Hanes
Here’s how Hanes fits your child compared to other brands you might be considering, so you know before it’s in your cart.
What size is (and isn’t) like Hanes at other brands?
Find your child’s Hanes size on the left. Twins wear the same number the same way — your size carries straight over. Strangers use the same number but cut it shorter or longer, so don’t trust the label alone.
| Hanes | Size twinssame number fits the same | Size strangerssame number, different cut |
|---|---|---|
| XS(4-5)41–44" | Mango Kids↑ longerReebok Kids↑ longerTea Collection↓ shorterNike Kids↑ longerBoxLunch↑ longerPuma Kids↑ longer+5 more | |
| S(6-7)46.5–49.5" | Nautica↓ shorterTea Collection↓ shorterReebok Kids↑ longerVans Kids↓ shorterAmazon Essentials Kids↓ shorterVineyard Vines Kids↑ longer+10 more | |
| M(8-10)52–55.5" | Nautica↓ shorterVans Kids↓ shorterAmazon Essentials Kids↓ shorterTea Collection↓ shorterReebok Kids↑ longerPuma Kids↑ longer+4 more | |
| L(12-14)58.5–61.5" | Nautica↓ shorterVans Kids↓ shorterAmazon Essentials Kids↓ shorterTea Collection↓ shorterJ.Crew Crewcuts↓ shorterGap Kids↓ shorter+7 more | |
| XL(16-18)64–66.5" | Vans Kids↓ shorterAmazon Essentials Kids↓ shorterJ.Crew Crewcuts↓ shorterTea Collection↓ shorterGap Kids↓ shorterBoxLunch↓ shorter+12 more |
Sizes shown use Hanes’ girls’/unisex chart where the brand splits by gender; boys’ sizes at the same number can run slightly taller.
In short
Where labels drift. The exceptions are the “strangers” above — e.g. at size M(8-10), Nautica, Vans Kids, Amazon Essentials Kids cut the same number differently. Check those before you trust the label.
Bottom line: for most sizes, a Hanes number is a safe bet elsewhere — measure once, then double-check only the handful of “stranger” brands above.
Curious about a size that isn’t your child’s here? Every size, compared across every brand, lives here: Browse all size comparisons →
Specialty & inclusive fits
Which trimmer, roomier, or adaptive cuts Hanes publishes alongside its standard sizes.
What shoppers say about the fit
Community consensus
Shopper opinion · not Little & Youth’s measurementThis is what parents report anecdotally — crowd sentiment, not a Little & Youth determination. Our sizing above is computed from Hanes’ own published chart; the notes here come from public parent discussion.
Hanes kids’ basics split between true to size and a little small — and the dryer often decides which camp you land in. Nearly all the kids-specific shopper feedback is about the multipack undershirts, tanks and toddler tees; there’s little on Hanes kids’ sweats or pants. On those basics, the largest group of Target and Walmart reviewers says the fit is accurate, but a sizeable minority says the boys’ crew tees and ribbed tanks run small — ‘the small is more like an XS,’ one wrote — and some advise going up a size or two. Shrinkage is the swing factor: several reviewers say the tees shrink after washing, others say they didn’t, so parents who machine-dry tend to size up. The other recurring knocks are fabric, not fit: the white multipacks are a cotton/poly blend that some found thin or see-through, a few packs arrived with holes or a hem that came apart in the first wash, and some parents miss the old all-cotton versions. Softness and value get steady praise.
Based on anecdotal discussion from multiple publicly available online sources; your experience may differ.
Should you buy Hanes?
Consider it if…
- You need low-cost undershirts and tanks in bulk — the 5-pack crews and tanks hold 4.4–4.6★ on Target across hundreds of reviews, and longtime buyers call them dependable.
- You want soft everyday layers — softness is the most common praise on both the toddler and boys’ tees.
- You’re dressing a toddler — a Walmart toddler cotton 3-pack is praised as thick, soft and true to size.
- You have a tie-dye project on the calendar — several reviewers buy the white tees for exactly that and say they take color well.
Think twice if…
- You buy the exact size and machine-dry — a sizeable minority say the tees and tanks run small, and several say they shrink in the dryer; sizing up is the common fix.
- You want opaque, all-cotton tees — the white crew multipacks are listed as 50% cotton/50% polyester, and several reviewers call them thin or see-through.
- You expect flawless packs — a few reviewers found holes, stains or a hem that came apart in the first wash; check each shirt when the pack arrives.
- You’re shopping beyond basics — kids-specific feedback on Hanes sweats, hoodies and pants is thin, so lean on the brand’s chart there.
Skip the cross-referencing — let Little & Youth do it.
Enter your child’s measurements once. We’ll show their Hanes size and their size at 100+ other brands, each from that brand’s own chart.
Find my child’s size →Shop Hanes ↗A few things parents ask that the chart won’t tell you
Does Hanes kids clothing run small?
It’s split. Most reviewers on the boys’ and toddler multipacks call them true to size, but a sizeable group says the crew tees and ribbed tanks run small, sometimes by a full size. Dryer shrinkage is often part of it, which is why many parents size up.
Do Hanes kids tees shrink?
Some buyers say yes, others say no. Parents who machine-dry are the ones most likely to report shrinkage and to size up; line-drying sidesteps the question.
Are Hanes kids undershirts 100% cotton?
Not all of them. The white boys’ and toddler crew 5-packs are listed as 50% cotton/50% polyester, which surprised some buyers; check the listing if fiber content matters to you.
Is there much feedback on Hanes kids’ sweats and hoodies?
Not much that’s kids-specific — most Hanes discussion is about adult sizes. For kids’ fleece, go by the brand’s chart and your child’s measurements rather than crowd advice.
What measurements do I need to size Hanes accurately?
Hanes publishes height, weight, chest, waist in its size chart. Height is the primary driver, and the chest/waist figures let you confirm body fit for a child between sizes.
Do Hanes boys’ and girls’ sizes fit the same?
From the bigger sizes up, Hanes publishes separate girls’ and boys’ charts, so the same number can differ by gender. The figures on this page use Hanes’ girls’/unisex chart.
How do Hanes’ sock sizes work?
Hanes’ socks are sized by shoe size, not age — buy for your child’s current shoe size, and if they fall between two ranges choose the smaller so the sock stays up. See how every kids’ shoe brand runs and how wide each is cut on our kids’ shoe sizing guide.
Where do I buy Hanes?
Hanes is sold on its own site and on Amazon, so you can pick the marketplace you prefer.