Card material: What does GSM mean?

The term GSM is far from explanatory but you can guarantee that it will come up when talking to any playing card printer worth his or her salt. This neat little article aims to explain the exact meaning of GSM. What does GSM mean and what does it mean for your playing cards?

GSM is an acronym standing for ‘Grams per Square Meter’. Quite simply, it allows print buyers and print suppliers to know exactly about the quality of paper that is being ordered. The higher the GSM number, the heavier the paper. If you’re buying playing cards then make sure you know what you’re talking about. Being specific about the GSM you’re after can make all the difference and you’re likely to be taken more seriously by a card printer if you ask for a specific GSM rather than just asking for thick or thin paper.

It’s worth noting that there are industry trends when it comes to GSM. If you are looking round a large number of print suppliers, such as, you will notice that certain paper thicknesses will keep on popping up. Although any GSM is available, you’ll most commonly find: 55gsm, 90gsm, 100gsm, 120gsm, 140gsm, 210gsm, 250gsm, 300gsm, 350gsm and 400gsm. This trend holds true across printed fliers, posters, leaflets, booklets, magazines, business cards, invitations, stickers, menus and pretty much any printed product you can think of.

GSM in practice: what paper thickness can you expect?

What paper thickness do different GSMs represent in real life? As an online company we are aware that selecting a paper weight without touching and feeling the paper can be a bit daunting. If you’re not in a rush for your playing cards then please do not hesitate to ask for a free sample pack that will cover the whole range of card stocks available. If you’re in a bit of a rush then let’s explain the most popular GSM for playing cards:

300gsm Chinese C2S, cheapest materials with amazing performance, perfect if you trying to find a balance between materials and costs.

270gsm Chinese greycore/ bluecore, better than C2S, perfect for AD cards.

310/330gsm German blackcore, best materials for casino cards all over the world, tenacity, S, deflection , A-. most expensive.

We hope this had helped! If you are looking for any of the above then browse our most popular products or get in touch directly.