With fewer and fewer local fabric stores, many fabric lovers have turned to the internet to find the fabric they love for their next project. But shopping online for fabric creates its own challenges. As all fabric lovers know, seeing and feeling a fabric is the best way to buy the fabric you love. It's why the fabric terminology "hand" came into being in an attempt to describe the way the fabric feels to the touch as well as to name qualities of the fabric like softness, smoothness and drape. With this in mind, we would like to share with you some tips about buying fabric online.

What Fabric Weight Is and Why It Matters For Your Next Interior Decorating Project

What is fabric weight?

Fabric mills measure a weight for each fabric that they produce. These weights are usually listed either in ounces per square yard or grams per square meters. The terminology listed online is usually just "ounce" which refers to ounces per square yard or "GSM" which refers to grams per square meter. For example, if you are looking online to buy linen for curtains, and you see under the details of the fabric that it is an 8-ounce linen, this means the fabric weighs 8 ounces per square yard. Or if you are looking for velvet for your draperies, and you read 450 GSM, this means the velvet weights 450 grams per square meter. Some fabrics online will have no weight listed which requires a little more investigating for information to know whether your fabric selection will be the right fit.

Why should I care about fabric weight when purchasing fabric by the yard?

Since we mentioned that most people are used to seeing and feeling a fabric, online fabric shopping for updating curtains, draperies, or re-upholstery seems difficult. The good news is that fabric weights can offer essential information when you can’t shop in person.

How to Buy Fabric by the Yard Based on Weight

As you shop online, consider these fabric weight guides to help you select the right fabric for your project:

  • Looking for lightweight, soft and drapable fabric? 2 to 4 ounces/square yard (about 60 to 120 GSM)
    Think chiffon, linen and silk. Great for curtain linings and breezy curtains.

  • Looking for lightweight to medium weight fabric? 4 to 7 ounces/square yard (about 120 to 200 GSM)
    Think cotton blends like chambray, twill, linen and chenille. Great for accent pillows, curtains, tablecloths and chair cushions.

  • Looking for the heavier side of medium weight fabric? 7 to 10 ounces/square yard (about 200 to 300 GSM)
    Think canvas, corduroy, heavy denim, flannel, jersey and some cotton, wool and blends. Great for curtains, draperies, duvet covers, lightweight upholstery like accent chairs, cushions.

  • Looking for heavyweight, durable fabric? 10 to 13 ounces/square yard (about 300 to 450 GSM)
    Think denim, fleece, wool, canvas, heavy-duty upholstery fabric. Great for almost all upholstery projects, curtains and drapes, throw pillows, cushions, tablecloths, bed covers.

When you’re shopping for fabrics online, be sure to check:

  1. The details-- even down to exactly how they have described the weight. Oddly, there are rare instances where the fabric is in ounces per linear yard (rather than per square yard). For that fabric, it will weigh more based on the fabric width. So 55-inch wide fabric measured this way will be listed with a heavier weight than the same fabric that is 45-inch wide.

  2. Typical fabric weights for every kind of fabric can be found in online fabric weight charts.

  3. Conversion calculators to help you convert between ounce per square yard and grams per square meter are also free online.

Why would fabric weight not matter when buying fabric?

Fabric weight does not tell you everything when choosing fabrics. For example, the weight of a heavy wool fabric and the weight of a sturdy denim may be exactly the same, but the use of the fabrics are clearly not exchangeable. Depending on your project, the way the fabric is made and the hand of the fabric may be more important than weight.

On the other hand (pun intended), if you are comparing similar fabrics, weight can help you select the right fabric for your project. Heavier cotton fabric may be suitable for reupholstering your couch, whereas lightweight cotton may be better for curtains that need drapability. In this instance, it makes sense to use weight as a guideline for deciding between options.

At House Fabric, we always include weight if the mill provides that information to us. We also offer a fabric description that describes to the best of our ability the fabric's hand, appearance and suitable uses. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about a specific fabric, or offer alternatives if that fabric is not ideal. For best results, contact us and let us "weigh in" on your project!!