Pricing & planning
How many of each size to order
By blankupUpdated 5 min read
Key takeaways
- Reliable adult split: about 10-15% S, 25-30% M, 25-30% L, 15-20% XL, 10% 2XL, rounding toward M and L.
- For groups under about 30 people, collect real sizes instead of using a curve.
The problem with guessing
Size splits are where first-time orders quietly go wrong. Guess flat, ten of every size, and you run out of L while a box of XS gathers dust. The fix isn't complicated: either use a proven curve, or collect real sizes when the group is small enough to ask. The cost of getting it wrong scales with the run: on something like Whitney High School's 140-shirt senior class order, a curve that skews one size too small leaves a lot of shirts nobody wears.
The standard curve
For a general adult group in the US, unisex sizing distributes remarkably consistently:
- S: 10-15%
- M: 25-30%
- L: 25-30%
- XL: 15-20%
- 2XL: ~10%
- XS and 3XL: a few of each once the run passes ~50 pieces, or on request.
On 50 shirts that lands around S 7, M 14, L 14, XL 10, 2XL 5. M and L always sell out first, so when the math doesn't divide evenly, round toward the middle.
Free planning tool
Build a size breakdown
Enter the number of people, choose the closest audience, and add a buffer for swaps or walk-ups. The result always adds up to the exact production quantity.
Suggested order
53 pieces
50 planned + 3 buffer
- XS
- 2
- S
- 7
- M
- 14
- L
- 14
- XL
- 10
- 2XL
- 5
- 3XL
- 1
This is a planning curve, not personal sizing advice. Collect exact sizes for known groups under about 30 people, and compare garment measurements before production.
When to bend the curve
- Student groups skew smaller: shift a step toward S and M.
- Oversized and drop-shoulder blanks are cut a size or more roomier, so many people size down. Check the flat measurements before locking counts.
- Mixed-audience events (conferences, launches) are the strongest case for the standard curve plus a 5-10% buffer in M and L.
- Resale drops should follow your audience data if you have any; if not, the curve above is the standard starting point.
Under ~30 people? Just ask
For a team, club, or onboarding kit, collecting real sizes beats any curve. A one-question form gets it done, but send the size guide along with it: letter sizes vary between styles, and flat garment measurements compared against a shirt someone already owns is the only reliable check. This matters double for oversized fits, where the style guide explains how each cut runs. Size runs differ by garment too: browse the wholesale blank catalog to compare fits, or start from custom t-shirts and custom hoodies, where the curve skews differently.
Lock it in on the quote
Size splits are part of every written quote, so you don't have to get this perfect alone: send your headcount or collected sizes with the quote request and we sanity-check the curve before production. Ordering for a club or class? The club merch playbook covers the whole flow from size collection to delivery.