GSM — grams per square metre — is how fabric weight is measured, and it is the fastest way to communicate what kind of garment you want. Two t-shirts in “100% cotton” can feel completely different products at 140 GSM and 240 GSM. If you learn one technical term before contacting a factory, make it this one.
What GSM tells you — and what it does not
Higher GSM means more fibre per square metre: a denser, heavier, usually more opaque and more durable fabric. It does not by itself mean better — a summer tee at 300 GSM is simply the wrong product. GSM also says nothing about composition, knit structure or finish; a 180 GSM single jersey and a 180 GSM piqué feel entirely different. GSM is one axis of the specification, not the whole specification.
Typical ranges, as a general orientation
Industry conventions vary, but these ranges are a reasonable starting map:
- Lightweight tees and summer jersey — roughly 130–160 GSM.
- Standard t-shirts — roughly 160–200 GSM.
- Heavyweight / boxy premium tees — roughly 200–260 GSM.
- Polo piqué — commonly 180–240 GSM.
- Sweatshirts and hoodies (fleece/terry) — commonly 280–400+ GSM.
How GSM plays into cost and your enquiry
Fabric is typically the largest cost component of a garment, and fabric is bought by weight — so GSM moves your unit price almost linearly. When you specify GSM in an enquiry, give a range rather than a single number (for example “200–220 GSM brushed fleece”), and if you do not know the number, describe the handfeel or send a reference garment; a factory can weigh it and tell you the GSM in a minute.
Last updated · Published by Dilshad & Sons (Private) Limited, a garment manufacturer in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Have a question this guide does not cover? Ask it inside an enquiry — it reaches the production team, not a chatbot.