At Mama & Roo's, we often have customers contact us concerned about choosing a "lightweight" baby carrier. And it's understandable - we're based in the US, and a LOT of the US is hot for many months of the year.
But I'm here to tell you that gsm - or fabric weight - is only 1 piece of the puzzle. In fact, there's a lot more to comfort in babywearing than just gsm alone!
When you enter the babywearing world and discover wraps and wrap conversion carriers, one of the first questions that pops up might be, but what’s the difference? We’ve got a much more detailed video here to help answer that for you: https://mama-roo.com/blogs/gentle-pregnancy-and-parenting/lets-talk-fiber-quality-weaves-and-more
But today I want to talk specifically about gsm, or fabric weight- what it is and what it isn’t.
GSM - what is it?
Gsm is a unit of measure, short for “grams per square meter”. You may also see it written as g/m2. American brands might refer to this instead as ounces or oz (ex. 10oz, which is equivalent to 340-370gsm) as short for ounces per square yard (oz/yd2).
Gsm is a universal measurement to communicate how heavy a fabric or textile is compared to another. A gauze type of fabric might be only 80gsm. A thick hand-tufted carpet could be 3000 gsm!
But number alone doesn’t mean anything without more context. For example, a medical gauze is heavy at 40gsm, but a 90gsm carpet runner is incredibly light.
In the babywearing world, many commercial carriers are made of canvas and plastic. Canvas material strong enough for babywearing is a minimum of 340gsm- and more likely 400-500. It’s also tight and thick, not very breathable, and stiff. You don’t find this weight advertised on these carriers… I wonder why?
Perhaps it’s because they would have to draw attention to the fact these options are heavy, often uncomfortable, and HOT.
Plastic carriers have the same issues, only even worse as the plastic has no ability to breathe at all. They may be thinner by weight than canvas, but they are even more hot and uncomfortable- which is why you see so many brands include plastic with more plastic mesh to try to add some breathability back in.
It’s also a perfect example of why weight isn’t everything- no matter how thin a plastic material is, it’s not going to have the airflow of a fabric option.
Woven wraps and wrap conversion carriers are different. Wrap fabric is breathable by design. It’s woven on a loom, with threads passing over and under, naturally forming pockets of air and places for air to pass through. These fabrics are softer, more malleable, and more comfortable. With easy-care fabrics like cotton, it’s simple to wash if you do sweat, and it’s easy to adjust for comfort.
But it’s true that not all wraps are the same. There are wraps that are only 150gsm, and wraps as high as 500gsm! So what’s the difference?
Generally, we call a wrap that’s less than 240gsm a light-weight wrap, a wrap that’s 240-300gsm a mid-weight wrap, and a wrap that’s over 300gsm a heavy-weight wrap (but remember- this is still much lighter and more comfortable than a canvas or plastic carrier!). This is only one part of the picture.
Other components to consider are the weave pattern (what design is being used on the loom- jacquard, hearts, broken twill, herringbone, something else?), the fibers used (cotton, linen, bamboo, a mix?), and the details of the design itself. How many colors are needed? How big or small are the elements? How tightly packed are the elements? Is there a gradient? How much texture will the final weave have? A wrap that slides may be trickier to tighten, but it also may feel lighter because it doesn’t grip your body as tightly.
Unfortunately, as you can guess, these combinations can have unlimited possibilities. It’s why so many people who love wrapping often have many designs and sizes - who could resist wanting to try them all?!
Now, it would be easy to say, well, I’m worried about the heat, so I will only use a wrap with a gsm less than “xyz” whatever number you’ve chosen. And sure, you may find that that works for you. But, just like you wouldn’t trust a roll of gauze to support you and your baby, there are limits to how thin you can go and still feel adequately supported.
A 210gsm broken twill weave wrap from our store will be safe for your little one up to 35-55lbs (depending on the brand). But will it be comfortable with a larger, heavier child? Maybe! But for many, carrying toddlers and preshoolers for long periods of time will make these thinner wraps “dig”- putting uncomfortable pressure on your body.
For longer term support, often thicker, more plush wraps will be better. Is a thinner wrap better for a newborn? Sometimes! But sometimes a wrap that is thin is slick, and that can keep you from feeling confident and secure in your carry with a tiny new baby.
So… what can we do with this knowledge? How do you choose?
My best advice is to first choose a design that you love. It doesn’t matter how “magical” the wrap properties are- if it doesn’t make you happy when you see it, you won’t use it. And we want to love wearing our babies!
For most, you really can’t go wrong with something midweight. The most popular jacquard design we currently carry is the Jurassic Park - New Era, which weighs in 310gsm. It’s also gotten rave reviews from parents caring for newborns, toddlers, and preschoolers, all over the country, in all kinds of climates. Personally, I feel this particularly wrap feels thinner than another wrap I have that’s only 260gsm, due to the way it's woven.
Here’s another perspective- 300gsm is equivalent to 9oz in fabric weight. 339gsm is equivalent to 10oz. Imagine the feel of 1oz in your hand- about the weight of a slice of bread. And picture that weight spread over a yard of fabric. That’s the difference of 40gsm.
What about a 100gsm difference? How large of a difference is that? Let’s compare! 100gsm is just shy of 3oz fabric weight. 200gsm is just shy of 6oz. That means a 100gsm difference in fabric weight is approximately the same as 3 slices of bread (each slice being an ounce) or 1 deck of cards (3oz weight) spread over a yard of fabric.
Wraps are multiple yards long- so it does add up! But you also aren’t holding all of it in your arms. By relying on the strength and integrity of the fibers to support your body and your baby, you free up your arms for other tasks (or just to rest!).
More fabric weight could mean more heat- but it can also mean more support and comfort. Wraps can also be worn as torso carries for a superbly lighter feel while maintaining great support!
This is another reason why we recommend having multiple styles of carrier. The truth is, some days you are much more willing to comfortably settle in to a nice long cozy wrap. And other days, you need the quickest, lightest carrier you can find. Often this happens multiple times in one day!
When you have multiple comfortable options, it doesn’t matter so much what the particulars are for each one. What matters is that you have carriers that you enjoy having- when it makes you happy to see it, you’ll use it.
So don’t be afraid- gsm is just one small part of the equation. Choosing the right style and use for you will help you much more once you’ve chosen a design that you feel good about.
More questions about babywearing in the heat? Check out this guide here on how to stay cool: https://mama-roo.com/blogs/gentle-pregnancy-and-parenting/how-to-stay-cool-while-babywearing