Reading Indian Fabric Specs: GSM, Width and Price for International Buyers

Why the units don't match

India's textile industry works in metric: grams per square metre for weight, centimetres for width, and rupees per metre for price. Buyers in the US and several other markets are used to ounces per square yard, inches and price per yard. Neither system is wrong, but comparing a quote in one system against a target spec in the other requires a direct conversion, not a rough guess.

Converting GSM to ounces per square yard

One square yard is larger than one square metre, and an ounce is a smaller unit than a gram, so the conversion factor is small: GSM × 0.0295 = oz/yd². This works in reverse too: oz/yd² × 33.91 = GSM.

Converting width: centimetres to inches

Fabric width is usually quoted in centimetres in India and inches elsewhere: centimetres × 0.3937 = inches. Benny Cotts width varies by quality: most run 147 cm, which is 58 inches, and several suitings are 150 cm, about 59 inches. Both sit in the 58-60 inch bracket common in overseas cutting rooms. Narrower shirting and lining cloths run 142 cm (56 inch), 91 cm (36 inch) or 89 cm (35 inch), so take the width from the product page rather than assuming one figure across the range.

Converting price: per metre to per yard

A yard is slightly shorter than a metre (1 yard = 0.9144 m), so price per metre × 0.9144 = an equivalent price per yard, before accounting for currency conversion, freight and duty. This gives a like-for-like fabric cost comparison; it is not a landed cost, since shipping, insurance and import duty are separate and vary by destination and order.

Composition terms that read differently outside India

"PV" or "poly-viscose" is a common Indian shorthand for a polyester-viscose blend, typically used for structured suiting with a smooth, slightly lustrous finish. "Poly-cotton" refers to a polyester-cotton blend, generally softer and more breathable, used for shirting and chambray-style fabric. Neither term is standardised globally, so it's worth confirming the exact blend ratio (for example 80/20 or 65/35 polyester to viscose or cotton) rather than relying on the label alone.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert GSM to ounces per square yard?

Multiply GSM by 0.0295. For example, 220 GSM is approximately 6.5 oz/yd². To go the other way, multiply oz/yd² by 33.91 to get GSM.

What is 150 cm fabric width in inches?

150 cm is approximately 59 inches, which is close to the 58-60 inch width common in many overseas cutting rooms.

How do I compare price per metre to price per yard?

Multiply the price per metre by 0.9144 to get an equivalent price per yard. This gives a like-for-like fabric cost comparison, not a landed cost, since freight, insurance and duty are separate.

What does "PV" mean on an Indian fabric spec sheet?

PV stands for poly-viscose, a polyester-viscose blend commonly used for structured uniform suiting. Ask for the exact blend ratio, such as 80/20 or 65/35, since the term itself isn't standardised across suppliers.

How do I convert ounces per square yard back to GSM?

Multiply oz/yd² by 33.91. It's the reverse of the GSM-to-oz/yd² conversion, so you can work in either direction depending on which spec sheet you start from.

What does poly-cotton mean on an Indian spec sheet, and how does it differ from PV?

Poly-cotton is a polyester-cotton blend, generally softer and more breathable than poly-viscose (PV), and it's typically used for shirting and chambray-style fabric rather than structured suiting. As with PV, the term isn't standardised, so confirm the exact blend ratio rather than relying on the label.