Information you need to know

1. Product size

Perhaps the most frequently asked question we get is about size. And perhaps the simplest answer we can give is this. If you think you’re big or super big, etc., you probably are. Our clothing comes from the best companies in the industry. As with all better quality clothing, we use very strict guidelines to produce each product. Each manufacturer will use the same basic size standard, although there may be 1/2-inch differences in the charts shown below. Hawaiian clothing is designed to be loose and comfortable to wear. After all, one of the greatest joys of our products is the cool, casual and comfortable (fit and lifestyle) they provide.

Please note: Not all items are available in the size charts shown. Please refer here. Additionally, not all brands are compatible. This is the basis of the instructions. In each item’s product detail page, we’ve noted whether a particular shirt appears larger, smaller, or as expected.

The measurements below are a guide to the actual size of our garments and are not identical to your measurements. For the best fit, measure an existing comparable item that fits you the way you want your new item to fit. Lay it flat and compare those measurements to the charts below. When in doubt, order the size you wear most often. Remember that hihawaiianshirts are designed to be loose and comfortable.

International conversions from centimeters to inches can be found here and kilograms (or other) to pounds here.

Men’s Shirts

Big-Sized Shirts

Tall-Sized Shirts

Women’s Short Dress (measurements below are actual dress sizes, not the person size)
XXS=2-4, XS=4-6, S=6-8, M=8-10, L=10-12, XL=12-14, XXL=14-16

Women’s Long Dress (measurements below are actual dress sizes, not the person size)
XXS=2-4, XS=4-6, S=6-8, M=8-10, L=10-12, XL=12-14, XXL=14-16

Women’s Shirts

2. Take care of your new items

Each item of clothing will have a label with care or cleaning instructions attached. Read these labels carefully. For best results, we recommend washing in cold water and drying in cool water. Most types of silk need to be dry-cleaned by a reputable laundry unit. Some types of silk can be hand-washed and dried. Please refer to the care label located inside each shirt. For safe care, use your local professional laundry service. You’ve invested, both monetarily and emotionally, in your new clothes. When in doubt, please call us or consult your local expert. If you follow these instructions, your new items will stay the same size and color for years to come. We will not be responsible for garments that shrink or are damaged due to failure to follow proper care instructions. The only thing that can shrink clothes is heat from washing or drying.

3. Fabric types and characteristics of some products

  • Cotton – A unicellular, natural fiber that grows in the seed pod of the cotton plant. Fibers are typically 1/2 inch to 2 inches long. The longest staple fibers, longer than 1-1/2 inch, including the Pima and Egyptian varieties, produce the highest quality cotton fabrics. It is one of the world’s major textile fibers. There are four main types of cotton: American Upland, Egyptian, Sea Island and Asiatic. The flowers from which these different types of cotton are obtained vary in color and texture, thus providing each type of cotton with varying characteristics. Cotton, in general, is very elastic. It can withstand high temperatures, is very washable and is very susceptible to dyes.
  • Silk: A fiber produced by the silkworm Bombyx mori, also known as the mulberry silkworm, with which the worm weaves its cocoon. One of the finest textiles, silk is soft, has a brilliant sheen, and is very strong and absorbent. A luxurious fabric, silk is lush to the touch and drapes beautifully on the body. It is sensitive to sunlight as well as perspiration and must be carefully laundered. While silk is essentially organic, standards are being developed for organic certification of silk.
  • Cotton Lawn: A light, fine cloth made using carded or combed linen or cotton yarns in a plain weave. The fabric has a crease-resistant, crisp finish. The name derived from Laon, a city in France, where linen lawn was manufactured extensively. It is lightweight, sheer, soft, and washable. It is crispier than voile but not as crisp as organdy. When made with fine high-count yarns, it has a silky feel. Comes in white or may be dyed or printed.
  • Polyester:  A manufactured fiber introduced in the early 1950s, and is second only to cotton in worldwide use. Polyester has high strength (although somewhat lower than nylon), excellent resiliency, and high abrasion resistance. Low absorbency allows the fiber to dry quickly.
  • Modal: Considered a type of rayon, modal is made only from beechwood fibers. Most other rayons are made of the wood pulp of a number of different trees. Like other types of rayon, which were originally marketed as “artificial silk,” modal is soft, smooth and breathes well. Its texture is similar to that of cotton or silk, and it’s cool to the touch and very absorbent. Like cotton, this textile dyes easily and becomes color-fast after submersion in warm water.
  • Linen: A fabric made from linen fibers obtained from inside the woody stem of the flax plant. Linen fibers are much stronger and more lustrous than cotton. Linen fabrics are very cool and absorbent, but wrinkle very easily, unless blended with manufactured fibers.
  • Lyocell / Tencel:  A high-performance fiber used to make soft, beautifully draping rayon fabrics. It is a strong, easy-care fabric made of cellulose extracted from wood pulp that is harvested from replenished tree farms. It’s environmentally sensitive and washable. This elegant eco-fiber is derived using a non-toxic process, which spins it into a buttery-soft machine-washable textile, both luxurious and upscale. Tencel is 100% biodegradable, durable, dyeable, and machine washable/dryable. It is elegant and ultra-soft, offering an incredible drape and versatility.
  • Polynosic: Polynosic is a type of microfiber that is a blend of advanced polyester and rayon fibers. Characteristics include a luxurious soft touch and excellent drape. Features similar characteristics to cotton and silk, excellent luster and very little shrinkage.