Salaam, hi, merhaba and welcome to Lullaby Bloom’s first ever Blog! 

If you're a parent wondering what fabrics are best for baby clothes, you're in the right place! I'm Nad, a first time mum to a little lovely boy (mashallah!).

I lovingly set up my own little Organic Cotton baby clothing company in Dubai, Lullaby Bloom, with one mission: to make baby clothing easy for us parents to use, without compromising on safety, comfort, or sustainability.

So last year was when it all happened, I became a mum to my little boy! I was so excited and also petrified at the same time! Seeing as I was a newbie to all of this, that’s when I started looking into how to dress my baby so that they’re in the softest, comfiest, super safe, non irritating, suitable for UAE weather, kind to the environment and growers, and of course - as cute as pie clothing!

I spent many a hour reading lots of different website, blogs and articles about the most popular baby fabrics - Organic Cotton, Cotton, Bamboo, Linen vs Synthetics (mind blown).

In this Guide, I’ll run through 4 Key Things to look for in Baby Clothing; Softness, Skin sensitivity safety, Breathability, and Sustainability.

And compare the top 3 most popular baby clothing fabrics; Organic Cotton, Cotton and Bamboo Viscose. 

4 KEY THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN BABY CLOTHING

Our little newborns have delicate skin, and what they wear is important. Whether you're shopping for your newborn or choosing a baby shower gift, here are some useful tips on 4 Key Things to look out for: 

1) Softness:

It’s really important to find a fabric that is oh so soft and gentle against our baby’s delicate skin, no itchy or scratchy fabric please!  

Look out for: 

Clothing with no printed labels - heat transfer labels are itch free!

2) Safe for Sensitive Skin:

Skin irritation and baby eczema are more common than you think. Baby clothing material which is treated with chemicals, or that use toxic dyes can cause flare-ups or redness in our little ones. 

Look out for: 

• OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 - Certifies that that the fabric has been tested for over 100 harmful substances (like formaldehyde - usually used to make fabrics wrinkle free, azo dyes - synthetic dyes, and heavy metals which can be found in some dyes) and found to be perfectly safe for baby’s sensitive skin.
• Hypo-allergenic materials are great - like Organic Cotton, Bamboo Viscose (when safely processed), and undyed, unbleached natural fabrics.)
  
  

3) Nice and Breathable:

Breathable fabric helps to keep your baby cool, dry and comfortable, especially helpful for babies living in warm UAE and other GCC countries!

Look out for: 

• Light, natural materials - like Organic Cotton or muslin
• Fabrics which pull moisture away from the skin like TENCEL Lyocell 
  
  

4) Sustainability impact of the fabric:

Having worked in the Sustainability sector for 15 years this was something important to me, knowing that the fabric I invest in for my son and other little cuties is also an investment in their long term future on this Earth!

Look out for: 

• GOTS® - The Global Organic Textile Standard is the world’s leading certification for Organic textiles, meaning that the Organic fibres are grown with no toxic chemicals or pesticides, and the workers have fair, ethical working conditions – kinder to the environment and people.
• amfori BSCI® - amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) helps to ensure that the people making our clothes are treated fairly, with safe workplaces, fair pay, and no child labour involved.
• TENCEL Lyocell Fabric - This type of fabric is a more sustainable option compared to Bamboo Viscose. It’s made from Wood pulp from sustainably managed forests and plantations, where over 99.8% of the solvent chemicals are captured and re-used, so nearly 0% solvent waste. Though it’s not organic, as chemicals are always needed to convert the wood to fibre, the material can be Certified through:
• OEKO-TEX® Standard 100: which checks that the final fabric is free from over 100 harmful substances
• FSC®: for wood pulp from responsibly managed forests or plantations
  

TOP 3 BABY-FRIENDLY FABRICS COMPARED

ORGANIC COTTON

What is it?: Organic Cotton is a soft, fluffy natural fibre obtained from the cotton plant, which is grown naturally without man-made pesticides, fertilisers, or toxic chemicals. This helps to keep rivers, lakes, and soil cleaner, since no nasty chemicals are used on the cotton crops. Also, Organic Cotton generally uses less water to grow as they grow with rain water rather than heavy irrigation systems that can waste water.

