One day back in college, I was shopping for some clothes in Yamaguchi. I found a shirt that fit just right, but when I took it off and looked at the tag, I was surprised to see the size listed as “LA.” Curious, I asked the salesperson what it meant, and was told it was an abbreviation for “large athletic,” meaning it was cut for a person with large shoulders and a slim waist. 
 
 I’m not sure how much of that was really reflected in the design, but the unexpected written compliment put me in such a good mood I bought the shirt right away, and still have it to this day. 
 
 Of course, this sort of psychology can cut both ways, and I’m not sure how one Japanese clothing manufacturer expects to drum up sales by calling out its larger customers in the least delicate way. 
 
 For the most part, sizes in Japan are labeled pretty closely to how they are in English-speaking countries. Oftentimes small, medium, and large are referred to as simply S, M, and L, though. 
 
 Sizes at the far ends of the bell curve are named a little differently, too. For example, extra-small becomes double S, or sometimes S S. Usually, the opposite is true too, and if you need something larger than an L, you go looking for a double L. 
 
 Unless, that is, you’re dealing with this manufacturer. 
 
 No, fat isn’t a Japanese word that means something other than obese, nor is it any kind of code or abbreviation we’ve ever heard of. This also isn’t a case of a tag that was printed long before online dictionaries made the definition of “fat” something that anyone could check for in 30 seconds, since the indicated 120 yen (US $1.18) of tax for the 1,500-yen item means it’s using the eight-percent rate that just went into effect in April. 
 
 The photo was originally uploaded to photo-sharing site Imgur, with the title “Japan doesn’t sugarcoat their clothing sizes.” Rest assured though that despite the painted-with-a-wide-brush phrasing, this really isn’t how clothing is usually labeled in Japan. 
 
 ▼ Sadly, the photo doesn’t show the manufacturer’s name, which gives us no way to confirm whether or not the company’s smallest size is, in fact, “Wow, somebody needs a sandwich.” 
 
 Sources: Labaq, Imgur 
 
 Top image: Imgur 
 
 Insert images: Imgur, Rakuten ||||| Unconventional Japanese clothing company offers sizes in Skinny, Fat and Jumbo 
 
 Clothing brand Fatyo are using unconventional size labels for the ir garments 
 
 Clothes can be bought in size - titch, skinny, fat and jumbo 
 
 
 
 Firm say they are trying to make the word 'fat' cool 
 
 
 
 When shopping for clothes, customers usually check to see if they need a small medium or large. 
 
 
 
 But one Japanese clothing company has ditched traditional size labels in favour for some more literal descriptions. 
 
 
 
 Brand Fatyo offers its products in just four sizes - titch, skinny, fat and jumbo. 
 
 
 
 A T-shirt available on the fatyo.com website, which comes in sizes titch, skinny, fat and jumbo, circled 
 
 The clothing company has ditched traditional size labels in favour of more literal descriptions 
 
 But rather than trying to offend its customers by suggesting they could be overweight if they are a size fat or jumbo, the company say they are trying to flip the meaning of the word 'fat'. 
 
 On their website, Fatyo say: 'FAT in other words, COOL. 
 
 'Being FAT. Wanting to be FAT. Striving to be FAT. That's the answer. The question is... 
 
 
 
 'What is FAT to you?' 
 
 
 
 This bucket hat, available on the company's website, comes in two sizes - fat and jumbo 
 
 A receipt showing a purchase from Fatyo, with the size of the garment described as 'fat' 
 
 Some Japanese clothing brands are known for having unusual sizes for their garments rather than the usual descriptions. 
 
 
 
 But it is thought these are the first that use the more descriptive terms. 
 
 
 
 Japan has the lowest obesity rates in the developed world, which is thought to be down to their diet of fish and vegetables and small portions. 
 
 
 
 Last year American retailer Abercrombie and Fitch came under fire for not offering women's clothing, which exceeds 'large' which is equivalent to a U.S. size 10. 
 
 
 
 However, after a petition in America, the company say they will be offering larger sizes and an expanded range of products to help its profits rise over the next year after its share price fell. 
 
 
 
 
 

– A Japanese clothing company has replaced the usual sizes (think S, M, and L) with ones sure to boost shoppers' self-esteem—like Titch, Skinny, Fat, and Jumbo, the Daily Mail reports. The company, Fatyo, says on its website that it's just trying to make the word fat "cool." But Jumbo? Well, the move is getting attention, although Fatyo isn't the first Japanese brand to create unusual garment sizes. Could be Fatyo is reminding the Japanese (the slimmest people in the developed world) not to get too hefty, Yahoo notes. Japanese lawmakers were so concerned about weight gain that in 2009 they set maximum waistline sizes for citizens over 40: 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women. Per Japanese health coverage, employees get their waistlines checked annually and are sent to health counseling if the scales tip too far. So, are bigger Japanese shoppers likely to buy Fatyo? Rocket News, which broke the story, says it's "not sure" how the company "expects to drum up sales by calling out its larger customers in the least delicate way."