{"id":8584,"date":"2026-06-04T04:31:27","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T09:31:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluecotton.com\/blog\/?p=8584"},"modified":"2026-06-04T04:32:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T09:32:58","slug":"how-many-shirts-should-you-order-for-your-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluecotton.com\/blog\/event-planning\/how-many-shirts-should-you-order-for-your-event\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many Shirts Should You Order for Your Event?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ordering shirts for an event sounds straightforward, until you realize you\u2019re somehow magically supposed to predict how many mediums versus XLs the attendees will want. Order too few, and people leave disappointed. Order too many, and you may end up storing six boxes of youth larges in a supply closet for the foreseeable future.<\/span><\/p>\n

The good news is that once you understand how audience type, event style, and ordering goals affect sizing, building a smart size curve gets a whole lot easier.<\/span><\/p>\n

At a Glance: Apparel by Event Types<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Event Type<\/b><\/td>\nTypical Size Strategy<\/b><\/td>\nBiggest Risk<\/b><\/td>\nHelpful Tip<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Corporate Events<\/span><\/td>\nHeavy on M\u2013XL adult sizes<\/span><\/td>\nUnderestimating larger sizes<\/span><\/td>\nAdd extra XL and 2XL buffers<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
School Events<\/span><\/td>\nMix of youth and adult sizes<\/span><\/td>\nForgetting parent\/staff orders<\/span><\/td>\nSeparate youth and adult estimates<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Team Apparel<\/span><\/td>\nMore predictable if roster-based<\/span><\/td>\nLast-minute additions<\/span><\/td>\nAdd 5\u201310% extra<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fundraisers<\/span><\/td>\nWider size spread<\/span><\/td>\nOverstocking niche sizes<\/span><\/td>\nFocus inventory on core sizes<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Merch Booths<\/span><\/td>\nHardest to predict<\/span><\/td>\nRunning out of common sizes early<\/span><\/td>\nBuild around M, L, and XL<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Family Events<\/span><\/td>\nBroadest range overall<\/span><\/td>\nMissing youth sizes<\/span><\/td>\nSplit order by audience age<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Start With the Audience, Not the Shirts<\/span><\/h2>\n

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One of the major mistakes event organizers make is starting with the apparel rather than the people wearing it. A corporate volunteer event with mostly office staff will be sized very differently from a youth sports fundraiser or a music festival selling merch at a booth. Even the same shirt design can require a completely different size curve depending on who\u2019s showing up.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few questions can help narrow things down:<\/span><\/p>\n