Heavyweight vs midweight tees: a GSM comparison

Heavyweight vs midweight tees: a GSM comparison

GSM is grams per square metre. It is the simplest way to compare fabric weights across t-shirt specs, and the single most reliable proxy for whether a tee will still look good after 50 washes. This guide goes through the main weight ranges, what each one actually feels like, and which use case it is suited to.

If you are buying company merch and you do not know where to start on fabric weight, start here.

The GSM ranges for t-shirts

The market splits into four practical bands:

120 to 149gsm: lightweight

This is the fabric weight you find in fast-fashion wholesale tees and most promotional giveaway items below about £8 per unit.

Hold one up and you can see your hand through it. Run your thumb and forefinger along the hem and you can feel that the fabric is two-dimensional. Print quality on lightweight tees is poor because the ink bleeds through to the reverse side, which makes even a well-executed screen print look washed out.

After 15 washes: the neck stretches, the hem waves, the fabric has thinned noticeably.

Suitable for: nothing in the branded merch context where the item is intended to reflect on the brand. Acceptable for single-use event giveaways where cost is the only variable and the item is not expected to be worn more than once or twice.

150 to 179gsm: midweight

This is where the majority of branded tees in the UK market sit. The standard Gildan 64000 runs at 153gsm. The Bella + Canvas 3001 runs at 145gsm. Most "quality" branded tee ranges from mid-tier suppliers are in this band.

It is a functional weight. It does not feel cheap in the hand, but it does not feel considered either. The neck holds reasonably well for 30 washes before showing wear. Print quality is adequate for screen print and DTG.

The reason this weight dominates the market is cost, not quality. The per-unit saving between 155gsm and 185gsm is roughly £1.50 to £3.00 at standard run sizes. For a company ordering 500 units, that is real money. For a company ordering 50 units for a welcome kit, it is not.

Suitable for: event giveaways where cost-per-unit is the primary variable and the item is secondary to the experience (e.g., a fun event tee for a company away day, not a year-round wardrobe piece).

Not suitable for: new hire welcome kits, client gifts, or any item intended to be worn regularly and reflect well on the company.

180 to 219gsm: heavyweight

This is the correct range for company merch that is expected to be worn, washed regularly, and still look good six to twelve months later.

At 180gsm you notice the difference from a midweight immediately. The fabric has mass. It drapes differently on the body. The neck keeps its shape. A screen print on 180gsm cotton reads as a finished garment rather than a promotional item.

Ring-spun cotton at this weight feels softer than open-end spun cotton at the same GSM, because ring-spinning aligns the fibres before twisting. Combed ring-spun (where shorter fibres are removed before spinning) is softer again. Most premium branded tee suppliers use combed ring-spun cotton at 180 to 200gsm.

After 50 washes: the neck holds, the hem is flat, the colour has faded marginally but the fabric structure is intact.

The print-weight interaction at this range: DTG on 180gsm cotton produces clean, vibrant prints because the fabric absorbs the pretreatment evenly and holds the ink without bleed-through. Screen print on 180gsm cotton gives the most durable result in the tee category.

Suitable for: new hire welcome kits, ongoing staff merch programmes, event apparel intended to be kept, any branded tee where you want the item worn for a year or more.

220gsm and above: ultra-heavyweight

Ultra-heavyweight tees (the Gildan Hammer at 200gsm, the Stanley/Stella Creator at 220gsm, bespoke heavyweight cuts at 240 to 260gsm) are workwear-adjacent in feel. They are not uncomfortable; they simply feel more substantial than a standard fashion tee.

This weight is used for construction and outdoor workwear, for branded tees in the hospitality sector, and for premium merch brands where weight is a deliberate positioning signal.

For company merch, ultra-heavyweight is overkill in most contexts. It is the right call for a company whose brand is specifically built around durability (outdoor, trades, agriculture) or for a limited-edition piece where you want the weight to be part of the statement.

Suitable for: workwear contexts, limited-edition premium drops, brands where material weight is a deliberate quality signal.

The use case decision

The test you can do before placing an order

Request a sample before committing to a run. Ask for the specific fabric spec: GSM, fibre type, spinning method. Most reputable UK suppliers will provide a sample within 2 to 3 working days.

When the sample arrives, hold it up to a window. A 180gsm tee in a light colour should be opaque or nearly so; you should not be able to clearly read text through it. Run the fabric between your thumb and forefinger: it should feel dense and smooth, not slippery or papery.

Wash the sample once on a 40 degree cycle and inspect the neck, hem, and print (if there is one). The neck should hold its shape without pulling.

If the supplier will not provide a sample, that is information.

For the GSM equivalent on hoodies and sweatshirts, the heavyweight GSM guide covers the fleece category with the same level of detail. For a full breakdown of how print method interacts with fabric weight, see the embroidery vs screen print vs DTG guide.

The Norma product range lists GSM under every apparel item and uses 180gsm as the minimum floor across the catalogue.