How much does a t-shirt weigh? Real numbers for shipping and freight

Sooner or later everyone selling apparel needs this number, for postage pricing, freight quotes, or a customs form. Most published answers are guesses. We weigh garments all day, so these are real figures, plus the short method for estimating any garment yourself.

How much does a t-shirt weigh by GSM and size?

A standard 180 gsm crew-neck tee weighs about 155 g in size M, 172 g in L and 190 g in XL. A 160 gsm lightweight tee runs about 135–165 g across those sizes and a 240 gsm heavyweight about 205–255 g. Each size step changes weight by roughly 10%, before packaging.

These are knitted-cotton crew-neck figures; polos run 30–60 g heavier at equal GSM (collar, placket, buttons), and each size step changes weight by roughly 10%. For e-commerce postage, add 15–30 g per unit for polybag, tags, and labels, and weigh one real packed unit before you print rate cards.

How do you estimate a garment’s weight from GSM?

Multiply the fabric’s GSM by the area of fabric the garment uses: weight ≈ GSM × fabric area. An adult tee consumes ~0.9–1.1 m² of fabric; a long-sleeve ~1.2–1.4 m²; a hoodie 1.8–2.2 m². So a 320 gsm size-L hoodie ≈ 320 × 1.9 ≈ 610 g, which matches the scale.

This is also how to sanity-check a supplier: a “240 gsm heavyweight tee” weighing 160 g isn’t 240 gsm. GSM itself, explained here.

Why does garment weight matter for shipping costs?

Weight drives freight cost and paperwork. Air freight bills by the kilo, so a 240 gsm programme costs about 30% more to fly than a 180 gsm one. Sea freight depends on carton dimensions and counts as much as on weight, and customs declarations state net and gross weights that must match reality.

• Sea freight is volumetric as much as weight-based, carton dimensions and counts drive cost. A 40ft container holds roughly 25,000–30,000 standard tees packed in cartons.
• Air freight bills by kg: the difference between a 180 gsm and 240 gsm programme is ~30% more air cost.
• Customs declarations state net and gross weights, figures that must match reality, since discrepancies trigger inspections.

Planning a shipment? How freight from Nepal works — or send your styles and quantities and we’ll give you packed weights, carton plans, and a landed quote. Buying for Korea? Shipping to Busan or Incheon: routes, transit times and duty.