Every week someone stands at our counter holding two pairs of socks and asks the same question: am I a 36-40 or a 40-45? And every week someone else writes to us because the tights they ordered online turned out a size too small. So here it is, once and for all: the complete sock size chart with EU, UK and US sizes, kids sizes by age, tights sizes by height and weight, and at the end, how to wash all of it so it still fits next year.
How sock sizes actually work
Sock sizes follow shoe sizes, which sounds simple until you remember that Europe, the UK and the US all count differently. The good news: socks stretch, so they come in ranges, not single sizes. Our socks are typically sized 36-40 and 40-45 in EU terms. If your shoe size sits at the edge of a range, go up for a relaxed fit and down for a snug one. A sock that is too big wrinkles inside the shoe, and a wrinkle is a blister in the making. A sock that is too small pulls at the toes and wears out faster. Those two ranges are the backbone of the sock size chart below.
Sock size chart: EU, UK and US
Here is how our two main size ranges translate:
| EU 36-40 | EU 40-45 | |
|---|---|---|
| Foot length | approx. 23-25.5 cm | approx. 25.5-29 cm |
| UK women | 4-7 | 7-11 |
| UK men | 3.5-6.5 | 6.5-11 |
| US women | 4.5-7.5 | 8-12 |
| US men | 5.5-9.5 | 9.5-12 |
| Japan | 23-25.5 | 25.5-29 |
The quickest way to be sure is to measure your foot. Stand on a sheet of paper, mark the heel and the longest toe, and measure the distance in centimetres. That number plus about one centimetre of room is your foot length for the sock size chart above.
Kids sock sizes by age
Children’s feet grow about one size every few months in the early years, so with kids it is safer to go by foot length than by age. The kids sock size chart below uses averages, every child reserves the right to differ:
| EU size | Foot length | Typical age |
|---|---|---|
| 19-21 | 11.5-13 cm | 1-1.5 years |
| 22-24 | 13-15 cm | 1.5-3 years |
| 25-27 | 15-16.5 cm | 3-5 years |
| 28-30 | 17-18.5 cm | 5-7 years |
| 31-33 | 19-20.5 cm | 7-9 years |
| 34-36 | 21-22.5 cm | 9-12 years |
One practical tip from our shops: if a child is between sizes in autumn, buy the bigger one. By January it fits perfectly.
Tights sizes: height and weight matter, not shoe size
Tights do not follow the sock size chart at all and that is where most sizing mistakes happen, because they are sized by height and weight, not by foot. Our tights come in sizes 1-XS to 5-XL, and the right one is found from the matrix on the back of every package: find your height on one axis and your weight on the other, and the size is where they meet. As a rough guide: 1-XS fits around 145-160 cm and 40-55 kg, 3-M around 155-175 cm and 55-75 kg, and 5-XL around 170-185 cm and 75-90+ kg.
For plus sizes the most important measurements are the hip and waist, not height. Several of our plus-size series are designed so that shorter women can wear the larger sizes comfortably too, browse the full tights selection for women and check the matrix on each product. For socks themselves, the sock size chart at the top of this page is all you need.
How to care for socks so they keep their size
A sock that fits today should also fit after ten washes, and that part is up to the washing machine. The rules are short:
- Wash cotton socks, knee-highs and tights at a maximum of 40 degrees.
- Wool, including merino: hand wash, or machine wash at low temperature on the wool programme without spinning.
- Never use the dryer. The dryer is where socks go to shrink a size. Dry them flat or on the line.
- Wash tights and delicate knits in a laundry bag and turn them inside out first, it prevents snags and runs.
If wool socks start to pill after the first wears, that is the nature of natural fibre, not a defect. A fabric comb removes the pills and after a few washes the surface settles.
Still not sure about your sock size?
Measure your foot, check the sock size chart above, and if you are still hesitating between two sizes, write to us or step into any of our shops, including the new 100kingitust by Sokisahtel at Lai 4 in Tallinn Old Town. Fitting the right sock to the right foot is literally what we do all day.
Read also
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