What Does GSM Mean?
GSM is simply a measure of paper weight.
It stands for Grams per Square Meter. If you took a sheet of 350gsm paper that measured 1 meter wide and 1 meter long, it would weigh exactly 350 grams.
What does it mean for me?
Well, it is an industry standard measurement of how thick a sheet of paper is – with heavier (and higher) GSMs being thicker and thicker.
As a rough guide, here are the “common” GSM’s of most stock:
What does it say about a business?
The cost the materials you print your business stationery often has a tangible effect on people. If they receive a thick business card, they often assume your business card is established and will last a long while whereas flimsy, thinner business cards often appear to be less robust and to be of less “quality”.
However, you have to take into account your audience and your brand. Printing on premium stock may not be possible due to budget constraints – if your offering bargain basement pricings, then buying premium business cards may not be appropriate whereas if you’re a high end brand known for charging a premium on your goods and services, offering potential clients flimsy cards is not an option so spending a little more will no doubt help in you in the long run.
What do we print on?
Here at GB Logo Design, we only print on 120gsm paper when printing your letterheads & compliment slips and we print on thick high quality (450gsm) business card paper as standard. We can get you quotes for more “exotic” business cards such as plastic cards, metal cards and even expensive finishes such as silver or gold ink, UV coatings and embossed cards, so get in touch today for a quote.
