A quotation for tissue paper often says "17 gsm" or "22 gsm" and nothing more, and the two look almost the same on a spec sheet. In the hand they are not: 17 gsm is see-through and rustles, 22 gsm starts to feel like a deliberate wrap. Weight is the first decision for any custom printed tissue paper order, because it sets opacity, strength, how well print holds and how many sheets arrive per kilogram. For most apparel and gift wrapping, a light MF tissue is the right starting point; heavier weights, the MG finish and acid-free or recycled grades each answer a specific need, set out below.
What does gsm mean for tissue paper?
GSM, grams per square metre (g/m²), is the weight of one square metre of paper, and for tissue it is the main shorthand for how thick and strong the sheet is. A 17 gsm sheet weighs 17 grams per square metre; a 50 x 75 cm sheet of it weighs about 6.4 grams.
Wrapping tissue is among the lightest papers made. Typical commercial wrapping tissue sits somewhere between roughly 14 and 35 g/m², with most retail use between about 17 and 25. Most tissue is described by weight alone, which hides the other variables: the fibre, the finish and the base paper. A nominal 20 g/m² sheet from two mills can differ in opacity and stiffness. US suppliers often specify basis weight in pounds for a stated ream size, which is not directly comparable to g/m²; the paper weight converter converts between the two, and the broader topic is covered in packaging paper grades explained.
How do 17, 20, 22 and 25 gsm tissue compare?
Under about 20 gsm, tissue is translucent and light, which suits low-cost layering; from about 22 gsm it is noticeably more opaque and tear-resistant; from about 25 gsm it begins to feel like a premium wrap. The differences are gradual, so test samples side by side with your actual products.
| Weight | How it feels | Opacity | Strength on sharp corners | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| About 14-17 g/m² | Very light, crisp rustle | Translucent, product shows through | Tears easily | Light layering, void separation, low-cost gift retail |
| About 18-20 g/m² | Light, common standard | Slightly less see-through | Fair | Apparel, accessories, general e-commerce |
| About 21-25 g/m² | Firmer, less rustle | More opaque, hides colours | Good | Boutique, gifts, jewellery, premium unboxing |
| About 26-35 g/m² | Stiff, almost wrapping-paper feel | Mostly opaque | Strong | Heavy items, food wrap by grade, presentation wraps |
These ranges are indicative. A coloured or black tissue appears more opaque than white at the same weight, because the dye absorbs light, and a white sheet of the same weight can look very different over a dark garment than over a pale one.
Why is a heavier tissue not always the better choice?
A heavier sheet costs more per sheet and takes longer to fold neatly, and beyond a point it adds little that the customer notices. The right weight is the lightest one that does the job: hides the product, survives the packing bench and the courier, and holds the print.
The cost relationship is simple. Tissue is usually priced by weight, so at the same price per kilogram, a 22 gsm sheet costs about 29 percent more than a 17 gsm sheet of the same size, because it weighs about 29 percent more. Heavier tissue also takes up more room on a pallet per sheet and weighs more in a parcel. If your parcels are charged by dimensional weight, tissue is rarely the lever, but volume per sheet still matters when you hold stock for many stores. For the sheet-per-kilogram arithmetic, see tissue paper sizes. On the other side of the ledger, very light tissue tears in the hands of a fast packer and rewraps cost time, so the cheapest sheet is not always the cheapest per packed order. Compare quotations on cost per sheet and per packed order, not per kilogram alone; the wider quote-comparison method is in packaging cost drivers.
What is the difference between MG and MF tissue paper?
MF (machine finished) tissue is matt on both sides, and MG (machine glazed) tissue has one smooth glossy side and one matt side. MF is the standard retail wrapping tissue; MG is chosen for a smoother face, a slightly firmer feel and a tidier wrap.
