What Does Hoodie GSM Mean? French Terry, Fleece and Fabric Weight

GSM measures a fixed area of fabric

A 400 GSM fabric weighs about 400 grams per square metre. Finished weight also depends on the pattern, size, hood, pockets, ribbing and zip. A longer or roomier hoodie can use more fabric even when its GSM is lower.

Fabric weight can also use ounces per square yard. One oz/yd² is approximately 33.9 g/m², so 12 oz/yd² is about 407 GSM. This applies only to area-based fabric weight, not a whole garment weighed in ounces.

Record garment weight and fabric GSM in different columns. A warehouse item weight or package measurement cannot reveal how much one square metre of the main fabric weighs.

Look inside to distinguish terry from brushed fleece

French terry

The inside has small yarn loops. You may also see it called loopback. It comes in different yarns, blends and weights, including heavier fabrics.

Brushed-back sweatshirt fleece

The back loops are brushed into a fuzzy surface. Its structure contributes to touch and warmth alongside the other material choices.

Polar fleece

A different fabric description from cotton or cotton-blend sweatshirt fleece. Check the fibre content and construction.

The outside of terry and brushed-back sweatshirts can look similarly smooth. A front photograph leaves the back surface unseen. An inside view or clear fabric description is more useful for identifying it.

“Fleece” can also appear in brand-specific names. AS Colour lists cotton terry, cotton fleece and cotton/poly fleece separately, while describing Active Fleece as smooth on both sides. Read the particular material rather than applying one name as a shared standard.

Read composition beside the inside construction

The fibre label and the inner surface answer different questions. Cotton content describes composition; loopback or brushing describes the structure or finishing you can see inside. A cotton-rich sweatshirt can therefore be terry or brushed fleece.

Check which part a composition statement describes. The body, hood lining and ribbing can use different materials. A single percentage without that context may leave the cuffs or lining unexplained.

An inside photograph helps you recognise loops or a brushed surface, while a clear specification is needed for fibre percentages and GSM. A smooth outer face, familiar brand name or substantial-looking hood cannot supply those missing figures.

A decorated sweatshirt adds another surface to consider. Our explanation of printing methods and embroidery separates the graphic’s coverage and texture from the fabric underneath.

Why fabrics with the same GSM can hang differently

Equal weight does not fix yarn size, loop length, density, stretch or finishing. One fabric may form soft folds while another supports a structured silhouette. Those behaviours affect the body, sleeves and hood.

Washing and finishing can change feel. Compare those descriptions alongside construction and finished weight. Higher GSM alone cannot establish superior softness, durability or quality.

Compare reasonably similar conditions

Imagine a 400 GSM terry hoodie with a cropped roomy cut and a 320 GSM brushed-fleece hoodie with a longer regular cut. The first has heavier fabric per unit area. Those facts do not determine which finished item weighs more or suits your routine.

For warmth, compare similar shapes and account for inside construction and layers underneath. For a boxy silhouette, cut and drape matter. Under a jacket, bulky sleeves and a double hood may matter more than a small GSM difference.

Letter sizes are not a controlled comparison. Use measurements taken the same way and compare with a hoodie you wear. An S/M/L list confirms offered labels, not chest width or a personal fit recommendation.

Choose around silhouette and layering

For a boxy shape, look at body length, chest width and how the fabric folds at the hem. For wearing under a jacket, check sleeve room and hood bulk. GSM helps describe the cloth, but those construction details determine how it occupies the space you want to wear it in.

In the hoodie collection, identify the cut and inside construction first, then use a stated GSM as supporting information. Where no GSM is supplied, keep it unknown rather than calculating it from a shipping weight.

Finish with the care label. Shrinkage and pilling depend on more than fabric weight, and a substantial first impression does not promise permanent dimensions. Choose a garment whose shape, surface and care requirements fit your routine.