What GSM actually means, and why 400 matters on a hoodie

GSM shows up on almost every hoodie listing, and almost nobody explains what it actually means. It's grams per square metre — literally how much a single square metre of the fabric weighs. Higher GSM means denser, heavier fabric.

Why it's not just a spec sheet number

A thin, 250 GSM hoodie feels closer to a sweatshirt cut from t-shirt fabric — it doesn't hold its shape and it's see-through under bright light. Fabric above 350 GSM has enough density to drape properly and actually insulate.

Where 400 GSM lands

400 GSM sits in the range most premium streetwear brands build hoodies at — heavy enough for genuine warmth, not so heavy it feels stiff or restricts movement. It's the number that separates a hoodie you wear as an outer layer from one you only wear under a jacket.

Higher isn't automatically better

Fabric above roughly 450 GSM starts trading comfort for warmth — fine for genuinely cold climates, overkill and stiff for most everyday wear. 400 GSM is close to the practical ceiling before a hoodie stops feeling like clothing and starts feeling like a blanket with sleeves.

The dye connection

Denser fabric also holds dye more evenly than thin fabric, which is part of why heavier hoodies tend to fade less patchily over time — there's simply more material for the colour-lock process to bond into.

→ Shop the No Fade Black Hoodie — ₹1,490 · 400 GSM Fleece Cotton