Pick GSM by how the fabric has to behave, then pick the width your cutting plan needs. As a working guide for linen: roughly 130–160 gsm for shirting and blouses, 160–230 gsm for dresses, trousers and light outerwear, 230–330 gsm for structured garments and light upholstery, and heavier constructions again for furniture and contract interiors. Width is a separate decision — it should match your marker so you waste as little as possible.
GSM: what the number means for linen
GSM (grams per square metre) is the weight of the fabric. On linen it tracks construction more than fibre: heavier usually means a thicker yarn, a denser sett, or both — which gives more body, more opacity and more durability, and less drape.
- Lightweight (around 130–160 gsm) — shirting, blouses, summer dresses, table linen.
- Midweight (around 160–230 gsm) — dresses, trousers, skirts, cushions, light jackets.
- Heavyweight (around 230–330 gsm) — structured outerwear, bags, heavier home textile, light upholstery.
- Upholstery (330 gsm and up) — seating and contract interiors, where abrasion resistance matters more than drape.
For reference, the fabrics in our own catalogue span about 106 to 330 gsm, from lightweight shirting through to heavy upholstery-weight constructions.
Width: match your marker
Width is the specification buyers most often leave until last, and it is the one that decides how much fabric you actually consume. Bring us your marker — the layout of your pattern pieces — and we can tell you which width wastes the least. The most common linen widths on the market sit in the region of 137–145 cm, so a difference of a few centimetres across thousands of metres is a real cost.
How the two are linked
GSM and width are joined at the loom. Very wide fabric at a heavy weight is harder to hold even, which is why the widest, heaviest linens are less common and cost more. If you need a wide width at a heavy weight, expect fewer options and a longer development.
Choosing with us
Tell us the end product, the target weight, the width and the quantity, and we will suggest the closest construction in our range — or develop a custom one. Our 100% linen, blend, upholstery and home-textile collections cover the weights above, and custom constructions can be developed for wholesale programmes.