Sooner or later everyone selling apparel needs this number, for postage pricing, freight quotes, or a customs form. Most published answers are guesses. We weigh garments all day, so these are real figures, plus the short method for estimating any garment yourself.
T-shirt weights by GSM and size
| Fabric | Size M | Size L | Size XL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160 gsm lightweight | ~135 g | ~150 g | ~165 g |
| 180 gsm standard | ~155 g | ~172 g | ~190 g |
| 210 gsm midweight | ~180 g | ~200 g | ~222 g |
| 240 gsm heavyweight | ~205 g | ~230 g | ~255 g |
These are knitted-cotton crew-neck figures; polos run 30–60 g heavier at equal GSM (collar, placket, buttons), and each size step changes weight by roughly 10%. For e-commerce postage, add 15–30 g per unit for polybag, tags, and labels, and weigh one real packed unit before you print rate cards.
The estimation method (works for any garment)
Weight ≈ GSM × fabric area. An adult tee consumes ~0.9–1.1 m² of fabric; a long-sleeve ~1.2–1.4 m²; a hoodie 1.8–2.2 m². So a 320 gsm size-L hoodie ≈ 320 × 1.9 ≈ 610 g, which matches the scale. This is also how to sanity-check a supplier: a “240 gsm heavyweight tee” weighing 160 g isn’t 240 gsm. GSM itself, explained here.
Why weight matters more than buyers expect
- Sea freight is volumetric as much as weight-based, carton dimensions and counts drive cost. A 40ft container holds roughly 25,000–30,000 standard tees packed in cartons.
- Air freight bills by kg: the difference between a 180 gsm and 240 gsm programme is ~30% more air cost.
- Customs declarations state net and gross weights, figures that must match reality, since discrepancies trigger inspections.
Planning a shipment? How freight from Nepal works — or send your styles and quantities and we’ll give you packed weights, carton plans, and a landed quote.