Paper GSM: How Heavy Should Your Stock Be?

GSM (grams per square metre) measures paper weight and thickness, with lighter stocks around 90 to 130gsm suiting leaflets, and heavier stocks such as 350gsm suiting business cards, so choosing GSM depends on how sturdy and premium the finished item needs to feel.

What exactly does GSM measure?

GSM stands for grams per square metre, and it's the standard way paper weight is measured across the UK printing industry. Rather than describing thickness directly, GSM tells you how much a single square metre of that paper actually weighs, which correlates closely with how thick and sturdy it feels in the hand. A higher GSM figure generally means a heavier, more rigid sheet, while a lower figure means a lighter, more flexible one. Two papers with the same GSM can still feel slightly different depending on their finish and fibre composition, but GSM remains the most useful starting point for comparing and specifying paper weight across different print jobs.

Which GSM suits everyday leaflets and flyers?

Leaflets and flyers intended for wide distribution, such as door drops or handouts at events, are often produced on lighter stocks, broadly in the 90 to 130gsm range. This keeps the paper cost-effective for larger quantities while still giving a clean, presentable finish. For leaflets meant to be kept for longer, such as menus, price lists or reference guides, a slightly heavier stock, around 150 to 170gsm, adds durability and a more substantial feel without tipping into card territory. The right choice really depends on how long the piece needs to survive being handled, folded or carried around.

Item	Typical GSM range
Everyday flyers	90 to 130gsm
Durable leaflets	150 to 170gsm
Booklet cover stock	170 to 250gsm
Business cards	350gsm
Standard booklet inner pages	100 to 150gsm

Why do business cards use a heavier stock?

Business cards are handled and passed between people repeatedly, often kept in wallets, pockets or card holders for extended periods, so they need to withstand that wear without bending, tearing or feeling flimsy. A 350gsm stock is a widely used standard for this reason, giving cards a firm, confident feel that reflects well on the business handing them out. Anything much lighter would feel closer to a leaflet than a card, undermining the impression a business card is meant to create in a first, brief interaction.

How does GSM affect booklets and folding?

Within a booklet, GSM choices often differ between the cover and the inner pages. Covers are typically produced on a heavier stock, somewhere between 170 and 250gsm, to protect the inner pages and give the booklet a more substantial opening feel. Inner pages tend to sit lighter, around 100 to 150gsm, keeping the booklet from becoming too thick or heavy to fold and staple cleanly. It's also worth remembering that very heavy stocks fold less crisply and can bulk up a saddle-stitched spine quickly, which is one reason booklet page counts and paper weight are usually considered together rather than separately.

For more detail on specific GSM choices, read our guides on what GSM means in printing and 350gsm business cards. If you're deciding on stock weight for an upcoming job, Minuteman Press Ipswich can talk through the options for your specific item.

How does paper finish interact with GSM weight?

GSM tells you about weight, but finish affects how that weight is perceived and how the paper performs. A gloss-coated sheet at a given GSM can look and feel noticeably different from an uncoated sheet at the same weight, since coating adds a smooth, reflective surface that enhances colour vibrancy, particularly for photography-heavy designs. Uncoated stocks, by contrast, have a more natural, tactile feel and take pen or pencil marks more readily, which matters for anything intended to be written on. When specifying paper for a print job, it helps to think about GSM and finish together rather than in isolation, since the right combination depends on both how heavy the item should feel and how its surface needs to perform once printed.

Matching GSM to how an item will actually be used, rather than simply choosing the heaviest option, gives the most practical and cost-sensible result.