Adult Medium Size Chart: Every Brand, Every Measurement (2026)

Adult medium fits a 38 to 40 inch chest with a 29 inch body length in most brands. That is the Gildan 5000 baseline, the shirt size most blank apparel companies build their charts around. But medium is not identical everywhere. Some brands measure fits-chest circumference, others measure the shirt laid flat, and the fit runs boxy, slim, or relaxed depending on the label. Here is every brand's adult medium measurement in one place, with the exact source noted for each.

Adult Medium Size Chart by Brand

Read the chest column carefully. Gildan's 38-40 is a fits-chest circumference range straight off the official chart, meaning the shirt is designed to fit a body measuring 38 to 40 inches around. Bella+Canvas and Comfort Colors publish laid-flat body width instead, from their official measurement specification sheets. To compare those against a circumference, double the laid-flat number. A 20 inch flat Bella+Canvas medium is roughly 40 inches around, and a 19.5 inch flat Comfort Colors medium is roughly 39 inches around, before applying the sheet's own 2 inch tolerance. Do not read a laid-flat number as a fits-chest number, they are not the same measurement.

Hanes 5250 and Next Level 3600 are not included in the table above because their adult medium specs were not verified against the current manufacturer sheet for this article. Both brands' adult small runs 34-36 inches, so if you normally wear Hanes or Next Level adult small and need to size up, expect medium to land around the same one-size step other brands show, roughly 4 inches wider in the chest. We are not printing exact Hanes or Next Level medium numbers until we confirm them against the manufacturer sheet.

Who Fits Adult Medium

Men, average build (roughly 5'9" to 6'0"): Adult medium in Gildan or another boxy brand is the standard fit for men in this height and build range. The 38-40 inch fits-chest range covers most average adult male chests without pulling at the shoulders or hanging loose at the waist.

Women sizing up for a relaxed fit: Women who prefer extra room over a fitted women's cut often move from adult small to adult medium. The added 4 inches of chest room and 1 inch of length give a looser, boyfriend-style drape rather than a snug fit.

Teens: Adult medium rarely fits a teenager. It sits 4 inches past adult small in the chest, which is already the first adult size most teens reach. A teen who has outgrown adult small should be measured before jumping to medium rather than assumed into it.

Adult Small vs Medium vs Large

Using the Gildan 5000 official chart as the fits-chest baseline: adult small is 34-36 inches, adult medium is 38-40 inches, and adult large is 42-44 inches. Each step up adds roughly 4 inches of chest room. Do not skip a size based on a hunch. Jumping from small straight to large adds 8 inches of chest width in one move, which is usually too big a gap for anyone sitting near a size line. If someone is between small and medium, measure their actual chest before ordering rather than guessing up or down.

For the same logic applied to the small size, see our adult small size chart.

Which Brand to Choose

Boxy and traditional: Gildan 5000 is the standard choice for team orders, event shirts, and screen printing jobs where a classic straight-cut fit is expected. It runs true to the fits-chest number on the chart.

Slim and modern: Bella+Canvas 3001 fits closer to the body. Because the spec is a laid-flat measurement, the actual wearing room is tighter than the raw number suggests, so people between sizes often prefer to size up in Bella+Canvas.

Relaxed and garment-dyed: Comfort Colors 1717 has a broken-in, slightly oversized feel from the garment-dye process, plus a built-in 2 inch tolerance on the sheet itself. It runs looser than Gildan at the same size label.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size is adult medium?

Adult medium fits a 38 to 40 inch chest with a 29 inch body length in most brands, based on the Gildan 5000 official size chart. Exact measurements shift by brand: Bella+Canvas and Comfort Colors publish laid-flat widths instead of fits-chest ranges, so always check which measurement type a brand uses before ordering.

What chest size is a medium t-shirt?

A medium t-shirt in most standard brands fits a chest between 38 and 40 inches, per the Gildan 5000 chart. Slimmer brands like Bella+Canvas run closer to the body at the same size label, and relaxed brands like Comfort Colors run a bit looser.

Is adult medium the same in every brand?

No. Adult medium varies by brand because some brands measure fits-chest circumference and others measure the garment laid flat, and each brand cuts a different fit style, from boxy to slim to relaxed. Gildan runs 38-40 fits-chest. Bella+Canvas runs 20 inches laid flat, roughly 40 around. Comfort Colors runs 19.5 inches laid flat, roughly 39 around, with a 2 inch tolerance built into the sheet.

What size comes after youth XL, small or medium?

Adult small comes right after youth XL, not adult medium. Adult small is the proper bridge size between youth and adult sizing. Skipping straight to adult medium usually adds too much chest room for someone who just outgrew youth XL. See our youth XL vs adult small guide for the full comparison.

Related Sizing Guides

• Adult Small Size Chart
• What Size Is 14-16 Youth in Adults?
• Youth XL vs Adult Small: What's the Difference
• How to Measure Chest for a T-Shirt
• Women's Small vs Men's Small: What's Actually Different
• Gildan Youth Sizing Guide
• Bella+Canvas Youth Sizing Guide
• Comfort Colors Youth Sizing Guide

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