Blanket Weight and GSM

GSM measures grams per square metre. It is the closest thing the textile trade has to an honest number, and the fastest way to compare two blankets that photograph identically.

The scale

Below 200 g/m², a throw is decorative. It lifts, slides, and reads as fabric rather than object.

Between 200 and 250 g/m², the cloth covers but carries no presence.

Between 250 and 350 g/m², a throw holds a fold, stays where it is placed, and still breathes.

Above 350 g/m², weight arrives at the cost of airflow. The cloth becomes warm in one direction only.

Why 300 g/m²

Ingi Studio weaves the Monolith at 300 g/m². At that density the waffle cells stay open enough to move air, and the cloth develops enough hand to hold a sculptural fold. The finished piece weighs 1.5 kg. The studio calls this the Magic Weight — the precise mass at which a textile begins to feel like architecture.

GSM is not the whole number

Weight without structure is only bulk. A flat weave at 300 g/m² insulates in one direction. A waffle weave at the same density builds depth into the cloth itself, holding roughly twelve thousand pockets of still air. Density and geometry have to be read together.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does GSM mean on a blanket?

Grams per square metre. It measures the density of the cloth and is the most direct way to compare two blankets of the same size.

What is a good GSM for a throw blanket?

250 to 350 g/m². Below that a throw reads as decorative. Above it, breathability is lost.

Is 300 GSM heavy for a blanket?

300 g/m² is substantial without being dense. A 200 × 230 cm piece at that density weighs 1.5 kg.

Does higher GSM mean warmer?

Not reliably. Structure matters as much as density. A waffle weave traps air in open cells, so it holds warmth at a lower weight than a flat weave.