Buyers compare dog coats on photos; experienced buyers compare them on the spec sheet. Here is how to read ours, and how to explain the numbers to your own customers.
Fabric weight (gsm)
Grams per square metre measures how much fabric there is per unit area. It is a proxy for warmth and durability, not a guarantee of either:
- 120–160 gsm — lightweight tees, tanks, summer and indoor pieces. Breathable, packs small.
- 180–260 gsm — mid-weight shells, softshells, standard hoodies. Three-season workhorses.
- 280–340 gsm — fleece and knitwear. This is where genuine cold-weather warmth starts; a fleece under ~280 gsm is a fashion layer, not a winter layer.
- 400 gsm+ — teddy/sherpa and heavy coats for small dogs in real cold.
Waterproof rating (WR, in mm)
Hydrostatic-head rating in millimetres tells you how much water pressure the fabric resists before leaking:
- DWR / water-repellent — sheds light drizzle for a short time. Fine for a quick walk, not for rain.
- WR 2000–3000 mm — real rain for a normal walk.
- WR 5000 mm — sustained wet weather, windproof.
- WR 8000–10000 mm (taped seams) — downpours, working dogs, long exposure.
Warmth ratings and layering
We quote a comfort temperature (e.g. "rated to −5 °C") based on construction — fill weight, lining, coverage. But the cold-climate answer is layering, the same logic humans use: a breathable cotton or bamboo base next to the skin, a fleece mid-layer to trap air, and a windproof/waterproof shell outside. A well-layered lighter coat often beats one heavy coat, and it gives your customer three SKUs instead of one.
Materials we commonly build with
Recycled polyester taffeta, 210D nylon oxford, cotton-poly fleece, acrylic cable knit, organic cotton jersey, down-alternative baffle, PU-coated ripstop, bamboo-viscose blend and sherpa-faced knit. Eco-conscious buyers increasingly ask for recycled or organic content — we can quote both and provide material composition declarations.