Light grades
35 gsm spunlace: the lightest grade that still converts
At 35 gsm a spunlace web is thin enough to see light through and still strong enough to survive a wet converting line. It is the grade buyers reach for when the pack price matters more than the hand feel.
At a glance
Specification at a glance
| Property | 35 gsm typical range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Weight tolerance | ±1.5 g/m² | Measured on 100 cm² die cut |
| Tensile MD | 20 to 26 N/5 cm | Strip test, 300 mm/min |
| Tensile CD | 8 to 11 N/5 cm | Cross direction is roughly a third |
| Elongation MD | 25 to 40 % | Carded, parallel laid |
| Absorbency | 400 to 500 % | Viscose share drives this |
| Opacity | Low, translucent when wet | Consider 45 gsm for shelf impact |
| Typical roll | 1,600 mm wide, 1,000 m | Spliced on request |
What the weight actually removes
Going from 45 to 35 gsm removes about 22 percent of the fibre cost, and it removes two other things buyers notice later: opacity and wet strength margin. A 35 gsm web holds roughly 3.5 times its own weight in lotion, which is fine for a 40 count pack and marginal for a 120 count pack where the bottom wipe carries the load of the whole stack.
Where it wins is the short-use product: lens wipes, single-serve sachets, airline and hotel amenity packs, and light medical cleaning wipes where the wipe is folded four times and the fold supplies the strength.
Specifying it without a complaint six months later
Write the tensile in both directions, not one. A 35 gsm web with 22 N/5 cm in machine direction and 9 N/5 cm across will tear at the perforation on a poorly set pack, while the same web at 12 N/5 cm across runs clean. The cross direction number is the one that decides complaints, and it is the one most inquiries leave out.
Also fix the fibre blend in the specification. A 70/30 viscose polyester blend at this weight absorbs faster but tears sooner; a 50/50 blend is the usual compromise for amenity wipes.
Where 35 gsm is the wrong answer
Disinfectant wipes with a high alcohol load, industrial hand wipes, and any product where the wipe is used flat rather than folded. At this weight the web also shows through printed film, so a premium pack design needs 45 gsm or an opacity additive that adds cost back.
Other weights in this range
This grade sits in the Spunlace range. Buyers comparing across weights usually ask for two or three of these at sample stage, because the decision is made on the converting line rather than on the data sheet.
- 45 gsm spunlace - 45 gsm is the middle of the wet wipe range: heavy enough to hold a 300 percent.
- 50 gsm spunlace - 50 gsm is where a wipe stops being a baby product and starts being a tool: adu.
- 60 gsm spunlace - 60 gsm is where spunlace stops being a consumer wipe and becomes a working clo.
- 70 gsm spunlace - 70 gsm is the top of the standard wipe range. At this weight the web behaves m.
- 80 gsm spunlace - 80 gsm is the top of the spunlace range we quote. The buyers are filtration, p.
Check this grade against your line
Send the application, the width you run and the monthly volume. We reply with the grade tolerance, the test values for that batch and a ship date.
Questions
Common questions
Is 35 gsm strong enough for a wet wipe?
For folded, short-use wipes yes, typically 20 to 26 N/5 cm in machine direction. For a flat industrial wipe, move to 50 gsm or higher.
What is the minimum order for a 35 gsm grade?
It depends on the line slot. Send the width and monthly volume and we quote the smallest economic run rather than a catalogue figure.
Can 35 gsm be made with a higher viscose share?
Yes, up to 100 percent viscose, which raises absorbency and cost and lowers wet strength. Most buyers stay between 50 and 70 percent viscose at this weight.