U.S. paper is traditionally sold by pound weight (#), which varies by paper category in a way that trips up anyone ordering internationally for the first time — 80# text and 80# cover are not the same thickness.
GSM sidesteps that ambiguity: it's grams per square meter, regardless of category. It's why every spec on this site is quoted in gsm first.
As a rough anchor: 90–110gsm covers most magazine interiors, 120–130gsm reads as a noticeably more premium page, and 250–300gsm is the standard range for a perfect- or saddle-bound cover.
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