the process of scaling the approved base-size pattern up and down to create the other sizes, using rules that say how much each measurement changes from one size to the next. The size set exists to prove that those rules work in cloth, not just on paper, before the factory cuts production.
Fit problems that appear only at the ends of a size range are common, so a buyer who approves the base size and skips the size set is taking a risk on every garment that is not a medium.
How grading is done
The pattern maker starts with the approved base-size pattern, which is usually a medium or the size at the centre of your range. The grading rules in your tech pack state the increment for each point of measure, for example how much the chest, waist, sleeve length and body length grow or shrink per size. Those increments are applied at fixed points on each pattern piece so that the shape stays in proportion.
Most factories now grade on a computer-aided design system, which applies the increments automatically and produces the nested pattern and the cutting marker. Smaller units may still grade by hand. Either way, the rules come from the buyer, and if you do not supply them the factory will use its own, which may not match your customers.
Grading is not uniform across the range. Increments often change at the larger sizes, and some measurements, such as neck width or pocket size, may stay the same across several sizes. Your tech pack should say so explicitly.
What to check in a size set
- Measure every piece against the graded specification and record the results, not just the sizes that look right.
- Try the garments on fit models or forms at the ends of the range, because a rule that works between medium and large may fail between extra large and the largest size.
- Check that proportions hold, such as pocket placement, collar size and sleeve head, since a measurement can be correct while the garment looks wrong.
- Confirm the size ratio you intend to order, because the marker and fabric consumption are built from it.
- Note any changes in writing and issue a revised specification before the pre-production sample is made.
How we help
We measure size sets at the factory during our visits, report the results against your spec with photographs, and make sure the revised rules are in place before the PP sample is sealed. Where fabric behaviour affects fit, we send a sealed sample to an NABL-accredited lab for shrinkage testing. We then inspect inline and at final, supervise loading and send a weekly update. A free 20-minute sourcing review is a simple way to start.