How to Choose Polo Shirt Size for Team Orders: Guide in cm

To choose a polo shirt size, measure around the chest at its fullest point in centimetres. Better still, lay a polo the person already likes flat, measure across the chest 2–3 cm below the armholes and double the figure. Then compare that number with the size chart for the exact polo you are ordering, not with "M" or "L" from another brand. For a team order, get every person's size from a measurement or a try-on, never from memory. Plan the size split one fit at a time, and keep a small buffer in your two most common sizes.

The rest of this guide covers the part most size charts leave out: how a business actually gathers sizes from 25, 60 or 300 people and turns them into a size breakdown a supplier can quote and produce.

Why "I'm a medium" is not a size

Letter sizes are not standardised between brands. Here are two published men's polo charts, both based on body chest measurements:

Size	Brand A: body chest (cm)	Brand B: body chest (cm)
S	91–99	93–97
M	102–109	98–102
L	112–119	103–107
XL	122–130	108–112
XXL	132–140	113–117

Brand A: T.M. Lewin polo size guide. Brand B: Solbari men's short-sleeve polo size guide.

Take someone with a 108 cm chest. They are a medium in Brand A and an XL in Brand B. That two-size gap is why asking staff for their size causes so many problems in uniform orders. People quote the size they last bought, in a different brand and cut, sometimes years ago.

Factories also grade to their own patterns. A polo made in one country or factory can be cut noticeably narrower than one made elsewhere. When you change supplier or style, assume the sizes will change too until you have checked the new chart.

How to measure for a polo shirt

There are two ways to measure. For team orders the second is usually more reliable.

Method 1: Body measurement

1. Use a soft tape measure. The person stands relaxed in a thin T-shirt, not over a jacket or thick shirt.
2. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of the chest, under the arms and across the shoulder blades. Keep it level and snug, not tight.
3. Record the figure in centimetres and match it to the supplier's body chest column.

Method 2: Garment measurement (best for uniforms)

Ask each person to bring a polo or T-shirt that fits the way they like.

1. Lay it flat and smooth on a table, buttons fastened. Don't stretch the knit.
2. Half chest: measure straight across, from side seam to side seam, about 2–3 cm below the armholes. Double it for the full garment chest.
3. Body length: measure from the highest point of the shoulder, next to the collar, down to the bottom hem.
4. Shoulder: measure seam to seam across the back.
5. Compare these figures with the supplier's garment measurement chart and pick the size with the closest half chest. Then check the length.

Method 2 works because it already includes the wearer's preferred amount of room. Someone who likes a relaxed fit for a warehouse floor and someone who wants a trim front-desk look can have the same chest measurement and still need different sizes.

Body chart or garment chart: know which you are reading

This is the most common mistake on a size chart. A body chart tells you which chest size each garment is meant to fit. A garment chart gives the measurements of the shirt itself, laid flat. The garment chest is always larger than the body chest, because the difference is the ease that lets the polo move. If you put a body measurement against a garment chart, you will order a size too small, and the reverse gives you a size too big. Ask the supplier which kind of chart they have sent. Ask too for the tolerance: spec sheets normally allow a small variation per measurement, often around ±1 cm.

Fit factors that change the size you should order

Factor	Effect on sizing	What to do
Fabric: 100% cotton pique	Comfortable and true to size, but cotton can shrink slightly if washed hot or tumble-dried	Ask whether the fabric is pre-shrunk. Follow the care label
Fabric: polyester / dri-fit	Performance polos often come up more fitted	Check the garment chest. Some people will want one size up
Cut: classic vs slim	Slim cuts narrow at the waist and chest	Don't let a slim cut be the only option for a mixed team
Men's vs women's fit	Women's polos have narrower shoulders, a shaped waist and often a shorter placket	Offer both fits and size each one separately
Tucked or untucked	A tucked polo needs a longer body to stay in when the wearer bends or reaches	Check body length for hospitality, retail and front-of-house roles
UAE heat and outdoor work	Staff working outdoors or on their feet often prefer extra room for airflow	Let people size up rather than squeeze into a "correct" size

For help choosing the fabric and cut itself, see our guide on how to choose polo shirts for staff uniforms.

How to collect staff sizes for a team order

A size breakdown is simply a table showing how many pieces you need in each size, for each garment and fit. A total of "60 polos" is not a breakdown. Collecting one properly takes a week of light admin and saves a lot of reordering later.

Step 1: Get the supplier's size chart first

Before you ask anyone for a size, get the garment measurement chart for the exact style, fabric and fit you are quoting. Sizes collected against the wrong chart are worthless.

