A hi vis size ratio order is a forecast about your own workforce, not a curve copied from a supplier catalogue, and the generic S–3XL split is the quickest way to end up short in Medium and long in Large. OSHA puts the stakes plainly: equipment that does not fit properly can be the difference between being safely covered and dangerously exposed.
Hi Vis Size Ratio Order: Where the Numbers Come From
A size ratio is only the share of each size you buy, and it rests on three inputs: a survey of the crew you are dressing, the per-size minimum your factory can run, and how many garments each worker keeps in rotation.
Run the survey first. Ask for chest measurement or normal workwear size, a height band, and whether women’s or tall cuts are needed — a ten-minute form beats a guessed curve, because the curve was built for a retail bell, not a depot.
Why the Standard Curve Breaks on a Real Crew
A bell curve assumes a shopping population. A road crew, a warehouse shift and a group of site supervisors are three different populations, and two of them are not bell-shaped.
| Hi Vis Size Ratio Order (per 100 pcs) | Generic curve | Survey-based | What it leaves you with |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 8 | 5 | 3 pieces of dead stock |
| M | 25 | 34 | 9 workers short |
| L | 35 | 33 | 2 pieces of dead stock |
| XL | 22 | 20 | 2 pieces of dead stock |
| 2XL | 8 | 7 | 1 piece of dead stock |
| 3XL | 2 | 1 | 1 piece of dead stock |
That is an illustration on a 100-piece order, not a measured curve — the shape of the error is the point. Nine missing Mediums cannot be covered by nine spare Smalls, however the total adds up.
Three Things to Settle Before the Ratio Becomes a PO
- Per-size minimum: factories set a floor per size and per colour, so a two-piece tail may be refused or priced up. Merge tails into a size you will genuinely reorder.
- Fit over layers: vests and jackets sit over base layers, and on some sites over a fall-arrest harness. Size up, then confirm on a body.
- Colour by size matrix: each added colour multiplies SKUs. 200 pieces in two colours across six sizes is twelve SKUs, and several will fall under the minimum.
What to Write on the Purchase Order
Put quantity per size on the order, not just a total, and attach the size chart approved at sample stage. Our hi-vis vests run XS to 5XL and the hi-vis polo shirts follow the same grading, so the tails exist — the question is whether your volume can carry them.
Ask for one size set in the approved sample before bulk, and measure chest and hem against the chart. Grading errors do not correct themselves in the wash; they repeat across the whole run.
Buyer tip: a hi vis size ratio order is only as good as the size set behind it — request one piece in every size, measure chest and hem against the chart, and approve bulk only after the numbers match.
Get a free quote on your hi vis size ratio order
Send the garment, the standard and the quantity per size — quotes normally go out within 24 hours. Our OEM programme covers grading, labelling and packing, and you can send us your size breakdown directly.
