Fabric Weight – What does that Mean??

Hello In Stitches family! I know you couldn’t wait for this post! Last week, we talked about the different kinds of fabric, but this week, let’s talk about weight! And not the kind you’re thinking. Fabric weight and what that means for you! Let your local embroidery shop help you know what kind of shirt to get next time!

But before we get into that, let’s have a little quiz, shall we?

Don’t worry if you don’t know! We didn’t know the answers either!

Which of these is a unit of measuring weight?

Buddam • Candy • Corgee • Keel

The answer? All of them! 

Did you know any of the answers? I know we didn’t but you can find anything on the internet!

Now to get down to what we are here for. The weight of fabric. Fabric is measured in ounces. So for us in the biz, we know that the most popular fabric weight for t-shirts is between 3.5 and 4.5 ounces.

So, what does that mean to people who aren’t in the biz? Let me tell you!

A lightweight fabric is defined as one that is one that is between 0.3 and 5 ounces in weight. Think of linen pants or silk. They are lightweight fabrics.

Medium weight fabrics are between 5.29 and 12 oz. Polyester is probably the best example of a medium weight fabric.

Heavy weight fabrics are anything above 12.34 ounces. Denim, canvas, you get the picture.

So when you’re ordering something from us, we’ll ask you what weight you’d like. Let’s look at the most popular weights and what we can compare them to.

For t-shirts, our most popular weight is between 3.5 and 4.5 oz. As you now know, that’s a lightweight t-shirt. Woven shirts are a similar weight as well. Perfect for summer and layering! 

For polos, it’s a similar weight that people like but a close second is 4.5 to 5.5 oz meaning a lot of people like medium weight polos.

Fleece and sweatshirts are well into the medium weight measurement at 8 – 10 oz being our most popular. They keep you warm without being too heavy.

Now when you want a jacket, you want it to be a heavy weight fabric. It stands up well to the elements and keeps you warm!

So, there you have it! The post you’ve been waiting for! (Or should I say ‘weighting for’!) We love to pass along our knowledge to you, our customers, so you can be happy with the final product you get!

If you ever need a refresher course on fabric types and weights, don’t hesitate to send us a message! We love talking shop with our customers!

REFERENCES:

Obsolete Units of Measurement

What is Fabric Weight

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