Why sizing matters more on an agent order
When you buy from a shop at home, a wrong size is a return. When you buy through an agent, a wrong size usually stays wrong. Returns only work while the item is still in the agent's warehouse in China, within a short window (Mulebuy allowed about five days), and you normally pay the postage back to the seller. Once the parcel has left China, no agent accepts "it does not fit" as a claim. QC photos cannot fix it either: a perfectly made jacket two sizes too small looks fine in a warehouse photo.
That is why this converter is a starting point and not an answer. The tables show the usual relationship between Italian, European, British, American and Chinese labels, but every seller cuts differently. The decision should rest on the seller's centimetre chart.
Settle the size before you pay; after the parcel leaves China it is too late.
Measuring yourself in two minutes
- Pick a garment that fits you well. Lay it flat on a bed or table.
- Measure armpit to armpit. Double it for the chest circumference most charts use; some charts list the flat width, so check which.
- Measure the length. From the highest point of the shoulder to the hem for tops, or the outside leg for trousers.
- For shoes, stand on paper. Mark your heel and longest toe, measure the gap in centimetres and enter it above.
- Compare with the seller's chart. Pick the size whose numbers are equal to or slightly bigger than your garment's.
A measured garment you already own beats any letter on a label.
Reading Chinese size labels
Chinese clothing labels often carry two systems at once: a letter (S to XXL) and a code like 170/88A. The first number is the wearer's height in centimetres, the second the chest or waist in centimetres, and the letter describes body shape (A for average; Y slimmer; B and C fuller). If a listing shows only letters, look in the images for the chart, usually a table with columns such as 衣长 (length), 胸围 (chest) and 肩宽 (shoulder). Ask the agent to request measurements from the seller if the chart is missing.
Shoes are simpler. Most sellers list EU sizes, sometimes with the insole length in millimetres. A pair marked 42 with a 265 mm insole fits a foot of about 26 to 26.5 cm.
The height/chest code is often more reliable than the letter next to it.
Italian sizes specifically
Italian labels confuse buyers from elsewhere. Women's clothing in Italy runs two numbers above French and most EU sizing, so an Italian 42 equals a French 38 and a UK 10. Men's jackets and shirts use a number roughly equal to half the chest in centimetres: an Italian 48 suits a chest around 96 cm, which many Chinese sellers would call L. Shoes are the same across Italy and the rest of the EU.
If you buy for the Italian market regularly, combine this with the import duty calculator so you know the full cost of a haul, and read the Milan page for delivery details. For moving old Mulebuy links, use the link converter; the sizes you picked in old orders are still the best guide when you reorder from the same seller.
For Italy, convert women's sizes by two and men's sizes from your chest measurement.
When to ask the seller
Ask before ordering if the chart is missing, if reviews say the item runs small, or if you are between sizes. Agents pass questions to sellers through an order remark or chat. A short note in plain English, such as "chest 104 cm, which size?", gets a better answer than "true to size?". The how to use Mulebuy guide shows where remarks go in a typical agent order, and the same field exists on every agent.
One clear question with your measurement saves a return that may not be possible.
Questions readers ask
Do Chinese sizes run small?
Often, yes. Many Taobao and Weidian sellers cut for a slimmer fit, so their L can be closer to an Italian 48 or EU M. The seller's centimetre chart is the only reliable guide.
What do labels like 175/92A mean?
That is the Chinese standard: height in centimetres, then chest (tops) or waist (bottoms) in centimetres, then a body-type letter. 175/92A fits roughly a 175 cm person with a 92 cm chest and an average build.
How do Italian clothing sizes compare with EU sizes?
Italian women's sizes are usually two higher than French and EU numbers (IT 42 = FR 38), and Italian men's sizes follow the chest in centimetres divided by two (IT 48 for about a 96 cm chest).
Which shoe size should I order?
Measure your foot from heel to longest toe in centimetres, find the closest row and order that EU size. If you are between two rows, take the larger, especially for boots.