Grading Made Easy
How to scale patterns across sizes while maintaining fit, proportion, and design integrity.
Joe Lauder·Founder, Kōbō·Updated Apr 22, 2026A garment that fits perfectly in your sample size means nothing if it doesn't fit in every other size. Pattern grading — the process of scaling your base pattern up and down — is what makes your design work for real bodies across your entire size range.
Poor grading creates inconsistent fit across sizes, leading to customer frustration and costly returns. Proper grading ensures that every size — from XS to 3XL — maintains the proportions and design intent of your original sample.
What Is Pattern Grading?
Pattern grading is the systematic process of increasing or decreasing a base pattern's measurements to create a complete size range. It's not simple scaling — different parts of the body change at different rates as sizes increase.
If your base pattern is a size M, grading creates S, XS, L, XL, and beyond by applying grade rules — specific increments that dictate how much each measurement changes per size.
Choosing Your Base Size
Your sample size is the foundation from which all other sizes are graded. Errors in this pattern multiply across your entire size range.
| Category | Typical Base Size | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Women's RTW | US 6 or 8 (UK 10/12) | Middle of range; easier to grade both directions |
| Men's RTW | M or L (40–42) | Average customer; minimizes extreme grading |
| Plus Size | US 18 or 20 | Developed specifically for plus fit |
Standard Grade Rules
Grade rules define how much each measurement increases or decreases per size jump. These are based on anthropometric data about how bodies change across sizes.
Women's Tops
| Size | Bust | Waist | Hip | Sleeve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | −1" | −1" | −1" | −0.4" |
| S | −0.5" | −0.5" | −0.5" | −0.2" |
| M (Base) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| L | +0.5" | +0.5" | +0.5" | +0.2" |
| XL | +1" | +1" | +1" | +0.4" |
Men's Shirts
| Size | Chest | Waist | Neck | Sleeve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | −2" | −2" | −0.5" | −0.5" |
| M (Base) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| L | +2" | +2" | +0.5" | +0.5" |
| XL | +4" | +4" | +1" | +1" |
Critical Grading Considerations
Armhole & Sleeve Relationship
The armhole and sleeve cap must grade together. Scaling the body without adjusting armhole depth and sleeve cap height leads to tight or baggy sleeves.
Depth increases with size. Width increases with bust/chest grading. Shape must remain proportional.
Height and width grade with armhole. Cap ease must remain consistent for smooth set-in.
What Doesn't Grade
Pockets — Often stay the same size or grade minimally
Logos and graphics — Same size across all garments
Button spacing — May need adjustment for visual balance
Body length — Many brands don't grade length at all
Common Grading Mistakes
Assuming proportions scale evenly — Bodies don't scale uniformly. The bust-to-waist relationship changes across sizes
Ignoring armhole adjustments — Tight armholes on larger sizes are the most common fit complaint
Over-grading length — Height doesn't increase with weight. Creates awkward proportions in larger sizes
Not testing graded patterns — Digital accuracy doesn't guarantee real-world fit. Sample at least three sizes
Grading from the wrong base — Extended sizes need their own blocks, not just continued grading
Fit Testing Protocol
Never approve graded patterns without testing on bodies. Digital accuracy doesn't guarantee real-world fit.
Regional Sizing
| Region | XS | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | 0–2 | 4–6 | 8–10 | 12–14 | 16–18 |
| UK | 6–8 | 10 | 12 | 14–16 | 18–20 |
| EU | 34–36 | 38 | 40 | 42–44 | 46–48 |
Final Thoughts
Grading is not scaling. Simply enlarging or shrinking a pattern doesn't work. Bodies change shape across sizes — grading accounts for these proportional changes.
Test before you commit. No amount of digital precision replaces fit testing on real bodies. Sample multiple sizes before production.
The goal of grading is simple: every customer, in every size, should feel like the garment was designed for them.
Joe's the founder of Kōbō Labs. Before this, he founded Satta, a fashion brand he scaled to sell internationally at Mr Porter, SSENSE, and Beams Japan. A decade of running his own brand — design, suppliers, production, the lot — is what Kōbō is built on.
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