How to Design a Shirt That Looks Good in Every Size
Published by: Siobhan Ingram
Date: 05-05-2025
One of the hardest things about custom apparel? Designing a shirt that looks just as good on an XS as it does on a 3XL. Because let's be real—what looks amazing centered on a small tee can feel odd or lost when it's being stretched across more fabric.
If you want your merch to be size-inclusive and stylistically cohesive, the trick is to design with flexibility in mind. Here's how you can make a shirt that looks great—on everyone.
Design with Balance, Not Just Centering
We all love a great center-chest print, but when a design is too small, it gets lost on larger sizes. If it's too big, it overwhelms smaller shirts. The best? Find that sweet spot—a size that works well on the whole size spectrum.
Bonus tip: Consider adjusting placement slightly for certain sizes, especially with oversized or long designs. Some printers offer smart scaling to keep things looking right on each shirt.
Keep Proportions in Check
Extremely tall or elaborate vertical designs might work well on an XL or large, but on a small tee? They might end up looking cramped or truncated. Try for horizontally proportioned or shape-neutral designs so they won't seem distorted on different bodies.
And pay attention to font size, too. Skinny fonts or tiny taglines will be hard to read once they're reduced. Go with bold, legible typography that will hold up across the board.
Let the Garment Do Some of the Talking
Designs that play well with negative space or use the color of the shirt as part of the design are more forgiving from size to size. It's a more fluid flow that doesn't rely on edge-to-edge print or tight composition.
And let's not overlook the power of fabric and fit. A shirt that is comfortable and fits well already feels high-end—your design is the icing on the cake.
Consider Left Chest, Back Prints, or Sleeve Details
If your main design is difficult to scale, pair it with creative positioning. A left chest logo or sleeve print looks good on all sizes and adds understated, trendy branding. Pair it with a bigger graphic on the back in case you want more space to play with.
Designing a shirt that looks good on every size isn't just a production technicality—it's a kind, considerate detail of merch design. When everyone feels good and seen in what they're wearing, your brand wins. Every time.