BS 3666 Specification for size designation of women's wear
This British Standard is one of a series which deals essentially with the size designation of clothing, and is not directly concerned with sizing systems as such.
The primary aim of this and other British Standards in this series is the establishment of a size designation system that indicates (in a simple, direct and meaningful manner) the body size of the woman that a garment is intended to fit. Provided that the shape of her body (as indicated by the appropriate dimensions) has been accurately determined, this system will facilitate the choice of garments that fit.
The size designation system is based on body and not garment measurements. Choice of garment measurements is normally left to the designer and the manufacturer, who are concerned with style, cut and other fashion elements, and who must make due allowance for garments normally worn beneath a specific garment.
Definitions and body measurement procedure are prescribed in BS 5511 which is applicable to all categories of clothing.
BS 3666 is the standard that specifies a system of designating the size of women’s outerwear and underwear garments that are classified as:
- Covering the upper body
- Covering the whole body
- Covering the lower body only
- Civilian and uniform garments.
Both the control dimensions on which the size designation system is based, and the method of indicating the size designation on a garment label, are specified.
BS 3666 also contains details of a size coding scheme, which is to be included on the garment label together with the control dimensions.
Contents of BS 3666 include:
- Cooperating organizations
- Introduction
- Scope
- References
- Definitions
- Control dimensions
- Size designation
- Size code
- Labelling
- Examples of garments
- Examples of inclusion of size code number into label
- Examples of labels for women’s outerwear
- Examples of labels for women’s underwear
- Size codes and associated body measurements
- Publications referred to.
The Clothing Standards Committee, under whose direction this British Standard was prepared, consists of representatives from the following:
- The Clothing Standards Committee
- British Apparel Manufacturers’ Association Ltd
- British Footwear Manufacturers’ Federation
- British Man-made Fibres Federation
- British Multiple Retailers’ Association
- British Railways Board
- British Textile Employers’ Association
- Clothing and Footwear Institute
- Clothing Manufacturers’ Federation of Great Britain
- Consumer Standards Advisory Committee of BSI
- Consumers’ Association
- Department of Industry (Chemicals and Textiles)
- Drapers’ Chamber of Trade
- Industrial Safety (Protective Equipment) Manufacturers’ Association
- Institute of Purchasing and Supply
- Instock Footwear Suppliers’ Association
- Knitting Industries Federation Ltd
- Mail Order Traders’ Association of Great Britain
- Manchester Chamber of Commerce
- Ministry of Defence
- Multiple Shoe Retailers’ Association
- National Children’s Wear Association
- National Shoe Retailers’ Council
- Shoe and Allied Trades Research Association
- Textile and Clothing Contractors’ Association
- Textile Research Council
- Association of Retail Distributors
- Co-operative Union
- Overall Manufacturers’ Association of Great Britain
- Shirt, Collar and Tie Manufacturers’ Federation
- Textile Distributors’ Association
