What “heavyweight” cotton actually means
Every apparel brand claims heavyweight. The word is unregulated, so here is how to read it.
Grams per square metre
Lightweight tees sit around 130-150gsm. Midweight is 180gsm. Genuine heavyweight starts near 220gsm and runs to 300.
Why it changes how a shirt ages
Heavier cloth resists the twisting that makes cheap tees go crooked in the wash. It also takes longer to soften.
Where weight does not help
Weight tells you nothing about the fibre length. A 240gsm shirt in short-staple cotton will pill faster than a 180gsm shirt in combed long-staple.
