If you work with streetwear, you already know this: not all cotton is created equal. Two tees can look similar on a rack, yet feel completely different once someone picks them up.
Hoodies can look identical online but arrive with totally different structure, warmth and weight.
That difference doesn't come from luck, “fit tricks,” or printing techniques. It comes from GSM.
GSM — grams per square meter — is one of the most important numbers in garment construction. It determines how a fabric behaves, how it drapes, and whether a piece feels premium or generic the second a customer touches it.
And in modern streetwear, two weights stand out above the rest: 300gsm t-shirts and 480gsm hoodies. These are the pieces that instantly communicate intention, craftsmanship and a higher standard of quality.
They’re also the weights we work with at René Bassett because they help emerging brands position themselves above the basics and compete with premium labels.
This guide breaks down why GSM matters, how different weights behave, and how to use GSM strategically when designing your collection.
What Is GSM and Why Does It Matters?
GSM stands for grams per square meter. The higher the number, the more cotton exists in each square meter of fabric. More cotton doesn’t automatically mean better, but in streetwear, weight plays a direct role in how “premium” a garment feels.
Low GSM fabrics are lighter, thinner and cheaper to produce. They’re common in fast fashion because they reduce cost and feel “easy,” but they collapse quickly, lose shape and rarely survive heavy use.
High GSM fabrics create the opposite experience. They have presence and structure. They drape with intention. They hold shape wash after wash. When built well, they deliver that unmistakable “this is quality” moment the instant someone picks up the piece.
GSM influences:
-
Drape — how the fabric falls on the body.
-
Texture and hand-feel — smoothness, density, softness.
-
Warmth — especially relevant in hoodies.
-
Durability — how well the fabric resists twisting, shrinking and stretching.
-
Perceived value — customers associate weight with quality.
It’s not about being heavy for the sake of it. It’s about being heavy in the right way, with the right construction, for the right garment.
That’s why 300gsm tees and 480gsm hoodies have become the hallmark of premium streetwear.
300gsm T-Shirts: Who They’re For and How They Feel
A 300gsm t-shirt is nothing like a standard tee. It doesn’t cling, it doesn’t collapse, and it doesn’t feel disposable. Instead, it introduces structure and stability into a category normally dominated by thin, low-cost fabrics.
How 300gsm changes the experience
A heavyweight tee behaves differently from the moment someone picks it up. There’s density in the cotton. The shoulders feel reinforced. The fabric hangs in a clean vertical line instead of twisting or gripping the body.
This weight is ideal for:
-
Streetwear fits where silhouette matters.
-
Brands that want tees to feel intentional, not basic.
-
Customers who expect a premium feel.
-
Collections built around layering.
300gsm tees also benefit from a smoother, flatter surface. That surface helps printing techniques perform better with sharper edges, richer colors and improved durability.
Screen printing, DTF and DTG all sit more confidently on heavyweight jerseys because the fabric supports the ink instead of stretching under it.
Why the customer feels the difference instantly
People might not know what GSM means, but they recognize quality in seconds. When someone touches a 300gsm tee, they understand the brand’s positioning immediately.
It signals that you take construction seriously. It also just feels good — substantial but not stiff, structured but still comfortable.
This is why 300gsm has become the sweet spot for premium tees. It delivers authenticity and intention without compromising wearability.
480gsm Hoodies: When Heavyweight Turns into a Statement Piece?
If 300gsm tees create structure, 480gsm hoodies create identity. These hoodies aren’t meant to simply keep someone warm. They’re designed to make a statement the moment someone puts them on.
A 480gsm hoodie is dense, sculptural and remarkably comfortable for its weight. And when made with 100 percent cotton french terry — like the hoodies we produce at René Bassett — the fabric combines luxury with durability in a way blends can’t replicate.
How 480gsm feels and performs
The weight isn’t there to make the garment bulky. Instead, it adds presence.
480gsm hoodies:
-
Hold their shape in a way lighter fleece never does
-
Keep the hood structured instead of collapsing
-
Stack naturally on the sleeves and create volume
-
Deliver warmth without overheating
-
Look elevated in any setting
This is why so many high-end streetwear brands choose heavyweight french terry. It creates a hoodie that looks and feels premium from every angle.
