Mid grades
50 gsm spunlace: more liquid, more bite, same line
50 gsm is where a wipe stops being a baby product and starts being a tool: adult wipes, surface wipes, medical cleaning. The extra 5 gsm buys lotion capacity and abrasion resistance.
At a glance
Specification at a glance
| Property | 50 gsm typical range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Weight tolerance | ±2 g/m² | Batch average |
| Tensile MD | 30 to 36 N/5 cm | Dry, strip test |
| Tensile CD | 12 to 16 N/5 cm | Abrasion resistance follows this |
| Lotion load | 300 to 350 % | Surface wipes run at the top |
| Abrasion | Better than 45 gsm by roughly a third | Martindale, cycles to hole |
| Fibre blend | 50/50 or 60/40 viscose polyester | PET share adds scrub |
| Typical roll | 1,600 to 2,000 mm | Perforation slit on request |
The weight where abrasion starts to matter
Surface wipes get scrubbed, and scrubbing is where a 45 gsm web pills and a 50 gsm web holds. The difference is not linear in weight: the extra gram per square metre raises the cross direction strength by roughly 15 percent, which is what keeps the web from tearing at the fold line during use.
For disinfectant wipes with a quat or alcohol load, 50 gsm is the practical floor. Below it, the web saturates unevenly and the top of the pack dries before the bottom.
What converters change at this weight
Perforation depth, pack film tension and the folding plate gap. A line set for 45 gsm will run 50 gsm, but the pack will feel tight and the first wipe will drag. Budget a short trial rather than assuming the same settings carry over.
If the product is folded twice rather than four times, the cross direction strength matters even more, because the fold no longer doubles the web at the pull point.
Cost per use, not cost per tonne
A 50 gsm wipe used for one surface pass replaces roughly 1.4 wipes of 45 gsm in a cleaning test, so the apparent 11 percent price increase per tonne becomes a small saving per cleaned square metre. That argument only works if the pack carries the right count, which is a converter decision, not a fabric one.
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.
- 35 gsm spunlace - At 35 gsm a spunlace web is thin enough to see light through and still strong .
- 45 gsm spunlace - 45 gsm is the middle of the wet wipe range: heavy enough to hold a 300 percent.
- 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 50 gsm good for disinfectant wipes?
Yes, it is the practical floor for quat and alcohol loads. Under 50 gsm the web saturates unevenly and dries at the pack top.
What is the difference between 50 and 60 gsm in practice?
About 20 percent more wet strength and a heavier hand. 60 gsm is chosen for industrial and medical wipes rather than household surface wipes.
Can it be made with a textured side only?
Yes, one side textured and one flat is standard for surface wipes; fully textured is possible but reduces the flat contact area on the pack.