DHGATE EDIT · SIZING
DHgate size chart guide: read any seller’s chart in centimetres
We do not know of a single DHgate size chart that applies to every listing. Treat the chart on each listing as that seller’s own, and do not assume two listings for the same style use the same chart or labelling system. The reliable way to choose a size is to compare measurements in centimetres or millimetres rather than labels. This guide explains the sizing systems you are most likely to meet, what the numbers on them mean according to the official standards, and how to convert inches exactly.
Shoe size charts: foot length in millimetres
- Mondopoint (ISO 9407): the international standard ISO 9407:2019 designates shoe size from defined measurements of the foot the shoe is meant to fit, not from the shoe itself. ISO confirmed the 2019 edition as current in 2026.
- Millimetres, not centimetres: BSI’s summary of the standard notes that some manufacturers give size in centimetres (26 rather than 260), or base it on the length of the last rather than the foot, and that neither conforms to ISO 9407. So a chart that says “26” or “26 cm” may not mean a 260 mm foot. Ask the seller.
- Chinese shoe sizes: China’s current shoe-size standard, GB/T 43293-2022, has been in force since 1 May 2023 and is a modified adoption of ISO 9407:2019. It replaced GB/T 3293.1-1998.
- Converting EU, UK and US sizes: ISO 19407:2023 gives conversion tables between Mondopoint, European and UK sizes, with China, Japan, Korea and the US, all based on foot length. ISO presents its adult tables as a guideline for consumers. Brands and sellers do not all follow them, so treat any conversion as a starting point.
What to do: measure your foot length in millimetres, then ask the seller which foot length, in millimetres, their chart number fits. BSI notes that online shoppers are commonly encouraged to measure their foot length as a guide. Our DHgate shoe sizing guide shows how to measure both feet and builds a size-check message for you.
Chinese clothing labels such as 170/88A
Many garments made for the Chinese market carry a label in the form height/girth plus a letter, for example 170/88A. This format comes from China’s garment sizing standards, GB/T 1335.1-2008 for men and GB/T 1335.2-2008 for women. Both remain in force after a 2025 review.
- First number (号): body height in centimetres.
- Second number (型): net chest girth for tops, or net waist girth for bottoms, in centimetres.
- Letter (Y, A, B or C): the body type, set by the difference between chest and waist girth. Y is the slimmest build and C the heaviest.
The Suzhou market supervision administration explains the label this way. These are measurements of the body the garment is meant for, not of the garment. So 170/88A suits a person about 170 cm tall with an 88 cm chest. That is not the size of the garment itself, which the maker cuts with allowances for style and fit. We do not reproduce the standard’s exact cm ranges for each letter, because we could not read them from an official copy.
European clothing sizes: EN 13402 and ISO 8559
- EN 13402-1: defines body dimensions for clothing, sets out how to measure the body and gives pictograms for garment labels.
- EN 13402-2: specifies the primary and secondary dimensions used for each type of garment.
- EN 13402-3:2017: describes a size labelling system based on body measurements and intervals. DIN Media’s page for the German edition notes that it does not contain garment dimensions.
- ISO 8559-1:2017: the international standard for anthropometric definitions for body measurement. It appears after the withdrawn ISO 3635:1981 in that standard’s catalogue history.
Like the Chinese labels, these standards describe the body. A seller’s chart may instead list the garment’s own measurements, sometimes taken with the garment laid flat, so a width can be half the circumference. Before comparing, ask which one the chart shows. Our clothing measurements tool compares a garment you already own with the seller’s numbers.
Inches to centimetres, exactly
One inch is exactly 25.4 millimetres. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology gives this value in its length units guidance, derived from the yard definition that took effect on 1 July 1959. To convert, multiply inches by 2.54 to get centimetres, or divide centimetres by 2.54 to get inches.
| Inches | Centimetres | Inches | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 22.86 | 30 | 76.2 |
| 10 | 25.4 | 32 | 81.28 |
| 11 | 27.94 | 34 | 86.36 |
| 12 | 30.48 | 36 | 91.44 |
| 24 | 60.96 | 38 | 96.52 |
| 26 | 66.04 | 40 | 101.6 |
| 28 | 71.12 | 42 | 106.68 |
Round only at the end. A chart that rounds 1 inch to 2.5 cm is out by 1.6 cm at 40 inches.
Questions to ask the seller about a size chart
- Does the chart show body measurements or garment measurements?
- Are the figures in centimetres or inches, and is a width measured flat (half the circumference) or all the way round?
- For shoes: which foot length in millimetres does each size fit, and is that the foot or the insole?
- Can you send a photo of the exact size I will receive with a ruler or tape measure in shot?
Get the answers in the platform’s messages before paying. The QC photo checklist lists the measurement photos worth asking for.
Common questions about DHgate sizes
Is there an official DHgate size chart?
We do not know of one that applies to every listing. Check the chart on the listing you are buying from and confirm it with the seller.
Do DHgate sizes run small?
We cannot say in general. Sizing depends on each seller’s chart and the labelling system it uses. A label such as 170/88A describes the body it is meant for, and a shoe chart in centimetres may not match your foot length. Compare measurements, not labels.
What does 170/88A mean on a size chart?
Under China’s GB/T 1335 garment standards, 170 is body height in cm, 88 is net chest girth in cm (or waist girth for bottoms) and A is the body type, based on the chest-to-waist difference.
How do I convert shoe sizes?
Measure your foot length in millimetres and ask the seller which length each size fits. ISO 19407 conversion tables are based on foot length, but brands do not all follow them.
Sources
Checked 10 November 2026: ISO catalogue pages for ISO 9407:2019, ISO 19407:2023 and ISO 8559-1:2017; BSI pages for BS ISO 9407:2019 and BS EN 13402-1, -2 and -3; DIN Media page for DIN EN 13402-3:2017-12; Austrian Standards page for ISO 3635:1981 and ISO 8559-1:2017; China SAMR national standards pages for GB/T 1335.1-2008, GB/T 1335.2-2008 and GB/T 43293-2022; Suzhou Administration for Market Regulation explanation of garment size labels; NIST Office of Weights and Measures length units page and Handbook 44 (2026) Appendix B. We summarise these standards from their official catalogue pages and did not quote their full text. DHgate’s own pages were not quoted.