How to Choose Fabric for Baby Clothes: A Guide to 9 Common Materials

When it comes to buying clothes for your baby, what matters most, aside from how cute they look, is safety and comfort.

Back when I was still pregnant, experienced parents advised me that pure cotton is the best for baby clothes—soft and breathable. I’ve kept that advice close to heart ever since.

But as my child grew and technology advanced, I noticed that the market has seen an influx of new fabrics in recent years, such as lyocell fiber, bamboo cotton, and modal. These materials are increasingly used in children’s clothing, giving parents more options.

So, what is the best fabric for baby clothes? After doing some thorough research, I’m here to break down nine common fabrics available on the market.

Before diving in, let me first categorize them.

Now, let’s go through them one by one.

1. Cotton

This is the most familiar option.
Pure cotton fabric is highly breathable and moisture-absorbent, rarely causes allergies, doesn’t generate static electricity in dry seasons, and doesn’t pill easily after prolonged wear. It’s ideal for making close-fitting baby clothing.

However, fabric must contain at least 95% cotton to be labeled as pure cotton. If you check clothing tags carefully, you’ll often find that many garments aren’t 100% cotton.

Why is that?

The reason is that cotton, as a natural fabric, has its own drawbacks—it wrinkles and fades easily, shrinks when washed, and, due to its moisture-absorbing properties, can harbor bacteria.

To address these issues, many cotton products now incorporate synthetic fibers. For example, cotton blended with spandex enhances elasticity, cotton blended with bamboo fiber improves antibacterial properties, and cotton blended with lyocell fiber gives the fabric a smoother feel.

Overall, pure cotton or cotton-blend fabrics are still very baby-friendly.

2. Linen

Linen has excellent heat dissipation, breathability, and drape, making it look ethereal on adults.

However, it also has drawbacks—it wrinkles easily, lacks elasticity, and has a rough texture (uncomfortable against the skin).

For active babies with delicate skin, linen is not suitable, as it can feel too “prickly against their tender skin.”

3. Bamboo Fiber

As the name suggests, bamboo fiber is extracted from bamboo, with moso bamboo fiber being the best due to its high biodegradability, making it particularly eco-friendly.

Bamboo fiber offers clear advantages: it is as breathable and moisture-absorbent as pure cotton while also being naturally antibacterial, antimicrobial, mite-resistant, and odor-resistant. It doesn’t shrink or pill.

Therefore, both pure bamboo fiber and bamboo cotton (a blend of cotton and bamboo fiber) are great choices for babies.

4. Wool

Wool offers excellent warmth, breathability, and softness. Aside from being expensive and somewhat tricky to wash, it has no major flaws.

However, some babies may be allergic to wool. If it’s your first time trying this fabric for your child, keep a close eye on their reaction.

5. Polyester

Polyester, also known as polyester fiber, boasts strong wrinkle resistance, elasticity, and shape retention.

When blended with cotton, linen, silk, wool, or other synthetic fibers, polyester enhances these properties.

However, it is not very breathable, so it’s not recommended for babies in hot weather.

6. Nylon

Nylon, also known as polyamide fiber, excels at sweat absorption and moisture wicking, making it a good choice for quick-dry clothing or sleepwear.

Blends like nylon and spandex are also common, offering quick-drying properties while maintaining good elasticity and smoothness.

7. Modal

This name is likely familiar to many. It originated in Europe and is made from the pulp of European shrubs through a specialized spinning process.

Its characteristics include softness, smoothness, coolness, and breathability. Its downside is directly related to its upside: it’s so soft that it lacks structure.

Modal is often used in baby clothing like vests and underwear, as it feels very comfortable against the skin.

8. Lyocell Fiber

Lyocell is skin-friendly, has a good luster, and, like modal, offers a cool feel, making it ideal for summer clothing. It’s very comfortable to wear.

9. Tencel

A recently popular eco-friendly fabric, Tencel is soft, smooth, and comfortable, and it doesn’t generate static electricity easily. It’s also well-suited for babies.

After reading through this, you might have noticed that different seasons and functions call for different fabrics. Some are better for winter, some for summer; some are ideal for outerwear, others for innerwear. So, it’s hard to pinpoint one fabric as the absolute best. Ultimately, it comes down to “choosing based on needs.” However, one principle remains crucial: the material must meet the “GB 31701-2015” standard. After all, when it comes to clothing for babies, safety is non-negotiable.