Fabric weight / thickness

OVERVIEW

What is this field?

The Fabric Weight / Thickness field describes how heavy or light a fabric is, which directly affects how a garment feels, drapes, and performs in different temperatures.

This field bridges the gap between material type and practical wearability. Knowing that a t-shirt is “cotton” is useful, but knowing it is “lightweight cotton jersey at 150 GSM” tells the customer much more.

Fabric weight can be expressed as descriptive categories (lightweight, midweight, heavyweight), specific measurements (GSM, oz), or both.

BUSINESS VALUE

Why this field matters

Helps customers assess warmth, comfort, and suitability for specific weather conditions
Reduces returns by setting accurate expectations about fabric feel and body
Enables more precise seasonal merchandising
AI recommendation systems use weight data to refine suggestions based on weather or preference
Differentiates premium products: a 320 GSM heavyweight tee communicates quality differently than a 120 GSM thin tee
Supports layering guidance: knowing fabric weight helps customers build functional outfits

TECHNICAL SETUP

Recommended setup

Field type: Single-line text or structured entry (text label + optional numeric value)

Namespace: custom.product

Key: fabric_weight

STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH

How to create the Fabric Weight / Thickness field in Accentuate

Follow these steps to create and configure this metafield in your Accentuate dashboard.

Step 1: Navigate to metafield definitions

Open your Accentuate dashboard and go to the metafield definitions section. Select the "Product" resource type to add a new product-level metafield.

Accentuate dashboard — navigate to Product metafield definitions

Step 2: Create a new metafield

Click the "Add definition" or "Create metafield" button. Enter the namespace "custom.product" and the key "fabric_weight". Set the display name to "Fabric Weight / Thickness".

Click “Add field” to create the “Fabric Weight / Thickness” metafield

Step 3: Select the field type

Set the field type to "Single-line text or structured entry (text label + optional numeric value)". This field uses a single value.

Select the data type for “Fabric Weight / Thickness”

Step 4: Configure validation and description

Add a helpful description for merchants: "How heavy or light the fabric is (e.g., Lightweight, Midweight 220 GSM, Heavyweight)." This will appear as helper text when merchants edit the field on a product.

Description and validation settings for “Fabric Weight / Thickness”

Step 5: Save and verify

Save the metafield definition. Then navigate to any product and confirm that the "Fabric Weight / Thickness" field appears in the metafields section, ready to accept values.

The “Fabric Weight / Thickness” field visible on a product editing page, empty and ready

STRUCTURING GUIDANCE

How to structure the values

Use a combination of descriptive category and numeric measurement when possible.

If you can only provide one format, use descriptive categories (Lightweight, Midweight, Heavyweight).

GSM (grams per square meter) is the international standard. Oz/yd² is common in North American denim.

Consider adding knit-specific descriptors: “Fine knit,” “Thick knit,” “Ribbed medium weight.”

Fabric weight should describe the fabric itself, not the finished garment weight.

USAGE CONTEXT

When to use this field

T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies where weight affects quality perception
Knitwear where knit density varies significantly
Denim where oz weight is a standard differentiator
Outerwear where insulation weight affects warmth
Any product where fabric weight is a meaningful purchase consideration
Premium or technical products where specific GSM/oz values signal quality

REFERENCE VALUES

Example values

The following values are recommended starting points. Adapt them to your product catalog as needed.

Value

When to use

Ultra-lightweight

Sheer or very thin; summer layering pieces, liners

Lightweight

Thin and breathable; summer tops, base layers (120–160 GSM)

Light-midweight

Slightly more substantial; year-round tees (160–200 GSM)

Midweight

Standard body and warmth; everyday wear (200–260 GSM)

Mid-heavyweight

Noticeable heft; autumn layers, substantial knits (260–300 GSM)

Heavyweight

Thick and warm; winter wear, premium sweatshirts (300–400 GSM)

Ultra-heavyweight

Very thick; heavy outerwear, work jackets (400+ GSM)

Fine knit

Thin, tightly knitted fabric; lightweight sweaters, cardigans

Thick knit / Chunky knit

Loosely or heavily knitted; winter sweaters, scarves

Ribbed medium weight

Textured knit with visible ribs; fitted tops, turtlenecks

Denim 10 oz

Lighter denim; summer jeans, chambray shirts

Denim 12 oz

Standard denim weight; year-round jeans

Denim 14 oz

Heavy denim; structured jeans, selvedge, workwear

Jersey 150 GSM

Light jersey; basic tees, layering shirts

Jersey 220 GSM

Mid-weight jersey; premium tees, casual dresses

Fleece 280 GSM

Standard fleece; hoodies, sweatshirts

Fleece 320 GSM

Heavy fleece; winter pullovers, outerwear lining

The “Fabric Weight / Thickness” field populated with example values

RECOMMENDATIONS

Best practices

Combine a descriptive label with a numeric value: “Middleweight (220 GSM)”
Use GSM for international catalogs; oz for North American denim and workwear
Be consistent within product categories
Ensure fabric weight aligns with season tags
Use weight to justify pricing: explicitly call out premium weight as a quality indicator
Include knit-specific descriptors alongside weight for knitwear products

AVOID THESE

Common mistakes

Using only “thick” or “thin” without any standardized reference
Confusing garment weight with fabric weight
Providing GSM for some products and descriptive terms for others without cross-reference
Not including fabric weight on t-shirts and sweatshirts where it most influences purchasing
Using the same weight descriptor for all products in a category
Omitting weight entirely on products positioned as premium

IN CONTEXT

Example: How it appears on a product

Men’s Premium Heavyweight Hoodie

Fabric weight: Heavyweight (350 GSM)

Material: 80% Cotton, 20% Recycled polyester

Fit: Relaxed fit

Season: Autumn, Winter

Fabric Weight / Thickness data displayed on the storefront via Custom Liquid