Why do customers see this as “the premium hoodie”?
Between silhouette, warmth, longevity and hand-feel, 480gsm offers the full package. It’s the type of hoodie people buy once and wear for years. And it sets your brand apart from competitors using lighter, cheaper materials.
When someone tries a 480gsm hoodie for the first time, they know immediately that it’s not standard fleece. It’s a crafted piece — and customers reward that with loyalty and higher willingness to pay.
480gsm Hoodies: When Heavyweight Turns into a Statement Piece
A 480gsm hoodie doesn’t just feel different. It looks different the moment someone picks it up. In modern streetwear, weight has become a language. A lightweight hoodie feels casual; a true heavyweight hoodie communicates intention right away.
At 480gsm, cotton gains presence. The fabric becomes more structured, keeps its shape and gives the silhouette that sharp, sculpted look that premium hoodies are known for.
Instead of collapsing or stretching out with wear, a 480gsm french terry hoodie stands where it should: the hood stays upright, the shoulders keep their line and the sleeves stack with clean volume.
The hand-feel also plays a major role. Heavyweight cotton has depth. It feels substantial and confident without being stiff or uncomfortable. Because it’s still 100% cotton, breathability remains.
That balance — density with airflow — is exactly why this weight class is used by brands that want their hoodies to feel elevated, not bulky.
It also performs better visually. On-body, a 480gsm hoodie photographs beautifully. The fabric falls in intentional lines, making even a minimal design look thoughtfully engineered.
For brands building hero pieces and premium collections, this weight becomes an asset that communicates value before a customer even reads the product description.
400gsm vs 480gsm: Is There a Real Difference in Hand-Feel?
If you’ve spent time comparing hoodies on the market, you’ve seen both numbers: 400gsm and 480gsm. They aren’t interchangeable. The difference is noticeable right away, and for customers shopping in the premium category, these details matter.
A 400gsm hoodie already sits above the everyday standard. It feels heavier, warmer and more structured than typical mass-market fleece. But at 480gsm, the experience steps up.
The fabric feels denser, the silhouette becomes more defined and the hoodie gains that signature “luxury weight” that high-end streetwear is built on.
Think of it as moving from “heavy” to “intentional.”
400gsm is substantial.
480gsm is a choice.
Hand-feel is where the distinction becomes clearest. A 480gsm hoodie feels richer, deeper in texture, cleaner when worn and more stable over time. This extra weight helps the garment hold its shape for longer, resisting the stretching and collapsing that happens with lighter materials.
That said, both weights have their place. A 400gsm hoodie works well for transitional climates, active wear or streetwear brands that want weight without committing to the full premium tier.
But if your goal is to create a flagship piece, something that anchors your collection, 480gsm is the level that delivers a premium emotional reaction the moment someone tries it on.
How to Build a Collection Around GSM (Tees × Hoodies)
Once you understand GSM, building a cohesive line becomes far easier. Weight influences identity, silhouette, seasonality and price perception, and deciding intentionally creates a better story for your brand.
A strong streetwear collection usually starts with two anchors:
1. A premium tee around 300gsm
This becomes your everyday essential. The tee that customers reach for repeatedly.
It sets the tone for your brand’s standard of quality.
2. A heavyweight hoodie around 480gsm
This becomes your hero product.
The piece that communicates depth, structure and premium intention.
From these anchors, you can scale the collection strategically.
T-Shirts
A 300gsm base tee establishes consistency across cuts — oversized, boxy or classic. Because the fabric holds shape well, it supports graphics, embroidery and garment dyeing without distorting the silhouette.
You can build seasonal colours, capsule drops or limited editions on this same GSM foundation without changing the fit experience customers expect.
Hoodies
480gsm sets the upper tier of your line. This weight becomes the benchmark for premium hoodies and crewnecks. It works especially well for minimal branding, where the fabric and construction carry the visual identity.
