GSM means grams per square metre. A 120 GSM poplin and a 120 GSM jersey weigh the same per square metre, but one is a shirt body and the other a T-shirt — weight alone does not tell you the hand. It does, however, predict warmth, opacity and how a garment drapes.
Buyers in the US still quote oz/yd². The conversion is fixed:
| 1 oz/yd² | = 33.906 GSM |
|---|---|
| 100 GSM | ≈ 2.95 oz/yd² |
| 200 GSM | ≈ 5.90 oz/yd² |
We publish GSM on every specification because it is the unit our lab actually measures; the ounce figure is derived, not estimated.
A spec that says “150 GSM” with no tolerance is incomplete. Finishing (sanforising, coating, brushing) shifts the number, so we state a tolerance band and measure against it. When you compare two mills, compare the band, not just the headline number.
Not sure what your garment needs? Send the end use and we will suggest a starting weight on the quote request.
No. Higher means heavier and usually warmer or more opaque, but it also means stiffer and more expensive per metre. The right weight follows the garment, not a scoreboard.
Because coating or lamination adds grams that are not cloth. Quoting them together hides the real fabric weight; we separate them so you can compare like for like.