Buying questions
How do I choose the right gsm for my application?
Start from what the fabric has to survive, not from a competitor's data sheet. Weight is the last decision, not the first.
At a glance
Specification at a glance
| Application | Typical band | What decides the number |
|---|---|---|
| Wet wipes, folded | 40 to 60 gsm | Lotion load and pack count |
| Industrial wipes | 60 to 80 gsm | Solvent and abrasion |
| Diaper top sheet | 15 to 25 gsm | Strike through and softness |
| Medical mask outer | 25 gsm | Weld strength and breathing |
| SMS barrier | 35 to 55 gsm | Hydrostatic head requirement |
| Agricultural cover | 17 to 30 gsm | Seasons of UV exposure |
The four questions that set the weight
First, what load does the fabric carry: a wipe pulled from a pack, a spring pushing through a pocket, a cover holding wind. Second, what liquid contacts it and for how long. Third, how many times it is used. Fourth, what the pack or the shelf has to show, because opacity is a weight decision.
Answer those four and the band narrows to two options. Then the tie breaker is the converting line, not the price.
Why copying a competitor's weight fails
A competitor's 45 gsm may be a 60/40 viscose polyester cross laid web with a specific bonding pattern. Copy the weight without the structure and the product behaves differently at the same gram per square metre. Weight is one variable in a system of fibre, lay, bonding and finish.
Send the question with your specification
Tell us the product, the weight you run now and the market it sells into. We answer with the grade, the test values and the documents you will need.
Questions
Common questions
Can I use one weight for several products?
Often yes within a family, but the finish and the bonding usually differ. A 50 gsm web for surface wipes and a 50 gsm web for medical cleaning are not the same product.
Is heavier always stronger?
No. Fibre type, lay direction and bonding change strength more than weight does within a narrow band.
What is the cheapest way to test a weight?
Order two adjacent weights of the same structure and run both on your line. The difference usually shows up in the first hour.