GSM & Thread Count Reference Guide

Fabric weight and construction ranges by product application

Print-friendly reference tables for the fabric weights and constructions used across apparel and home textiles. GSM = grams per square metre, measured on finished relaxed fabric with a 100 cm² cutter. TC (thread count) = ends + picks per square inch.

Apparel — GSM by Product

Product	Light	Retail standard	Heavy / premium
T-shirt (single jersey)	120–150	160–180	190–240
Polo (pique)	170–190	200–220	230–260
Henley / long-sleeve	150–170	180–200	210–240
Hoodie / sweatshirt (fleece, terry)	240–280	300–360	380–450+
Joggers / sweatpants	240–280	300–340	360–400
Woven shirt (poplin/oxford)	90–110	115–135	140–160
Chino / twill trouser	180–220	230–280	290–340
Denim	8–10 oz	11–13 oz	14 oz+
Workwear (canvas/twill)	240–280	300–360	380–430

Home Textiles — GSM by Product

Product	Economy	Retail standard	Premium / hotel
Bath towel (terry)	350–420	450–550	600–700
Hand / guest towel	350–420	450–550	550–650
Beach towel (velour)	300–350	380–420	450–500
Bathrobe (terry/waffle)	280–350	380–420	450–500
Bath mat	700–900	1000–1200	1300–1500
Kitchen towel (waffle/terry)	150–180	200–250	260–300
Bar mop	380–450	480–550	560–620
Fleece blanket	180–220	240–280	300–350
Cellular blanket (cotton)	150–200	220–260	280–320

Bed Linen — Thread Count

Grade	Thread count	Construction notes
Institutional / hospitality	T-180 – T-200	Percale, often 50/50 poly-cotton for laundry durability
Retail standard	T-200 – T-300	100% cotton percale (crisp) or sateen (smooth)
Premium retail	T-300 – T-600	Combed or compact cotton, sateen weave dominant
Luxury	T-600+	Verify single-ply vs multi-ply counting; compare GSM and yarn fineness

Verification Methods

GSM: punch a 100 cm² circle with a GSM cutter, weigh in grams, multiply by 100. Tolerance standard: ±5% on finished fabric.
Thread count: count ends and picks per inch with a pick glass; TC = EPI + PPI. Confirm the counting basis (per-ply counting inflates TC).
Denim weight: quoted in oz/yd²; multiply by 33.9 to convert to GSM.

These bands reflect common trade practice for export production from Pakistan; individual buyer specifications always take precedence.

Disclaimer: This document is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal, customs or compliance advice. Figures reflect common trade practice and are indicative — always verify against your buyer specification, applicable regulations and your destination market.