Wool and Leather Weight (in oz.)

[Philalethes]

What does it mean, for example, to say that a wool jacket is 24 oz.?

I can't find the post I am thinking of, but I saw a post earlier on leather weight, which said that 3.0 oz. leather means that the leather weighs 3.0 oz per some square measurement (I am tempted to say per square foot, but that seems too light). Another post says that the oz. designation measures thickness (not weight). Which is right?

Now I have never owned heavy horsehide, but from what everyone says, I have the impression that 4.0 oz. horsehide is way heavier than 24 oz. wool. If I am right, what explains this?

 

[TheBeak]

I was curious so I did a little looking and came up with this: Ounces are also used to express the "weight", or more accurately density, of a textile fabric in North America, Asia or the UK, as in "16 oz denim". The number refers to the weight in ounces of a given amount of fabric, either a yard of a given width, or a square yard. Same sort of thing for leather, but they are not equal measures that I can tell.

http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/fabric_weight_and_conversions/

http://www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/conversions.html

 

[Jack Burton]

Fabric weights are generally given per square yard.

I believe leather weights are given per square foot. From that people then roughly equate the given weight to a certain thickness.

 

[Philalethes]

Thank you both for the helpful replies.