GSM stands for grams per square metre. It is the weight of one square metre of a fabric, and it is the single most honest number you can put on a piece of clothing. A higher GSM means more cotton in the same area, which means a heavier, denser, longer-lasting garment. It is the number Phrase Studios designs around before anything else.
From the studio. “We start every piece with the weight. Decide the GSM, then design the garment to carry it. Most brands do it the other way around and the weight is whatever is cheapest to land the price. We treat it as the first decision, not the last.”
What the numbers mean
For cotton jersey and fleece, the rough ranges are: under 180 GSM is lightweight, the weight of a cheap promotional tee that goes thin after a few washes. 180 to 280 GSM is the midweight zone most high-street tees and hoodies sit in. 280 to 350 GSM is heavyweight, where a tee feels structured and a hoodie feels substantial. Above 350 GSM is the premium heavyweight zone, rare on the high street because the cotton cost is real. Phrase's heavyweight pieces sit at the top of this range.
“There is no trick to GSM. You cannot fake weight. A 400 GSM piece has roughly twice the cotton of a 200 GSM piece in the same area. You feel it in the hand and you feel it in the third year of wearing it.”
The Resurge example
The clearest example in the catalogue is the Resurge Jean at 420 GSM cotton. That weight is what lets the jean be distressed and hand-patched without falling apart, and it is why the piece reads as built rather than bought. A lighter denim could not survive the same finishing.
Why weight is not the whole story
GSM tells you how much cotton is there, not how good the cotton is. A heavy fabric made from short, cheap fibres will still pill and lose shape. Weight has to sit alongside fibre quality, the tightness of the knit or weave, and the construction. But of all the numbers a brand could show you, GSM is the hardest to fake, which is exactly why most brands do not print it. Phrase does.
For a deeper look at how a heavyweight fabric behaves over years of wear, read how raw denim ages. To see how the studio's weight choices play out piece by piece, the full catalogue lists GSM where it matters.
FAQ
What does GSM mean in clothing?
GSM stands for grams per square metre, the weight of one square metre of a fabric. A higher GSM means more cotton in the same area, so a heavier, denser, longer-lasting garment.
What is a good GSM for a hoodie or tee?
Most high-street tees and hoodies sit at 180 to 280 GSM. Heavyweight starts around 280 to 350 GSM, and premium heavyweight is above 350 GSM, where the cotton cost is real and the piece feels structured.
Is a higher GSM always better?
Not on its own. GSM tells you how much cotton is there, not how good it is. Weight has to sit alongside fibre quality, knit or weave tightness, and construction, but it is the hardest number to fake.