How Much Does A T Shirt Weigh? T-Shirt Weights Explained

T Shirt weights are kind of important, but what is considered a 'good weight' and what is not.

We're going to explain T Shirt weights, with everything you need to know in an easy to read way right here.

T Shirt Weight Explained

What Does GSM Mean?

In the UK and Europe, T Shirts are weighed in grams per square metre, or gsm for short. GSM means grams per square metre.

In the U.S. Ounces are used, or oz for short.

You'll see a number followed by the letters gsm, for example 200gsm. That means the T Shirt weighs 200 grams per square metre.

This of course is not the weight of that particular T Shirt. Why? Because of sizing.

Here's an example. You can get a small T Shirt or a XXXL T Shirt, both could be 200gsm, however since the XXXL is a much larger T Shirt using far more fabric, it will weigh more than the small.

What Is A Good T Shirt Weight?

There isn't one single answer to the question what is a good weight for a T Shirt. It depends on a number of things, but mostly comes down to personal preference.

A good weight for a light summer T-shirt is 140g - 160g. These will be light and easy to wear.

For an overall everyday T-shirt, 160g - 185g are good weight categories. These are medium to heavy weight and will be a good weight.

A lot of people prefer a lighter t shirt, which might be finer to touch. They're good for the summer, if it's a hot day you might prefer this.

Others might prefer a heavier T Shirt. These tend to be thicker and more robust. These can be often worn all year round, on their own when it's warm, and part of a layered outfit in the cooler months.

Then there's everything in the middle, we'll call these mid weight t shirts. As the name suggests, they're thicker than a lightweight tee, but lighter than the heavyweights.

Breakdown Of T Shirt Weights

What is considered light, mid and heavy weight? You can consider the following weights to determine whether the shirt is a light, mid or heavyweight tee.

Lightweight T Shirt - Less Than 160gsm

Midweight - 160gsm to 190gsm

Heavyweight - Over 190gsm

Anything under 160gsm can be thought of as lightweight. You'll find some finer shirts come in at 140gsm, and they'd be pretty light.

Anything between 160 - 190gsm could be considered mid weight. If you get one of our men's slogan t-shirts at Jesmundo, this is what we use. They're around 180gsm, depending on the colour.

When you get over 190gsm, you're into the heavyweight territory. These tees are a lot thicker and heavier.

You'll definitely be able to tell the difference wearing two T Shirts at each end of the spectrum, with those in the middle being harder to distinguish.

What Is The Best T Shirt Weight?

There's a common misconception that the heavier the t shirt, the better quality it is. This is not true.

Although most T Shirts are the same, they don't always have the same purpose. As already mentioned, lighter T Shirts could be better in the summer than a heavy one.

T-Shirt Materials Are Important When Judging Quality

Another important factor is the T-shirt material, and the construction. You can get a super soft and smooth lightweight tee which will feel incredible, and a heavy t shirt which feels rough. 

There's a few different types of t-shirt fabrics used throughout the industry, for a variety of different reasons.

When it comes to the quality of the t-shirt, there's more things to be considered than just the weight.

Verdict: How Much Does A T Shirt Weigh?

And there you have it, everything you need to know about T Shirt weights explained in an easy way.

All you have to do now is think about what your favourite weight of T Shirt is, and wear that!