The glossy side of MG paper comes from drying the sheet against a large polished heated cylinder, a Yankee cylinder, on the paper machine. The smooth face resists dust and scuffs a little better and can make fine print look slightly sharper on that side, but the contact with the cylinder is a finish, not a barrier: MG tissue is not grease-resistant. In food use, MG grades are sometimes picked for sandwich or bakery wrapping because they have a cleaner surface, but whether any tissue is suitable for food contact is decided by the fibre, the inks and the supplier's compliance documents, not by the finish. For the general MG family in kraft and other weights, see packaging paper grades explained, and for grease barriers, the custom printed greaseproof paper hub.
| Property | MF tissue | MG tissue |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Matt both sides | One glossy, one matt |
| Feel | Soft, light rustle | Slightly crisper |
| Absorbs ink evenly on both sides | Glazed side holds ink on the surface; side choice matters | |
| Typical weight | Roughly 17-25 g/m² | Roughly 17-35 g/m² |
| Common use | Retail and gift wrapping | Neat wraps, deli and bakery where specified |
When should you choose acid-free tissue paper?
Choose acid-free tissue when the tissue touches items that discolour or degrade with acid, such as silver, fine textiles, photographs, artwork and leather. For ordinary apparel and gift packaging it is usually unnecessary and adds cost.
Acid-free tissue is usually made from lignin-free or very low-lignin fibre and has a neutral or slightly alkaline pH, typically around 7 or above, and some versions are buffered with an alkaline reserve to keep neutral over time. Ordinary tissue, especially from recycled or unbleached fibre, can contain lignin and can release acids that yellow other materials in storage. Acid-free is not the same as anti-tarnish. Anti-tarnish tissue is a separate product, treated to absorb sulfur compounds that tarnish silver, and it is normally supplied for that purpose only. If a customer will store the wrapped item for years, such as a christening gown or a wedding dress, specify acid-free; if it will be unwrapped within days, standard tissue is fine. State the pH or the supplier's acid-free statement in the specification rather than just the words "acid-free".
What does recycled tissue paper look like?
Recycled tissue is made partly or wholly from reclaimed paper fibre and usually has a natural grey, off-white or brownish tone, with small visible specks, and slightly less strength and brightness consistency than virgin white tissue. Many brands choose it deliberately as part of a natural look.
The speckled fibre is not a defect; it is how recycled content shows itself. Brightness varies more from batch to batch than it does in virgin bleached tissue, so a brand that needs a precise white or exact colour match generally prefers virgin fibre. Recycled fibre also affects print: the base colour shows through light inks, and small specks can show under very light tints. Recycled content claims should state the percentage and whether it is post-consumer; vague words like "eco" are covered by green-claims rules summarised in recyclable, compostable and biodegradable packaging. For food contact, recycled fibre is a question for the supplier's compliance documents, because mineral-oil residues from recycled fibre and some inks are a known risk for direct contact with food.
How does tissue weight affect printing?
Heavier tissue takes ink more evenly and shows less print through to the back of the sheet, while very light tissue shows print on both sides and wrinkles more under heavy coverage. Weight does not change the process, but it changes the margin for error.
On a 17 gsm sheet, ink soaks through easily, so a dark logo on the front can be visible from the back; on a 25 gsm sheet it is less noticeable. Light tissue also stretches and wrinkles under the tension of the printing press, which makes heavy solid coverage harder. The full explanation is in printing on tissue paper; for napkin tissue, which is lighter and creped, see 1-ply, 2-ply, 3-ply and airlaid napkins compared.
How should you choose a tissue grade and weight?
Start from the item and the customer's experience, then pick the lightest grade that covers the risks: opacity, strength, surface and storage.
| What you are wrapping | Suggested starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Folded apparel, e-commerce unboxing | White or coloured MF, about 17-22 g/m² | Economical, enough opacity in a bag or box |
| Jewellery, silver, textiles to be stored | Acid-free, about 17-25 g/m² | Protects surfaces from acid and abrasion |
| Cosmetics, candles, homeware | MF or MG, about 20-28 g/m² | Hides product shape, firmer feel |
| Bakery and deli (light wrap only) | MG or specified food-suitable grade, about 20-30 g/m² | Surface and compliance documents; not a grease barrier |
| Natural, eco-styled brand | Recycled or kraft tissue, about 20-30 g/m² | Visible recycled look; check specks against print |
Order samples at two weights, print one logo on both, and judge them folded in your own box. The grade and weight, the sheet size and the print specification then go into one request; the format is in the packaging RFQ guide. When you are ready to specify, send the grade, weight and print details to 9 Packaging; final specifications are confirmed at quotation and technical review.