Step 2: Arrange a size set if you can

A size set is one sample in each size, made in the same style as your bulk order. Staff try them on and note the size that fits. For orders above roughly 40–50 people, or for a uniform you will reorder each year, this is the most reliable method. It removes the guesswork between a tape-measure figure and how the finished shirt actually fits. Ask your supplier whether a size set is available and whether it is charged.

Step 3: Use a short form with a deadline

If people can't try on samples, send a form (Microsoft Forms, Google Forms or a shared sheet). Ask for:

• Full name, department and location or branch
• Fit: men's or women's
• Garment half-chest measurement in cm (from their own polo, using Method 2 above)
• Size chosen from the attached supplier chart
• Number of pieces, if allowances differ by role
• Name or role embroidery text, if you are personalising the shirts
• Any special requirement (for example, long sleeves or a longer body)

Asking for the measurement as well as the size lets you spot errors. If someone records a 50 cm half chest but picks size S on a chart where S is 48 cm, you can query it before it reaches production.

Step 4: Check, lock and sign off

Chase missing replies and query any size that doesn't match the measurement. Then lock the list. Send the supplier a table broken down by fit and size, and keep the per-person list in-house for distribution. If you are personalising with names through logo embroidery, send the names grouped by size so each name goes on the right shirt.

Planning the size split for 25+ pieces

When you have everyone's size

Order the counted sizes. Then add a buffer for new joiners, replacements and the occasional wrong guess. Base the buffer on how many people actually join or leave in a typical reorder cycle, not a flat percentage. For a stable office team of 30, two or three spares in the two most common sizes is often enough. A retail or hospitality team with high turnover needs more.

Also multiply by pieces per person. In UAE conditions, staff who wear a polo daily usually need at least two or three each, so one can be in the wash. Thirty people at three polos each is an order of 90.

When you can't collect sizes

Event teams, promotional staff, new branches and gift runs often have to order before anyone has been measured. In that case, start from published sales data and skew upwards. US data from a garment retailer puts the split of shirt sales at roughly:

Size	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL
Share of sales (US data)	1%	7%	28%	30%	20%	12%	2%

That is US data, and no equivalent public figures exist for the UAE. Workforces here are highly varied by nationality, role and age, so treat it as a starting point only. The practical rule from the same source is sound wherever you are: lean towards the larger sizes. Someone who wears a medium can manage in a large. Someone who wears an XL cannot wear a medium.

Here is an illustrative starting split for a single fit when sizes are unknown:

Total pieces	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL
25	–	2	6	8	6	3	–
50	–	3	13	15	12	6	1
100	1	6	26	30	23	12	2

Adjust it using what you know. A fitness brand's event crew will skew smaller and more fitted. An outdoor site or logistics team may need more XL and 2XL. If you are ordering women's fits, split them out and plan their curve separately. Don't fold women into a unisex split.

The hybrid approach (usually the best)

For most companies the most practical option is a mix. Measure everyone you can reach, use the starting split only for vacancies and expected new joiners, and add the buffer on top. That way most of the order is based on real counts.

Sizing details buyers often miss

• 3XL and above: Order exact counts for people who need larger sizes, and confirm the style comes in their size before you approve it. Leaving someone without a fitting uniform is avoidable and noticed.
• Logo size across sizes: A chest logo stitched at one size can look large on an S and small on a 3XL. For most logos one size works across the range, but check the sample in the smallest and largest sizes.
• Mixed-size MOQs: Minimum order quantities usually apply to a style and colour across all sizes, not to each size. Confirm this when you request the quote.
• Keep the record: Keep the approved chart, the fabric spec and your final breakdown. A top-up order months later should repeat a known specification, not start from scratch.
• Production allowance: Cutting and sewing tolerances mean two shirts of the same size can differ by a centimetre or so. That is normal. A whole size running short is not, so check samples against the agreed chart.

Quick checklist before you request a quote

• Style, fabric (cotton pique or dri-fit) and fit chosen
• Supplier's garment measurement chart in cm received, with tolerance
• Size set tried on, or measurements collected using the garment method
• Sizes checked against measurements and the list locked
• Breakdown table prepared per fit (men's/women's) and per size
• Pieces per person and buffer added
• Logo placement, branding method and any names confirmed

MISHAREN supplies polo shirts in pique cotton and dri-fit, with embroidered or printed logos, to businesses across all seven emirates, from 25 pieces. Because production runs through partner factories in the UAE, India and China, we can share the garment measurement chart for the specific polo you are considering before you collect sizes.

If you have a team order coming up, send us your headcount, the fits you need and a rough idea of your size spread, even if it is incomplete. We will help you turn it into a size breakdown and a quotation. Get in touch through our contact page.