Fabric GSM (Grams per Square Meter) is a measure of the weight of the fabric per unit area. It indicates the density or thickness of the fabric. The higher the GSM, the denser and heavier the fabric is, and the lower the GSM, the lighter and thinner the fabric is.
The calculation of fabric GSM varies for woven and knit fabrics.
For Woven Fabrics: To calculate the GSM of a woven fabric, you need to weigh a sample of fabric with a known area. For example, if you have a sample of fabric that measures 10 cm x 10 cm, the area of the fabric is 100 square centimeters. To determine the weight of the fabric, you can use a digital scale that measures in grams. Once you have the weight of the fabric, you can use the following formula to calculate the GSM:
GSM = (Weight of Fabric in Grams ÷ Area of Fabric in Square Meters) x 100
For example, if you have a fabric sample that weighs 20 grams and has an area of 0.1 square meters, the GSM of the fabric would be:
GSM = (20 ÷ 0.1) x 100 GSM = 200
The fabric has a GSM of 200.
For Knit Fabrics: Calculating the GSM of a knit fabric is a little different from a woven fabric. It involves counting the number of stitches and rows in a given area and using those numbers to calculate the weight of the fabric. The formula for calculating the GSM of a knit fabric is as follows:
GSM = ((Wales x Courses x Length of Fabric) ÷ 10000) x Fabric Weight in Grams
Where:
Wales: the number of stitches per inch along the width of the fabric.
Courses: the number of rows per inch along the length of the fabric.
Length of Fabric: the length of the fabric in inches.
Fabric Weight: the weight of the fabric in grams.
For example, let's say you have a knit fabric that is 60 inches wide and 100 inches long. You count 20 wales and 30 courses in a 4 inch x 4 inch sample. The weight of the sample is 10 grams. Using the above formula, the GSM of the fabric would be:
GSM = ((20 x 30 x 100) ÷ 10000) x 10 GSM = 60
The fabric has a GSM of 60.
In summary, the fabric GSM is a measure of the weight of the fabric per unit area, and it is used to determine the density or thickness of the fabric. The calculation of GSM for woven fabrics involves weighing a sample of fabric with a known area, while the calculation for knit fabrics involves counting the number of stitches and rows in a given area and using those numbers to calculate the weight of the fabric.
@Textile_Engineering