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\nThis Size Guide helps you choose the right size for each Warm Heart Gifts product: unisex shirts from S to 3XL, mugs in 11 oz and 15 oz, canvas prints from 8×10 to 24×36 inches, and ornaments. Choosing a size for someone else is harder than choosing for yourself, especially when the gift is a surprise, so this page focuses on practical ways to decide without asking the person directly. Exact garment measurements for each shirt are shown on the product page when the shirt is listed; this guide explains how to use them, and what to do if your choice turns out wrong. Every size can be exchanged within 60 days of delivery, and we pay the return postage.
\nOur shirts are unisex crew-necks, cut the same for everyone. Unisex shirts are usually a little longer in the body and straighter through the waist than shirts cut for women, and similar to a standard men’s fit. If you are buying for someone who usually wears women’s sizes, many people go down one size from their usual women’s size for a similar fit, or keep their usual size for a looser, relaxed look. If they usually wear men’s sizes, their usual size is the place to start.
\nExact chest width and body length for each size are listed on each shirt’s product page, because they can differ slightly between shirt styles. We do not publish a single chart here so that you always compare against the measurements for the shirt you are actually ordering.
\nThe most reliable way to choose a size is not to measure the person but to measure a shirt they already like wearing. It captures how they prefer clothes to fit, which no body measurement can.
\nA soft tape measure is easiest, but a ruler or a straight piece of string marked and measured afterwards works too.
\nNot everyone can borrow a shirt without giving the game away. Some gentle alternatives:
\nIf you are still unsure, choose the larger size. A shirt that is slightly loose is still worn; a shirt that is tight usually is not. And if it misses, the exchange is free.
\n| If they | \nChoose | \nWhy | \n
|---|---|---|
| like a relaxed or roomy fit | \nThe larger size | \nMore ease through the chest and a little more length | \n
| like a close, tidy fit | \nThe smaller size | \nLess fabric at the waist and sleeves | \n
| will wash the shirt warm or tumble dry it | \nThe larger size | \nCotton can shrink slightly with heat | \n
| will wear it over another layer | \nThe larger size | \nRoom for a long-sleeve top underneath | \n
| are tall for their usual size | \nThe larger size | \nExtra body length, so the hem sits lower | \n
| are buying for a growing teenager | \nThe larger size | \nIt will still fit next season | \n
Matching shirts for reunions, milestone birthdays and holiday photos are among our most popular orders, and they involve the most sizes at once. A few tips make the order smoother. Collect every size in writing before ordering, so you are not relying on memory. Enter one shirt per person, so each one can be exchanged individually if needed. Write in the Order notes box which name belongs on which shirt when the personalisation differs. And check the delivery date against the event date on our Shipping & Delivery page, leaving time for one exchange if possible.
\nFor example, if you are ordering shirts for four generations for a summer reunion, a grandparent who prefers a looser fit, two parents who wear L and XL, and teenagers who are still growing, the table above suggests sizing up for the grandparent and the teenagers. If one shirt still misses, only that one needs to come back.
\nMany older people prefer a looser shirt that is easy to pull on and does not cling. If a grandparent usually wears a medium, a large is often the more comfortable choice. Look at the shirts they reach for most: a favourite soft, worn-in tee is the best guide of all.
\nMen’s sizes from mainstream stores usually match unisex sizes closely. If he wears a large jacket or sweater, a large shirt is a good starting point. If he likes to wear tees untucked over jeans, check the body length on the product page against a shirt he already owns.
\nBecause unisex shirts are cut straighter and longer, someone who wears a women’s medium may find a unisex small fits closely and a unisex medium fits relaxed. Ask yourself whether she prefers fitted or relaxed tops, and use the table above.
\nTeenagers often move between sizes within a year. If the shirt is for an event several weeks away, or to be worn again next summer, the larger size is usually the safer choice.
\nFor a shirt to be worn during pregnancy, most people choose one or two sizes larger than usual for room through the body, or keep their usual size if the shirt is for after the baby arrives. If you are unsure, the exchange is free.
\nTurn the shirt inside out, wash it cool or warm with similar colours, and dry it on low heat or hang it to dry. Do not iron directly on the print; iron inside out if needed. Hot washes and high dryer heat are the most common causes of shrinkage in cotton. Following the care label keeps the shirt close to the size you chose and protects the printed names and dates.
\nAn 11 oz mug holds a standard cup of coffee or tea with room to carry it without spilling; it is the classic size and suits most people and most shelves. A 15 oz mug holds about a third more, suits people who like a large tea or refill their coffee before it cools, and gives a little more space for longer names. Both sizes take the same designs. If you are unsure, think about the cup they reach for first in their own cupboard.
\n| Size (inches) | \nOrientation | \nUsually suits | \n
|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 | \nPortrait or landscape, per design | \nA desk, a bookshelf, a bedside table or a small wall gap | \n
| 12 × 16 | \nPortrait or landscape, per design | \nA hallway, beside a door, or grouped with other frames | \n
| 16 × 20 | \nPortrait or landscape, per design | \nAbove a side table or a narrow console | \n
| 24 × 36 | \nPortrait or landscape, per design | \nAbove a sofa, a bed or a fireplace | \n
To picture the size, cut paper or tape newspaper sheets together to the same dimensions and hold them against the wall, or mark the corners lightly with painter’s tape. Above furniture, a canvas usually looks balanced when it is about two thirds the width of the piece below it. A wrapped canvas extends the image around the edges of the frame and hangs without a frame; a framed canvas sits inside a slim frame for a finished edge.
\nOur ornaments are sized to hang on an ordinary tree branch without bending it, at around 3 inches across, with exact dimensions on each product page. The space for text is limited, so long lists of names may be printed smaller. If you are planning many names, write to us before ordering and we will tell you how they will fit.
\nOur shirt sizes use the US letter system, S to 3XL. Shoppers in Australia and New Zealand sometimes see numeric sizes such as 10, 12 or 14 in women’s clothing, and Canadian stores use the same letter sizes as the United States. Numeric women’s sizes do not convert neatly to unisex letters, which is another reason we recommend measuring a shirt that already fits and comparing it with the chest width and length on the product page, rather than converting a label. All measurements on our product pages are in inches; one inch is 2.54 centimetres, so a 20-inch chest width is about 51 centimetres.
\nWrite to us within 60 days of delivery with your order number and the size you need. We send a free return label, and as soon as the original is on its way back we print the new size with the same personalisation, at no extra cost if the price is the same. Please return shirts unworn and unwashed. The full process is on our Returns & Exchanges page, and refunds, if you prefer one, are explained in our Refund Policy.
\nWrite to support@warmheartgifts.com with the measurements of a shirt that fits, or a description of the wall or shelf, and we will suggest a size. We reply within 1 business day. You can also browse our shirts, mugs and canvas prints, or read our FAQs.
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