For colder seasons or premium capsules, this weight supports elevated treatments: custom
Consistency Matters
When your tees and hoodies follow a clear GSM logic, your brand feels more cohesive. Customers understand the hierarchy intuitively: the t-shirt is weighty and substantial; the hoodie is serious and premium. This creates trust, so they know what to expect when they buy your blanks.
Why GSM Helps Pricing Strategy
Higher GSM also supports premium pricing. Not because of the number itself, but because of the physical experience that number creates.
When someone tries on a 300gsm tee, they feel the quality immediately. When they lift a 480gsm hoodie, they understand the value without needing further explanation.
This sensory reaction lets your brand charge confidently and consistently, anchoring your collection in premium territory.
FAQ GSM
What does GSM actually measure in clothing?
GSM measures “grams per square meter,” which tells you how dense and substantial a fabric is. Higher GSM usually means more structure, durability and a more premium feel.
Is a 300gsm t-shirt too heavy for everyday wear?
Not at all. A well-constructed 300gsm t-shirt feels structured without being uncomfortable. It’s ideal for brands that want a more elevated, intentional silhouette.
Why are 480gsm hoodies considered premium?
A 480gsm hoodie offers significant weight, shape retention and a sculpted fit. It feels expensive the moment you pick it up, which directly influences perceived brand value.
Is there a real difference between 400gsm and 480gsm hoodies?
Yes. 400gsm is solid and mid-heavy, but 480gsm enters true heavyweight territory, delivering more structure, density and visual impact.
Does higher GSM always mean better quality?
Not necessarily. GSM affects weight and feel, but construction, yarn quality and knit type matter just as much. Premium pieces balance all three.
What GSM should I choose for a new streetwear brand?
300gsm for tees and 480gsm for hoodies are strong starting points if your goal is a premium lineup with elevated silhouettes and long-term durability.
Why does heavyweight cotton work so well for print and embroidery?
Dense fabrics offer smoother surfaces and stronger stability, which keeps prints sharp and embroidery clean without fabric distortion.
Are heavyweight blanks more durable over time?
Generally, yes. Heavyweight cotton resists twisting, stretching and thinning, helping pieces keep their shape after repeated wear and washing.
GSM in Streetwear: Why 300gsm T-Shirts and 480gsm Hoodies Feel Truly Premium
If you work with streetwear, you already know this: not all cotton is created equal. Two tees can look similar on a rack, yet feel completely different once someone picks them up.
Hoodies can look identical online but arrive with totally different structure, warmth and weight.
That difference doesn't come from luck, “fit tricks,” or printing techniques. It comes from GSM.
GSM — grams per square meter — is one of the most important numbers in garment construction. It determines how a fabric behaves, how it drapes, and whether a piece feels premium or generic the second a customer touches it.
And in modern streetwear, two weights stand out above the rest: 300gsm t-shirts and 480gsm hoodies. These are the pieces that instantly communicate intention, craftsmanship and a higher standard of quality.
They’re also the weights we work with at René Bassett because they help emerging brands position themselves above the basics and compete with premium labels.
This guide breaks down why GSM matters, how different weights behave, and how to use GSM strategically when designing your collection.
What Is GSM and Why Does It Matters?
GSM stands for grams per square meter. The higher the number, the more cotton exists in each square meter of fabric. More cotton doesn’t automatically mean better, but in streetwear, weight plays a direct role in how “premium” a garment feels.
Low GSM fabrics are lighter, thinner and cheaper to produce. They’re common in fast fashion because they reduce cost and feel “easy,” but they collapse quickly, lose shape and rarely survive heavy use.
High GSM fabrics create the opposite experience. They have presence and structure. They drape with intention. They hold shape wash after wash. When built well, they deliver that unmistakable “this is quality” moment the instant someone picks up the piece.
GSM influences:
Drape — how the fabric falls on the body.
Texture and hand-feel — smoothness, density, softness.
Warmth — especially relevant in hoodies.
Durability — how well the fabric resists twisting, shrinking and stretching.
Perceived value — customers associate weight with quality.
It’s not about being heavy for the sake of it. It’s about being heavy in the right way, with the right construction, for the right garment.
That’s why 300gsm tees and 480gsm hoodies have become the hallmark of premium streetwear.
