Non-woven fabric from India is available from roughly 10 GSM up to 800 GSM or more, but no single process covers that whole span. Spunbond polypropylene typically runs from about 10 to 150 GSM, needle-punched fabric from around 100 to 800 GSM or more, and meltblown sits in a narrow band of light weights made for filtration. The process a plant runs therefore fixes the GSM range it can quote, and a buyer should check the line before asking for a price.
GSM, grams per square metre, is simply the weight of one square metre of fabric. It is the main driver of cost, because polymer is most of the price, and it is also the number most likely to drift during a production run.
Typical ranges by process
- Spunbond polypropylene: about 10 to 150 GSM. The light end, around 10 to 25 GSM, goes into hygiene and crop covers; 40 to 100 GSM is common for bags, furniture backing and packaging; above about 120 GSM lines slow down and the price per kilo rises.
- Meltblown: usually 15 to 50 GSM, sold mainly for filtration. Heavier meltblown exists for oil absorbents and insulation but is less common from Indian lines.
- SMS laminates: typically 30 to 80 GSM for medical and hygiene use, with the meltblown layer a small share of the total weight.
- Needle-punched polyester or polypropylene: from around 100 GSM for light filter and interlining fabrics up to 800 GSM or more for heavy geotextiles and industrial felts. Very heavy weights are built up by cross-lapping more layers before needling.
- Spunlace: usually 30 to 120 GSM for wipes, medical fabrics and some interlinings.
Tolerance matters more than the nominal figure
A quotation for 70 GSM fabric means little without a tolerance. Many plants work to plus or minus 5 to 10 per cent across the roll, and the cross-direction profile can vary more than the average suggests. A plant that consistently runs at the bottom of the tolerance saves resin on every roll, and a buyer paying by the square metre receives less polymer than expected.
The practical fix is to specify the nominal GSM, the tolerance and the test method, and to have sealed samples weighed at an independent lab. Weighing a cut square is a simple test, but the sampling plan, meaning how many pieces from how many rolls, decides whether the result means anything.
Choosing the right weight
For a given end use, the lightest fabric that passes the strength test is usually the right one, since every extra gram is paid for across the whole order. Where UV exposure, abrasion or puncture resistance matter, as in agriculture or geotextile use, the choice shifts to heavier needle-punched fabric. Ask the plant for its GSM and tensile data by weight, then test the two or three candidates rather than relying on the data sheet alone.
How we help
We check which process a plant runs before any quotation, audit the line, and send sealed samples to an NABL-accredited lab for GSM and tensile so the tolerance is measured rather than promised. We inspect before shipment, supervise loading and send a weekly update, with one approved supplier and one backup. A free 20-minute sourcing review will help you fix the right weight before you ask for prices.