Grammar
What is grammage?
Grammage is a unit used to describe the weight of fabrics, as well as papers and films. The unit of measurement always refers to an area of one square meter. Grammage therefore denotes the fabric weight in grams per square meter (g/m²). This plays a crucial role in the performance of textiles.
What is "Nm"?
The letters "Nm" followed by a number or number combination indicate the running length of a yarn and therefore its thickness. The first number specifies how many meters of yarn are produced per gram. The second number, if present, indicates the twist rate.
The numeric-metric value
"Nm" is the abbreviation for numerical-metric. The higher the numerical-metric value, the finer the yarn. A yarn with Nm 9 is therefore three times thinner than a yarn with Nm 3.
Twisted yarns
Nm 30/2 is a two-ply yarn. This means that 30 meters of the yarn weigh 2 grams. To simplify, the overall fineness would be Nm 15. This results in a running length of 1,500 meters per 100 grams.
What does Nm have to do with grammage?
Both Nm and grammage tell us something about our fabric. Nm tells us how fine the yarns used for our fabric are. Grammage tells us something about the thickness of our fabric.
Which grammage is the correct one?
The ideal fabric weight depends on the intended use of the fabric. The weight influences the look and feel of the textile. If you would like us to produce textiles for you, we offer a variety of textile products made from different raw materials and in various weights. If you are unsure which weight is right for you, we would be happy to advise you so that the finished textile meets your expectations.
What effect do different grammages have?
Fabric weight (grammage) tells you more than just how heavy a fabric is. It also affects the fabric's durability, as well as the look and feel of the finished textile product. However, you should keep in mind that a thicker fabric isn't necessarily better than a thinner one. Likewise, a thinner, finer fabric isn't automatically of higher quality than a thicker one.
The quality depends on the material and the manufacturing process. Depending on the intended purpose of a fabric, its weight (grammage) must be determined individually. A fabric suitable for thin blouses is not necessarily of lower quality than one used for a thicker hoodie. The weight must always be matched to the specific garment to achieve the desired effect.
How can you calculate the grammage?
If you have a piece of fabric and a precise scale, you can calculate the grammage as follows:
Fabric weight x 10,000 / Fabric length in centimeters x Fabric width in centimeters
. The factor 10,000 is only used if the dimensions are given in centimeters, as this is the conversion factor from cm² to m².
Comparison of different grammages
While the weight per square meter (g/m²) doesn't tell us anything about the quality of a fabric, it does indicate different thicknesses of the same material and manufacturing process. For example, weights of 150-200 g/m² are suitable for T-shirts. However, there are also thinner fabrics for airy shirts with weights below 120 g/m². Similarly, there are also significantly thicker T-shirts with weights above 220 g/m². A jersey fabric with a weight of 280-300 g/m² is already well-suited for lightweight sweatshirts.