The full list
Sizing conventions, country by country
| Country | Band unit | Cup style | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Inches | US lettering | DD, DDD/E, F progression above a D cup |
| Canada | Inches | US lettering | Follows the US convention closely |
| United Kingdom | Inches | UK lettering | DD, E, F, FF progression above a D cup |
| Ireland | Inches | UK lettering | Follows the UK convention closely |
| Australia | Inches | UK lettering | Same band-inch system as the UK |
| New Zealand | Inches | UK lettering | Follows the Australian/UK convention |
| India | Inches | UK lettering | Most retailers use UK-style labelling |
| Singapore | Inches | UK lettering | Common import convention for the region |
| South Africa | Inches | UK lettering | Follows the UK convention closely |
| France | Centimetres | EU lettering | Single-letter progression above D |
| Germany | Centimetres | EU lettering | Follows the broader EU convention |
| Italy | Centimetres | EU lettering | Follows the broader EU convention |
| Spain | Centimetres | EU lettering | Follows the broader EU convention |
| Brazil | Centimetres | EU-style | Closest fit is the EU centimetre system |
| Mexico | Inches or cm | Mixed | Varies by retailer; both US and EU imports common |
| China | Centimetres | EU-style | No single official standard; closest fit is EU |
| Thailand | Centimetres | EU-style | Closest fit is the EU centimetre system |
| Japan | Centimetres | JIS (unique) | Cup difference measured in cm, own formula |
| South Korea | Centimetres | JIS-style | Closely follows the Japanese JIS approach |
| Philippines | Inches | US lettering | Commonly follows the US convention |
Many countries don't maintain one single official national standard and instead follow whichever import convention their retailers stock most — treat this table as the closest general match, not a guaranteed rule for every brand.
The three families
Grouping the world into three systems
US, UK and their close followers
Band measured directly in inches, cup letters climbing per inch of difference — the majority of English-speaking and Commonwealth markets.
Continental Europe and beyond
Band converted to a centimetre figure, with cup letters generally following the UK progression once converted.
Japan and South Korea
Both band and cup difference expressed in centimetres using a distinct formula, rather than adapting the inch-based approach.
Markets without one official chart
Many countries simply adopt whichever import convention is most common among their retailers.
Questions
Country sizing FAQs
The US and Canada share cup lettering; the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, India and Singapore share a closely related inch-band system with their own cup progression.
Most of continental Europe follows a centimetre-based band with broadly similar cup lettering, though individual brands still vary within that shared framework.
Japan's JIS standard stands out as genuinely distinct — both band and cup are defined in centimetres using their own formula, rather than adapting the inch-based approach.
Also useful