If you are a purchaser or manufacturer of a coffee brand paperboard cup or glass, you might be unfamiliar with the thickness of a paper cup.
This is because we rarely see any paper cup supplier clearly stating their cups’ thickness. More often, they provide a concept called basis weight GSM.
Today, we will try to define the thickness of a paper cup based on this concept.
Generally, we understand the thickness of a paper cup to be measured in millimeters (mm). However, paper cup specifications often use the concept of basis weight.
What is basis weight?
Basis weight refers to the weight of a sheet of paper in grams per square meter (g/m²). It is clear that the higher the basis weight, the thicker the paper, and vice versa. Now, we might wonder, what is the proportional relationship between basis weight and the thickness of a paper cup? Let’s explore this.
Paper has a property called bulk, which indicates its thickness and can also be referred to as paper density. Generally, the density of paper ranges from 1.3 to 1.6. For our calculations, we will use an average value of 1.4.
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How to Calculate GSM of Paper?
For example, if a sheet of paper has a basis weight of 245 g/m², what would its thickness be? The answer is 245*1.4 = 343 µm or 0.343 mm. This means that if a paper cup is made from paper with a basis weight of 245 g/m², the thickness of the cup’s body should be approximately 0.343 mm.
What GSM is general used for paper cups?
Given that paper cups come in various sizes and structures, the basis weight needed to achieve the desired thickness may vary. Therefore, we have provided a general reference for the basis weight of different paper cups：
| Style | GSM (g/m²) | Thickness(mm) |
| 2.5 oz espresso disposable paper cup | 170 | 0.238 |
| 4 oz coffee disposable paper cup | 190 | 0.266 |
| 5 oz plain white paper cup | 190 | 0.266 |
| 6 oz cafe coffee paper cup | 190 | 0.266 |
| 6.5 oz coffee to go paper cup | 210 | 0.294 |
| 7 oz coffee vending paper cup | 210 | 0.294 |
| 8 oz B coffee disposable paper cup | 210 | 0.294 |
| 8 oz hot disposable paper cup | 280 | 0.392 |
| 10 oz hot disposable paper cup | 300 | 0.420 |
| 12 oz hot disposable paper cup | 300 | 0.420 |
| 16 oz hot disposable paper cup | 300 | 0.420 |
| 20 oz hot disposable paper cup | 320 | 0.448 |
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