A common question asked by consumers, often when buying clothing or linen, is that the meaning behind the GSM label in fabrics. Garment Technology readers asking :-
"Can you please share me what is meant fabric GSM ?"
GSM in fabric, also referred to as Grams per Square Meter is just the metric measurement of the load of a cloth . This measurement helps one choose the simplest weight to shop for , considering the usage of the fabric at hand.
The higher the GSM number, the denser the material are going to be . for instance , if the label on a linen shirt reads 180-200 GSM, the shirt material would be thick and would probably keep one warm. On warmer days, the simplest pick would be a shirt that's 130-150 GSM which is sure to be airy and flimsy. On the opposite hand, consumers buying cheap, promotional shirts would prefer to buy 100-110 GSM shirts, as these would only be worn a really few times and albeit it fades after each wash, it probably doesn’t really matter.
The same rule applies to towels, upholstery linen and every one sorts of clothing starting from winter to summer wear. Next time you see the worth of a fabric’s GSM, believe the aim for purchase.
Here’s a breakdown of cloth GSM to elucidate this better:
Lightweight fabrics: chiffon, linen, organza, cheesecloth, lace, voile, mesh
Medium weight fabrics: face towels, hand towels, bath towels, pool towels, sateen, oxford, velvet, taffeta, charmeuse
Heavy weight fabrics: face towels, hand towels, bath towels, pool towels, upholstery fabric, canvas, brocade, poplin, denim
Lightweight fabrics are mostly utilized in the manufacturing of summer clothes and underwear, while heavy weight, dense materials are popularly used for upholstery and furnishing.
Now you recognize why denim jeans last a lifetime, and why delicate organza blouses require careful hand washes.
This begs subsequent question; is there a correlation between the GSM of cloth , or the load of a cloth and its price? the solution is ‘yes’. just because more raw materials of higher quality would be wont to weave fabrics that are higher in weight. this is able to end in them being higher in price too.
You probably now understand why a 210gsm luxury linen shirt is costlier than its lighter 130gsm beach shirt counterpart. It all boils right down to the load , and by extension, the sturdiness of the fabric or fabric. A heavier fabric is predicted to last longer by withstanding the affects of washing, drying and regular wear.
Although metric measurements (GSM) are generally the foremost common place when measuring the load of cloth , some parties indicate weight in ounces per sq yd . this is often also referred to as Imperial weights (oz/yd2).
Fabric Weight (GSM) Chart