Most gift packaging buyers can’t be sure how paper GSM affects paper thickness, strength, durability, printing performance, packaging method, and shipping cost when receiving quotations.
In this guide, you’ll understand the importance of paper GSM and how to choose the right paper GSM and paper thickness for gift bags, gift boxes, and wrapping paper.
What Does GSM Mean in Paper?
GSM stands for grams per square meter.
Why Is GSM Important for You?
GSM is directly related to paper thickness, paper strength, raw material cost, printing performance, and packaging durability.
Paper thickness
Same type of paper, higher GSM, thicker paper; lower GSM, thinner paper.
Different types of paper with the same GSM mean different thicknesses. Please check our paper GSM vs paper thickness.
Paper strength
In general, higher GSM indicates greater durability and is better suited to heavy-duty products.
- Gift bags are made of paper with a minimum weight of 150 gsm, and high-end or brand products require a minimum weight of 210 gsm.
- Paper shopping bags are often made of 120 gsm or more gsm kraft paper, which they are strong and durable.
- Rigid boxes are made of greyboard with 157 gsm art paper or 250 gsm cardboard. 157 gsm art paper can’t be edge-curl, and 250 gsm cardboard is used for high-end/brand boxes.
- Wrapping paper is usually made of 40 to 100 gsm and 17 gsm or 22 gsm for tissue paper.
Raw material cost
Different kinds of paper have different costs. Obviously, the same paper at a higher GSM costs more; let’s take art paper as an example: 128 gsm < 157 gsm < 180 gsm.
Printing performance
Let’s take tissue paper as an example. Lower GSM means poor printing performance because lower GSM paper is a little transparent and can’t absorb or show the printing ink well.
Packaging durability
Higher GSM means better durability, but it doesn’t mean that high GSM must have high packaging durability. For art paper and ivory paper, it’s better not to exceed 250 gsm, or they’ll be easy to crack.
Paper GSM vs Paper Thickness
Same GSM, but different kinds of paper have different thicknesses.
Kraft Paper | ||
| GSM | Thickness (MM) | Thickness (PT) |
| 50 | 0.060 | 2.362 |
| 100 | 0.120 | 4.724 |
| 120 | 0.130 | 5.118 |
| 150 | 0.170 | 6.693 |
| 230 | 0.270 | 10.630 |
| 300 | 0.360 | 14.173 |
| 350 | 0.430 | 16.929 |
Ivory Paper | ||
| GSM | Thickness (MM) | Thickness (PT) |
| 190 | 0.250 | 9.843 |
| 210 | 0.275 | 10.827 |
| 230 | 0.300 | 11.811 |
| 250 | 0.325 | 12.795 |
| 300 | 0.400 | 15.748 |
| 350 | 0.475 | 18.701 |
| 400 | 0.535 | 21.063 |
| 450 | 0.600 | 23.622 |
| 500 | 0.670 | 26.378 |
Art Paper | ||
| GSM | Thickness (MM) | Thickness (PT) |
| 80 | 0.075 | 2.953 |
| 105 | 0.090 | 3.543 |
| 128 | 0.110 | 4.331 |
| 157 | 0.140 | 5.512 |
| 200 | 0.170 | 6.693 |
| 250 | 0.210 | 8.268 |
| 300 | 0.300 | 11.811 |
| 350 | 0.370 | 14.567 |
| 400 | 0.450 | 17.717 |
Greyboard | ||
| GSM | Thickness (MM) | Thickness (PT) |
| 300 | 0.480 | 18.898 |
| 400 | 0.640 | 25.197 |
| 500 | 0.800 | 31.496 |
| 750 | 1.200 | 47.244 |
| 950 | 1.500 | 59.055 |
| 1250 | 2.000 | 78.740 |
| 1550 | 2.500 | 98.425 |
| 1900 | 3.000 | 118.110 |
| 2200 | 3.500 | 137.795 |
| 2500 | 4.000 | 157.480 |
| 2850 | 4.500 | 177.165 |
| 3150 | 5.000 | 196.850 |
Woodfree Paper | ||
|---|---|---|
| GSM | Thickness (MM) | Thickness (PT) |
| 60 | 0.080 | 3.150 |
| 70 | 0.090 | 3.543 |
| 80 | 0.110 | 4.331 |
| 100 | 0.120 | 4.724 |
| 120 | 0.150 | 5.906 |
| 160 | 0.180 | 7.087 |
| 180 | 0.220 | 8.661 |
| 200 | 0.240 | 9.449 |
| 230 | 0.280 | 11.024 |
How to Choose The Right GSM for Your Gift Packaging Project?
You will consider your brand positioning, product weight, size and structure, printing requirements, packaging method, shipping cost & requirements.
Brand positioning
High-end brands should use higher GSM, which means strong, durable, and reliable. For example, jewelry boxes use higher GSM greyboard (2000 gsm or even higher gsm). Moreover, the surface finishes need a higher GSM paper to achieve a good effect, such as foil stamping, embossing/debossing, etc.
Product weight, size & structure
If you’d like to carry and package large-sized and heavy products, a higher GSM raw material is a good choice.
Meanwhile, your product’s structure is also a factor you should consider. Usually, the more complex the structure is, the thicker the raw material is.
Printing requirements
Low GSM paper is easy for the printing ink to penetrate into the back side, and difficult to dry, resulting in a poor printing effect, such as 120 gsm kraft paper.
Packaging method
All the gift bags are placed horizontally in the cartons if their paper GSM is lower than or not more than 180 gsm, but placed vertically if more than 180 gsm.
Shipping cost
The higher the paper GSM, the larger the volume.
FAQs
What GSM Paper Is Best for Gift Bags?
You should choose the paper GSM based on the gift bag size, structure, paper type, product weight, handle type, and whether there is reinforced cardboard on top & bottom. In general, 150-210gsm is for small gift bags, 157-250gsm is for paper shopping bags, and 250-300gsm is for luxury & brand gift bags.
What GSM Is Commonly Used for Luxury & Brand Gift Boxes?
Gift Boxes are made up of greyboard and mounting paper. Greyboard is usually 800-2000gsm, mounting paper is 157gsm art paper or not less than 250gsm ivory paper/art paper. Which GSM to use depends on the gift boxes’ size, structure, brand positioning, packaging type, shipping method, and product weight. Low GSM is for small sizes and simple structures, such as jewelry boxes and round boxes. High GSM is for large sizes, complex structures, and high load-bearing, such as special-shaped boxes.
What GSM Is Commonly Used for Wrapping Paper?
Different paper types have different GSM. 60-80gsm is commonly used for kraft wrapping paper, 80-100gsm for art paper, 17-22gsm for tissue paper.
Does GSM Affect Packaging Cost?
Yes, sure. Same paper: higher GSM means higher raw material cost. Moreover, higher GSM paper will increase the packaging & shipping cost.
How Do I Know if A Supplier Provides The Correct GSM?
You can ask your supplier to provide pre-production samples, mass production casual inspection, or a third-party inspection.
Does GSM Affect Printing Performance?
Yes. Low GSM will absorb ink poorly and can’t achieve better finishes on its surface, such as foil stamping and embossing.
How Can You Reduce Cost Without Lowering GSM?
Optimizing the structure of your product and choosing the right paper type and GSM, not the thickest paper or the highest GSM.
Final Thoughts
Whatever you’re purchasing gift bags, gift boxes, or wrapping paper, Matrix can recommend the cost-effective paper type, GSM, and more material specifications based on your brand positioning, product weight & structure & size, packaging method, and shipping cost & requirements.
