The specifications of any fabric, and of clothing made from it, include a weight line such as 160 g/m² or 320 g/m². It is one of the most useful numbers when choosing: it tells you in advance how light or dense the item will be.
What g/m² means
Weight in grams per square meter (also written GSM) is the weight of one square meter of fabric. If the weight is 240 g/m², a 1 × 1 m piece of the fabric weighs 240 grams.
The higher the number, the more yarn and material there is in each square meter:
- lower weight: the fabric is lighter and thinner, and lets air through better;
- higher weight: the fabric is heavier and denser, keeps its shape better and lasts longer under wear.
Note that weight is only worth comparing between fabrics of the same type. Knit fabric and twill are built differently, so a 160 g/m² T-shirt and a 160 g/m² suit would feel completely different.
Fabric weight in the Sardoba Textile catalog
| Product | Fabric | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Short- and long-sleeve T-shirts | Supreme, 100% cotton | 160 g/m² |
| Polo shirts | Piqué, 100% cotton | 180 g/m² |
| Summer / winter underwear sets | Interlock, 100% cotton | 180 / 250 g/m² |
| Summer suits | Twill, 100% cotton | 210, 270, 320 g/m² |
| Summer suits, vest, apron | "Twill" 80/20 | 240 g/m² |
| Summer and winter suits | "Twill" 65/35 | 210, 240, 270 g/m² |
| Baseball caps | Twill, 100% cotton | 210 g/m² |
How to choose the weight of a work suit
The catalog's summer cotton suits fall into three groups:
- 210 g/m²: the lightest, such as Magnus, Atlant, Special and Professional. Suitable for work in the heat without heavy abrasion.
- 270 g/m²: medium weight and the largest group, including Samson, Gefes, Robsten, Leader, Staffan and others.
- 320 g/m²: the densest summer suits in the catalog, Frigate, Oregon and Legion. They are chosen when the suit has to withstand higher loads.
All three groups are in Summer Workwear, 100% Cotton. If you are unsure between two weights, consider the climate and the type of work: for long hours in the sun a lighter fabric is more comfortable, for work with tools and on rough surfaces a denser one.
Knitwear weight
Knit fabric is lighter than suit fabric, as it should be, since a T-shirt is worn right against the skin:
- T-shirts: supreme, 160 g/m²;
- polo shirts: piqué, 180 g/m², with a textured surface;
- underwear sets: interlock, 180 g/m² for summer and 250 g/m² for winter.
Fabric weight by the roll
If you buy fabric for your own sewing, the weight also tells you what it is suitable for. The Fabrics section has items from 200 to 290 g/m²: Greta Eco 80/20 at 200 g/m², cotton at 210, 240 and 290 g/m², 65/35 poly-cotton at 210 and 240 g/m², and 80/20 and CVC 80/20 at 240 g/m². All fabrics are 1.5 m wide, in 70 m rolls.
