The Right Material For Baby Clothes

It can be very easy to spend too much money on baby clothes. This is especially the case since so many cheaper outfits made out of less-expensive materials are becoming more readily available.

This is a cause for concern, and it brings up a very important issue. That is, you should find the kinds of materials that are best to use on your baby so that your baby is as comfortable as possible.

A Short Guide

Almost always cotton is recommended over synthetic fibers. Certain fabrics such as polyester are often irritating to the skin, while cotton usually is not.

Wool also is a good choice. However, wool directly on the skin could itch. Therefore, if you choose fabrics made of wool it is advised that you make sure they are lined.

Part of the reason that certain synthetic fabrics are more allergenic is because of the chemicals used to make them. The cotton ones on the other hand are made with less chemical ingredients.

As far as the color in children’s clothing, the safest would be those that are dyed using gentle ingredients and gentle dying practices. Avoid clothing made with certain kinds of coloring that have toxic ingredients in them.

Cotton is also considered a best choice for one other main reason. It causes less of a fire hazard than other types of clothes, and that is mainly because less toxic chemicals are used to make it.

However, sometimes you can find garments that are made of either a cotton/polyester or cotton/spandex blend. These are often chosen because they require less ironing or cleaning than other materials such as linen, cashmere, or hand-knit clothes.

All around the general rule of thumb is that any piece of clothing with cotton in it is the most comfortable for the baby. Anything else could be too slippery or too irritating.

Clothing Safety Tips

In addition to the types of materials you would use, it helps to have additional standards set regarding the safety of clothing. One helpful hint is to avoid using clothing with drawstrings if you can.

Otherwise, if it really is the in style to have drawstrings then make sure you teach your child how to secure them tightly. However, for babies and toddlers they are most often not recommended.

Alternatives to drawstrings include snaps, buttons, Velcro, or elastic. For babies, it seems that the one-piece outfits with snaps are the easiest to use. They also are the safest because they are the fastest to remove.

As far as flame-resistant clothing standards, you can find out more about this in explanations of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. You may also want to consider reading more about organic fabrics, as they are in some ways said to be safer.

You should also be careful about putting clothing on your baby that has too many extra pieces of trim on it. For instance, fancy fake fur, sequins, or any other trim that could be easily torn off could cause a baby to choke. Avoid this whenever possible.