Not only do babies determine shoe sizes based on foot length in centimetres, but the shoe size converter also works in this way: First, it calculates the corresponding foot length in cm based on the shoe size entered, and then converts this into the sizes of other shoe size systems using the ISO formula.
Shoe size in cm - examples
Calculation of shoe sizes in cm according to ISO/TS 19407:2015
The foot length in cm is converted into the shoe size of the respective size system (i.e., the EU-, UK-, US- or Mondopoint system) according to ISO formulas. The following shoe size tables for foot length in cm are also based on this ISO specification. The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) has defined the conversion of shoe size systems and thus issued this international pre-standard. However, there are often deviations from the theoretically calculated shoe sizes in cm. Therefore, shoes often turn out smaller or larger (e.g., depending on the manufacturer or simply due to deviating standardization).
Basic information on converting shoe sizes into cm
All ISO conversion formulas refer to the foot length in cm. In the case of non-ISO size specifications, the interior length of the shoe in cm or the length of the last in cm is sometimes also chosen as the reference for calculating shoe sizes. On the other hand, for international standardisation, the foot length in centimetres or millimetres is the means of choice.
Normally, the foot length in cm is used in the ISO formulae to calculate the respective shoe size. Therefore, if you want to determine the foot length on the basis of shoe size, the corresponding ISO formula must be converted so that the result of the formula is the foot length in cm, instead of the shoe size. This changeover of the conversion formula is explained in detail in the examples below.
Measuring foot length in cm
To measure the foot length accurately, it is best to place a sheet of paper against a wall and place the foot on it so that the heel is directly against the wall and thus against the edge of the paper. Then draw along the toes with a pencil. It is important to hold the pencil straight at a 90° angle, and then measure the length from the back edge of the paper to the longest toe. Ensure you measure both feet, as they can often be of different lengths. It is also better to measure in the afternoon as the feet only reach their full size during the day.
Shoe size chart for converting foot length into cm for adults
Based on the technical specification of the ISO, the following shoe size table results into different foot lengths in cm. Each foot length in cm is assigned the appropriate shoe sizes of the individual shoe size systems.
| Foot length to shoe size table for adults according to ISO specification ISO/TS 19407:2015 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foot length (cm) | Mondopoint | EU | UK | US men | US women |
| 21.3 | 215 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 21.7 | 215 | 34.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| 22.0 | 220 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 22.3 | 225 | 35.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.5 |
| 22.7 | 225 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 23.0 | 230 | 36.5 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 23.4 | 235 | 37 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 |
| 23.7 | 235 | 37.5 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 24.0 | 240 | 38 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 |
| 24.4 | 245 | 38.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 |
| 24.7 | 245 | 39 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 25.0 | 250 | 39.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 8.5 |
| 25.4 | 255 | 40 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 25.7 | 255 | 40.5 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 9.5 |
| 26.0 | 260 | 41 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 9.5 |
| 26.4 | 265 | 41.5 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 26.7 | 265 | 42 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 10.5 |
| 27.0 | 270 | 42.5 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 27.4 | 275 | 43 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.5 |
| 27.7 | 275 | 43.5 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.5 |
| 28.0 | 280 | 44 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 28.4 | 285 | 44.5 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 12.5 |
| 28.7 | 285 | 45 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 29.0 | 290 | 45.5 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 13.5 |
| 29.4 | 295 | 46 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 13.5 |
| 29.7 | 295 | 46.5 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 30.0 | 300 | 47 | 12.5 | 13.5 | 14.5 |
| 30.5 | 305 | 47.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 30.7 | 305 | 48 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 31.0 | 310 | 48.5 | 13.5 | 14.5 | 15.5 |
| 31.4 | 315 | 49 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 31.7 | 315 | 49.5 | 14.5 | 15.5 | 16.5 |
| 32.00 | 320 | 50 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| Foot length (cm) | Mondopoint | EU | UK | US men | US women |
Printable centimetre size chart for adults
Shoe size chart for converting foot length into cm for children
In contrast to adult sizes, the toe clearance is calculated slightly differently for children. Instead of a markup of two shoe sizes, a markup of eight percent of the foot length in cm is used for children. In addition, in the UK and US systems, children's sizes are numbered differently from adult sizes. In this case, 13 children's sizes are followed by adult sizes starting with 0 or 1. Based on the ISO specification, the following shoe size chart is recommended for all children's shoe sizes.
