Low GSM vs High GSM blank t-shirts

Blank t-shirts come in various fits, colours and cotton weights measured in grams per square meter or GSM. Often printers are faced with the option of which cotton weight they want to use for screen printing designs. Although a lower GSM with cheaper cotton and poorer stitching quality will cost less, there are numerous advantages of choosing a higher GSM for a blank t-shirt.

Some brands, who mass produce blank t-shirts, don’t necessarily produce them to handle embroidery logo application or traditional screen printing.

With cheaper t-shirts there simply isn’t the physical cotton quality to handle high quality printing finishes or the ability for the t-shirt to remain durable and keep its correct shape or size.

Having a quality t-shirt with a high enough cotton weight is nearly always a practical necessity for printing. Their extra cotton weight and symmetrical true to size fitting makes for a durable, yet more expensive t-shirt.

Although many buyers consider both choices between cheap and expensive t-short, they usually decide on a higher GSM quality construction. Here are our top reasons for making this choice:

Durable blank t-shirts

A lower GSM, poor quality blank t-shirt is susceptible to tearing. However, this may not apply if the t-shirt is very high quality with a blended cotton variant or made from 100% organic cotton.

Nevertheless, lower GSM cotton t-shirts are noticeable thinner and are more likely to be see through. They do have an advantage of being very cool to wear and make a popular choice in the summer time.

But durability isn’t everything when you’re comparing low and high GSM t-shirts. Getting snagged on a branch or playing a physical sport can tear even the most durable t-shirt. When there’s a higher GSM, however, you’re in much better shape to prevent this from happening.

Having a higher GSM also gives you an advantage when you have to customise. With a higher GSM you’ll get high quality custom print finishes.

Performance

If all things were equal, including the stitching, t-shirt size and cotton type, a lower GSM blank t-shirt would be softer and more comfortable to wear. A low GSM t-shirt would normally be softer due to the small sized cotton threads used during the cotton loom manufacturing process.

In real life, many high GSM blank t-shirts greatly exceed a lower GSM when it comes to durability and long-lasting product life.

The difference in weight between low and high GSM when worn is very little in reality (t-shirts in general are light to wear). Yet, the addition cotton weight gives a higher GSM better durable capability.

Less stretching and misshape

The cotton in a higher GSM blank t-shirt is subject to less stress than a lower GSM t-shirt because each strand in a higher GSM is larger and as a result much stronger. At a bare minimum higher GSM cotton blank t-shirts need stronger stitching.

Better maneuverability

A lower GSM shirt is lighter to wear however when it comes to maneuverability cotton weights don’t have a significant impact. A t-shirt’s comfort and maneuverability is also reliant upon its style. The best style for movement is a relaxed cut where the measurements are slightly longer and wider than a regular cut.