300gsm T-Shirts: Who They’re For and How They Feel
A 300gsm t-shirt is nothing like a standard tee. It doesn’t cling, it doesn’t collapse, and it doesn’t feel disposable. Instead, it introduces structure and stability into a category normally dominated by thin, low-cost fabrics.
How 300gsm changes the experience
A heavyweight tee behaves differently from the moment someone picks it up. There’s density in the cotton. The shoulders feel reinforced. The fabric hangs in a clean vertical line instead of twisting or gripping the body.
This weight is ideal for:
Streetwear fits where silhouette matters.
Brands that want tees to feel intentional, not basic.
Customers who expect a premium feel.
Collections built around layering.
300gsm tees also benefit from a smoother, flatter surface. That surface helps printing techniques perform better with sharper edges, richer colors and improved durability.
Screen printing, DTF and DTG all sit more confidently on heavyweight jerseys because the fabric supports the ink instead of stretching under it.
Why the customer feels the difference instantly
People might not know what GSM means, but they recognize quality in seconds. When someone touches a 300gsm tee, they understand the brand’s positioning immediately.
It signals that you take construction seriously. It also just feels good — substantial but not stiff, structured but still comfortable.
This is why 300gsm has become the sweet spot for premium tees. It delivers authenticity and intention without compromising wearability.
480gsm Hoodies: When Heavyweight Turns into a Statement Piece?
If 300gsm tees create structure, 480gsm hoodies create identity. These hoodies aren’t meant to simply keep someone warm. They’re designed to make a statement the moment someone puts them on.
A 480gsm hoodie is dense, sculptural and remarkably comfortable for its weight. And when made with 100 percent cotton french terry — like the hoodies we produce at René Bassett — the fabric combines luxury with durability in a way blends can’t replicate.
How 480gsm feels and performs
The weight isn’t there to make the garment bulky. Instead, it adds presence.
480gsm hoodies:
Hold their shape in a way lighter fleece never does
Keep the hood structured instead of collapsing
Stack naturally on the sleeves and create volume
Deliver warmth without overheating
Look elevated in any setting
This is why so many high-end streetwear brands choose heavyweight french terry. It creates a hoodie that looks and feels premium from every angle.
Why do customers see this as “the premium hoodie”?
Between silhouette, warmth, longevity and hand-feel, 480gsm offers the full package. It’s the type of hoodie people buy once and wear for years. And it sets your brand apart from competitors using lighter, cheaper materials.
When someone tries a 480gsm hoodie for the first time, they know immediately that it’s not standard fleece. It’s a crafted piece — and customers reward that with loyalty and higher willingness to pay.
480gsm Hoodies: When Heavyweight Turns into a Statement Piece
A 480gsm hoodie doesn’t just feel different. It looks different the moment someone picks it up. In modern streetwear, weight has become a language. A lightweight hoodie feels casual; a true heavyweight hoodie communicates intention right away.
At 480gsm, cotton gains presence. The fabric becomes more structured, keeps its shape and gives the silhouette that sharp, sculpted look that premium hoodies are known for.
Instead of collapsing or stretching out with wear, a 480gsm french terry hoodie stands where it should: the hood stays upright, the shoulders keep their line and the sleeves stack with clean volume.
The hand-feel also plays a major role. Heavyweight cotton has depth. It feels substantial and confident without being stiff or uncomfortable. Because it’s still 100% cotton, breathability remains.
That balance — density with airflow — is exactly why this weight class is used by brands that want their hoodies to feel elevated, not bulky.
It also performs better visually. On-body, a 480gsm hoodie photographs beautifully. The fabric falls in intentional lines, making even a minimal design look thoughtfully engineered.
For brands building hero pieces and premium collections, this weight becomes an asset that communicates value before a customer even reads the product description.
400gsm vs 480gsm: Is There a Real Difference in Hand-Feel?
If you’ve spent time comparing hoodies on the market, you’ve seen both numbers: 400gsm and 480gsm. They aren’t interchangeable. The difference is noticeable right away, and for customers shopping in the premium category, these details matter.
