A size run is a set of fit samples in a full range of sizes, used to assess, select and standardise the right silhouette before a uniform is produced in volume for an entire workforce. On large programmes, a size run keeps the fit under control, protects consistency across the team, and saves considerable time and alteration cost once the order scales up. Mon Amie would like to show you how this tool works, and why any company outfitting a large team should ask for one.
What a size run is and how it works
Picture a rail of jackets in a single design and a single cloth, but in every size — 44, 46, 48 through 54, or the S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL range. That is a size run. Before bulk production begins, each member of staff tries on the samples in turn to establish their size, while the technical team observes, records and adjusts as needed.
A size run delivers three core benefits:
- Fit coverage. It confirms the size range is wide enough for a genuinely varied group, leaving out no one who is particularly slim, particularly broad, or unusually tall.
- Roll-out ready. Once the sample sizes are settled, every subsequent production run simply follows a size chart that has already been proven in practice.
- Size confidence. Each person wears the garment before choosing, so the experience is comfortable and professional rather than a number assigned to them on paper.
Why a uniform programme needs a size run
A properly executed size run gives every member of the team a professional, comfortable and consistent appearance, and reflects well on the company as a whole. The value shows in a visually unified team, an accurate ordering process, and a smooth hand-over day.
Six concrete benefits:
- Complete size coverage. Every body type in the organisation is accounted for, with no one left out.
- An optimised silhouette. The best-fitting cut for the group as a whole is chosen before any bulk cutting begins.
- Time and cost savings. Fewer alterations, fewer errors, fewer unplanned expenses.
- Straightforward roll-out. Ordering and production move quickly, accurately and efficiently.
- Higher satisfaction. Staff are pleased with a size that genuinely fits, and feel more comfortable and confident each day.
- A stronger brand. A unified, professional look signals real investment and quality.
Combining a size run with made-to-measure: the tailor's method
For a tailoring house such as Mon Amie, a size run does not stop at "pick an existing size". The process usually runs in three stages:
- Stage one — the fitting session. Each person tries the samples to identify the base size closest to their build. It is a quick screening step, a few minutes per person.
- Stage two — recording adjustments. The tailor notes what needs changing relative to the base size: shorten the sleeve by two centimetres, release the waist, drop the shoulder. This is faster than measuring from scratch, yet gives a fit close to full made-to-measure.
- Stage three — confirming the size chart and producing. All size data and adjustments are compiled into a single ordering sheet, so later runs — new hires, replacements, a new branch — need only a look-up to proceed.
Thanks to the size run, companies see a sharp drop in returns and post-delivery alterations, which are the largest hidden cost of any uniform programme run on the "send everyone a paper size chart and let them self-declare" model.
A word from Mon Amie's artisans
Across many uniform commissions, Mon Amie has found that self-declared sizes and actual measurements differ far more often than people expect, simply because few of us remember our own figures correctly. Putting a real size run in front of the team, to be tried on and worn properly, is the most honest way for both the company and the tailor to see the outcome before the first metre of cloth is cut. Do this stage carefully and hand-over day brings nothing but pleasure, rather than a queue of people waiting to swap sizes.
Running a size run with Mon Amie
Mon Amie helps companies build a size run and a definitive size chart for their uniform programme, and keeps each person's measurements on record for life so later orders move quickly. Complete sets start from VND 4.8 million in Kevinlli cloth, rising through Canonico, Holland & Sherry, Dormeuil and Scabal; every garment carries an alteration warranty. You are welcome at any of our five Ho Chi Minh City showrooms — Nguyen Trai, Ho Van Hue, 3/2 Street, Caravelle Hotel District 1, Nguyen Thi Thap — or on our hotline 0888.111.118.
Do book an appointment to discuss a size run for your organisation, or read more about the tailoring process.