| Foot length to shoe size table for children according to ISO specification ISO/TS 19407:2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foot length (cm) | Mondopoint | EU | UK | US |
| 12.0 | 120 | 19.5 | 3.5 | 4 |
| 12.3 | 125 | 20 | 4 | 4.5 |
| 12.7 | 20.5 | 4.5 | 5 | |
| 13.0 | 130 | 21 | 5 | 5.5 |
| 13.3 | 21.5 | 5.5 | 6 | |
| 13.5 | 135 | 22 | ||
| 13.8 | 140 | 22.5 | 6 | 6.5 |
| 14.2 | 23 | 6.5 | 7 | |
| 14.6 | 145 | 23.5 | 7 | 7.5 |
| 14.8 | 24 | |||
| 15.0 | 150 | 24.5 | 7.5 | 8 |
| 15.4 | 155 | 25 | 8 | 8.5 |
| 15.7 | 25.5 | 8.5 | 9 | |
| 16.0 | 160 | 26 | 9 | 9.5 |
| 16.4 | 26.5 | |||
| 16.6 | 165 | 27 | 9.5 | 10 |
| 16.9 | 170 | 27.5 | 10 | 10.5 |
| 17.3 | 28 | 10.5 | 11 | |
| 17.6 | 175 | 28.5 | 11 | 11.5 |
| 17.9 | 180 | 29 | 11.5 | 12 |
| 18.2 | 29.5 | |||
| 18.5 | 185 | 30 | 12 | 12.5 |
| 18.8 | 30.5 | 12.5 | 13 | |
| 19.2 | 190 | 31 | 13 | 13.5 |
| 19.5 | 195 | 31.5 | 13.5 | 1 |
| 19.8 | 32 | |||
| 20.0 | 200 | 32.5 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 20.4 | 205 | 33 | 1.5 | 2 |
| 20.7 | 33.5 | |||
| 21.0 | 210 | 34 | 2 | 2.5 |
| 21.3 | 34.5 | 2.5 | 3 | |
| 21.7 | 215 | 35 | 3 | 3.5 |
| 22.0 | 220 | 35.5 | 3.5 | 4 |
| 22.4 | 36 | |||
| 22.6 | 225 | 36.5 | 4 | 4.5 |
| 23.0 | 230 | 37 | 4.5 | 5 |
| 23.2 | 37.5 | |||
| 23.6 | 235 | 38 | 5 | |
| Foot length (cm) | Mondopoint | EU | UK | US |
In this ISO size table for converting foot lengths in cm to shoe sizes, some fields are not filled in. This is because the official ISO formula has not been used to determine an exact value in other respective size units. However, the Shoe Size Converter for foot length in cm also calculates the corresponding rounded sizes for the fields that are still open. Both the calculation and the rounding are explained in detail in the calculator result under the "info" buttons.
Printable CM size chart for children
Example 1: Calculating the foot length in cm using the EU size
Ms Wagner has a European Shoe Size 40 and would like to use this size to calculate her foot length in cm. To do this, the ISO formula for calculating the EU shoe size is converted accordingly.
ISO formula for calculating the EU size
EU shoe size = (foot length in cm + 2 × 0,667) / 0,667
Explanation
- One size equals two-third of a centimetre, i.e., 0.667 cm.
- Sizes start at 0.
- Two sizes of toe clearance, i.e., 2 × 0.667 cm are added on.
Modified formula for calculating the foot length
Foot length in cm = EU shoe size × 0.667 − 2 × 0.667
Calculation of Ms Wagner's foot length
40.0 × 0.667 − 2 × 0.667 = 25.35 cm
Using this foot length in cm, the shoe sizes for the other size systems can then be calculated using the respective ISO formula.
Example 2: Calculation of UK size using foot length in cm
Ms Wagner's EU Shoe Size 40 corresponds to a foot length of 25.35 cm, as seen in Example 1. Now, using your foot length here, we will calculate her corresponding UK shoe size. To determine Ms Wagner's UK size, we will first use the appropriate ISO conversion formula based on her foot length. Then the calculation result is rounded to the nearest whole or half size.
Formula for UK size
UK shoe size = (foot length in cm + 2 × 0.847) / 0.847 − 25
Explanation
- Each UK size corresponds to one-third of an inch, i.e., 0.847 cm
- The first 12 sizes are not allocated
- The following 13 sizes are reserved for children's sizes
- Adult sizes start following the children's sizes with Size 1
- Therefore, 25 sizes are subtracted in the formula
- Two sizes, i.e., 2 × 0.847 cm are added for toe clearance
Read more comprehensive information on UK shoe sizes here.
Calculation of the UK size
(25.35 cm + 2 × 0.847) / 0.847 − 25 = 6.924 UK
Rounding the result
When rounded to the nearest whole or half size, this results in Shoe Size 7.0 UK for Ms Wagner.
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Source information
As source for the information in the 'Sizes of Shoe' category, we have used in particular:
- ISO specification ISO/TS 19407:2015(E) "Footwear-Sizing-Conversion of sizing systems" from International Organization for Standardization
- Show size (Wikipedia)
Last update on February 19, 2023
The pages of the 'Sizes of Shoe' category were last editorially reviewed by Stefan Banse on February 19, 2023. They all correspond to the current status.
Previous changes on May 10, 2021
- May 10, 2021: Articles about Nike shoe sizes and adidas shoe sizes
- May 01, 2021: Publication of the Shoe size converter
- Editorial revision of all texts in this category