A 400gsm hoodie already sits above the everyday standard. It feels heavier, warmer and more structured than typical mass-market fleece. But at 480gsm, the experience steps up.
The fabric feels denser, the silhouette becomes more defined and the hoodie gains that signature “luxury weight” that high-end streetwear is built on.
Think of it as moving from “heavy” to “intentional.”
400gsm is substantial.
480gsm is a choice.
Hand-feel is where the distinction becomes clearest. A 480gsm hoodie feels richer, deeper in texture, cleaner when worn and more stable over time. This extra weight helps the garment hold its shape for longer, resisting the stretching and collapsing that happens with lighter materials.
That said, both weights have their place. A 400gsm hoodie works well for transitional climates, active wear or streetwear brands that want weight without committing to the full premium tier.
But if your goal is to create a flagship piece, something that anchors your collection, 480gsm is the level that delivers a premium emotional reaction the moment someone tries it on.
How to Build a Collection Around GSM (Tees × Hoodies)
Once you understand GSM, building a cohesive line becomes far easier. Weight influences identity, silhouette, seasonality and price perception, and deciding intentionally creates a better story for your brand.
A strong streetwear collection usually starts with two anchors:
1. A premium tee around 300gsm
This becomes your everyday essential. The tee that customers reach for repeatedly.
It sets the tone for your brand’s standard of quality.
2. A heavyweight hoodie around 480gsm
This becomes your hero product.
The piece that communicates depth, structure and premium intention.
From these anchors, you can scale the collection strategically.
T-Shirts
A 300gsm base tee establishes consistency across cuts — oversized, boxy or classic. Because the fabric holds shape well, it supports graphics, embroidery and garment dyeing without distorting the silhouette.
You can build seasonal colours, capsule drops or limited editions on this same GSM foundation without changing the fit experience customers expect.
Hoodies
480gsm sets the upper tier of your line. This weight becomes the benchmark for premium hoodies and crewnecks. It works especially well for minimal branding, where the fabric and construction carry the visual identity.
For colder seasons or premium capsules, this weight supports elevated treatments: custom
Consistency Matters
When your tees and hoodies follow a clear GSM logic, your brand feels more cohesive. Customers understand the hierarchy intuitively: the t-shirt is weighty and substantial; the hoodie is serious and premium. This creates trust, so they know what to expect when they buy your blanks.
Why GSM Helps Pricing Strategy
Higher GSM also supports premium pricing. Not because of the number itself, but because of the physical experience that number creates.
When someone tries on a 300gsm tee, they feel the quality immediately. When they lift a 480gsm hoodie, they understand the value without needing further explanation.
This sensory reaction lets your brand charge confidently and consistently, anchoring your collection in premium territory.
FAQ GSM
What does GSM actually measure in clothing?
GSM measures “grams per square meter,” which tells you how dense and substantial a fabric is. Higher GSM usually means more structure, durability and a more premium feel.
Is a 300gsm t-shirt too heavy for everyday wear?
Not at all. A well-constructed 300gsm t-shirt feels structured without being uncomfortable. It’s ideal for brands that want a more elevated, intentional silhouette.
Why are 480gsm hoodies considered premium?
A 480gsm hoodie offers significant weight, shape retention and a sculpted fit. It feels expensive the moment you pick it up, which directly influences perceived brand value.
Is there a real difference between 400gsm and 480gsm hoodies?
Yes. 400gsm is solid and mid-heavy, but 480gsm enters true heavyweight territory, delivering more structure, density and visual impact.
Does higher GSM always mean better quality?
Not necessarily. GSM affects weight and feel, but construction, yarn quality and knit type matter just as much. Premium pieces balance all three.
What GSM should I choose for a new streetwear brand?
300gsm for tees and 480gsm for hoodies are strong starting points if your goal is a premium lineup with elevated silhouettes and long-term durability.
Why does heavyweight cotton work so well for print and embroidery?
Dense fabrics offer smoother surfaces and stronger stability, which keeps prints sharp and embroidery clean without fabric distortion.
Are heavyweight blanks more durable over time?
Generally, yes. Heavyweight cotton resists twisting, stretching and thinning, helping pieces keep their shape after repeated wear and washing.