Fleece and Flocked Fabric GSM Picker

Most GSM charts stop at “fleece 260 to 320” and leave you to work out what that means for the hoodie you are actually quoting. This picker starts from the garment and the finish, gives you a target weight with the tolerance written in, and converts it into the metres and kilograms you have to put on the purchase order. Flocked constructions are handled as three separate weights, because that is the only way they should be specified.

Fleece and Flocked Fabric GSM Picker

Choose the end use and finish. Results give a target finished GSM, the imperial equivalent, and the order quantity.

End use

Sets the base construction and target weight.

Base construction

Override if the mill has already proposed a construction.

Finish

Brushing and flocking both add weight after the machine.

Intended wear

Shifts the recommendation by one step.

Usable width (cm)

Open width, excluding selvage. 180 cm is a common knit width.

Quantity (metres)

Used for the weight and yardage figures.

Change any field, then press Enter again to recalculate.

Building the target specification

Reading construction and end use
Looking up the base target weight
Adding the brushing or flock finish
Converting to oz/yd2 and grams per metre
Checking roll weight and total kilograms

Press the button to see the figures

Choose an end use to get a target weight.

Target specification

Target finished GSM

— GSM

Imperial equivalent

— oz/yd²

Order weight

— kg

Weight per metre

— g/m

Suggested tolerance

— ±%

Specification line to copy into your tech pack

Item	Value
Construction	—
Finish	—
Target finished GSM	—
Base fabric GSM	—
Flock add-on	—
Tolerance	—
Usable width	—
Test method	—

Figures are a starting specification for quotation. A target GSM is not a guarantee of hand feel — approve a physical swatch before committing to bulk.

All 17 fabric calculators and toolsBack to the tools hub to find the next step in your order.

Fleece and Flocked Weights at a Glance

These are the finished weights we normally propose. The base column matters for flocked constructions, where the finished figure is the sum of base, adhesive and pile.

Construction and finish	Base GSM	Finished GSM	Imperial	Typical use
French terry, unbrushed	200 – 240	200 – 240	5.9 – 7.1	Jogger, sweatshirt, jacket
French terry, peach finished	200 – 240	215 – 260	6.3 – 7.7	Brandy sweatshirt, vintage hand
Two-layer fleece, unbrushed	240 – 280	240 – 280	7.1 – 8.3	Mid-layer, crew sweat
Two-layer fleece, brushed	240 – 280	280 – 330	8.3 – 9.7	Retail hoodie
Three-layer fleece, unbrushed	260 – 300	260 – 300	7.7 – 8.8	Mid-layer, blank body
Three-layer fleece, brushed	260 – 300	320 – 380	9.4 – 11.2	Standard retail hoodie
Three-layer fleece, heavy brush	280 – 320	380 – 440	11.2 – 13.0	Winter hoodie
Sherpa / double brush	260 – 300	400 – 500	11.8 – 14.7	Blanket, winter outer
Single jersey, flocked	180 – 220	300 – 380	8.8 – 11.2	Logo fleece, contrast panel
Three-layer fleece, flocked	300 – 340	420 – 500	12.4 – 14.7	Premium logo hoodie

Why Brushing and Flocking Are Not the Same Thing

Both add weight after the knitting machine, but they behave differently and buyers spec them differently.

Brushing

Brushing raises surface fibre and adds roughly 30 to 60 GSM depending on pile height and the number of passes. It also changes hand feel more than it changes weight, which is why two fleeces of the same finished GSM can feel quite different. Specify the number of passes, not just “brushed”.

Flocking

Flocking adds adhesive plus fibre, and the add-on is much larger and less predictable. A typical flock add-on is 90 to 150 GSM depending on pile length and fibre. The three figures that must appear in the specification are:

Base fabric GSM — the greige or finished weight before flocking. This is what the knitter controls.
Flock add-on — the weight contributed by adhesive and fibre. This depends on the flock supplier and pile specification.
Finished GSM — the sum, measured after curing and brushing. This is the only figure a cutting room should receive.

Quoting a single number for flocked fabric is the most common specification error we see, and it is almost always discovered after the fabric is already cut.

Converting the Recommendation Into an Order

A GSM figure on its own cannot be ordered. Purchasing happens in metres and kilograms, so the picker converts for you using the standard chain:

Weight per linear metre (g/m) = GSM × usable width in metres. A 350 GSM fleece at 1.80 m width weighs 630 g per running metre.
Order weight (kg) = g/m × length in metres ÷ 1000. Five hundred metres of that fleece is about 315 kg.
Imperial equivalent (oz/yd²) = GSM ÷ 33.9057, for buyers who quote in the US convention.

Order weight feeds straight into freight. 315 kg of fleece moves as a pallet, whereas 3,000 kg moves as a container, and the mode changes the landed cost per metre substantially. Estimate it before you commit, not after.

Choosing a Tolerance

Suggested tolerance depends on how tightly you can hold the construction. As a rule:

Construction	Standard tolerance	Tight tolerance possible	Comment
Single jersey, open construction	± 5%	± 3%	Achievable with controlled yarn lot, gauge and stitch length
Two-layer fleece	± 5%	± 4%	Two layers magnify any variation between the two
Three-layer fleece	± 5%	± 4%	Base and back can drift apart; check both
Brushed fleece	± 7%	± 5%	Brush pressure varies along the roll
Flocked	± 8%	± 5%	Flock add-on is the least controllable part of the build
Rib and trim	± 5%	± 3%	Usually knit to a tighter internal spec

Tight tolerances cost money and are not always worth buying. Judge a supplier more on whether they hit the same number on every roll than on whether one roll came in exactly on target.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much GSM for a hoodie?

300 to 420 GSM covers the range across most climates. Around 300 to 320 is a mid-season layer, 340 to 380 is the standard retail hoodie, and above 400 is winter weight. Match it to your market rather than to a single default.

What is the difference between brushed fleece and unbrushed fleece?

Unbrushed fleece is the two or three-layer construction as knitted. Brushed fleece has surface fibre raised by rollers, which adds 30 to 60 GSM and changes the hand substantially. Specify the number of brush passes, because “brushed” on its own is not a comparable description.

How is flocked fabric GSM calculated?

Finished GSM equals base fabric GSM plus the flock add-on, which is adhesive plus fibre. A 200 GSM jersey with a typical flock add-on of 130 GSM finishes around 330 GSM. Always state all three figures separately in the specification.

Is a 400 GSM fleece warmer than a 300 GSM one?

Not necessarily. Warmth comes from loft — the air trapped in the fabric structure — rather than from weight alone. A 300 GSM three-layer with high loft can insulate better than a 400 GSM single-layer. If warmth is the deciding requirement, ask for a thermal resistance figure rather than relying on GSM.

Does GSM affect cost?

Directly. Heavier fabric uses more fibre per metre, so price rises with GSM at a fairly predictable rate, and this is why dropping from 350 to 300 GSM is the fastest way to reduce unit price. Below about 150 GSM in cotton jersey, light colours start to show through, so cutting GSM has a practical floor.

Should I specify greige or finished GSM for fleece?

Finished GSM. Greige describes fabric before washing, dyeing and finishing, and it is only meaningful inside the mill. If a spec sheet offers greige, the fabric has not been through finishing yet. Use the fabric GSM calculator to convert a swatch you are holding.

Want the full range for other constructions? The fabric GSM chart covers knits, wovens, denim and upholstery, and filters by end use.

Planning the order quantity? The fabric MOQ and order quantity estimator converts a target weight and quantity into the metres and kilograms to put on the purchase order, and shows the minimum run for that construction.