• ✓ Softness -  Lovely and soft and gentle.
• ✓ Safe for Sensitive Skin / Eczema - Excellent – hypo-allergenic and chemical and toxin-free.
• ✓ Breathability - Great airflow, suitable for all seasons.
• ✓ Sustainability Impact - Doesn’t use harmful artificial pesticides and fertilisers, and so it keeps water sources cleaner, and uses less water to grow than normal cotton.
  
  

Other Advantages : 

• Durability - Strong and long-lasting. 
• Care - Easy to wash and dry.
• Certifications – GOTS® and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Certified options available. 
  
  

COTTON

• What is it?: Cotton is a soft, fluffy natural fibre obtained from the cotton plant.
• ✓ Softness - Lovely and soft and gentle.
• ⚠ Safe for Sensitive Skin / Eczema -️ Cotton is generally safe for sensitive skin and eczema, especially when it’s 100% pure, untreated, and free from harsh chemicals or dyes. Though it can sometimes cause irritation on sensitive skin, especially if it’s treated with chemicals like formaldehyde or azo dyes when being made.
• ✓ Breathability  -Great airflow, suitable for all seasons.
• ❌Sustainability Impact - Normal cotton is one of the most water-intensive crops in the World, and the man-made fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides can cause water pollution and damage the soil. Formaldehyde or azo dyes used during fabric treatments can sadly cause skin irritation, or breathing problems for the workers if they’re not working in fair, ethical working conditions.
  
  

Other Advantages : 

• Durability - Strong and long-lasting. 
• Care - Easy to wash and dry.
• Affordable – Usually priced cheaper and easy to find in shops.
  

BAMBOO VISCOSE

What is it? - Bamboo Viscose is a semi-synthetic fiber made from Bamboo pulp, which is then chemical processes into a fabric. Bamboo Viscose is just another name for rayon made from Bamboo.

• ✓ Softness – Super soft and silky.
• ⚠ Safe for Sensitive Skin / Eczema -️ Naturally hypo-allergenic and antibacterial, but can be irritating depending on how it’s been processed, as chemicals such as sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), carbon disulphide, and sulphuric acid are used to break down the Bamboo.
• ✓ Breathability  - Lightweight and airy.
• ⚠ Sustainability Impact - Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth. Bamboo Viscose is made from Bamboo using chemicals to break down the Bamboo into fibre. If not properly treated, these chemicals can pollute water sources and may be harmful to workers, especially if they’re not working under ethical working conditions with safety standards.
  

Bamboo cannot be certified Organic, even if it's grown without man-made pesticides, because the process of turning it into fibre always requires a chemical treatment.

However, there is a more sustainable option: TENCEL Lyocell, which uses a closed-loop system that captures and reuses over 99% of the solvents, making it a more eco-friendly alternative to Bamboo Viscose.

Other Advantages : 

• Durability - Strong and long-lasting. 
• Care - Easy to wash and dry.
• Anti-bacterial and can be moisture absorbing if not lost during chemical processing from bamboo pulp to fibre.
  
  

FINALLY....

So, what is the best fabric for baby clothes? (Drum roll….) My top choice is …. surprise!.... ORGANIC COTTON! 

It’s soft, safe, breathable, and better for the planet - and for the people who grow the cotton. That’s why, at Lullaby Bloom, we’ve chosen certified Organic Cotton for all our baby clothing: gentle on delicate skin, and made to the highest standards.

Bamboo has great moisture absorbing qualities, and that why we have used them with Organic Cotton also in our Bibs and Muslin cloths to soak up all of that baby dribble!

If you're looking for baby clothing that’s Safe, Smart and Sustainable - you’ll love what we’re creating at Lullaby Bloom. 💚