Kids Fabric Choices: Best Fabrics for Children

There’s plenty to consider before you choose kids fabric. When you’re sewing something, or choosing suitable material, remember: your child isn’t a “mini me”. You have to be aware of what textile is suitable when you select kids fabric. You can actually cut the list of suitable materials by more than 50%, especially when it comes to sewing baby nursery wear.

Children have different needs and considerations, and their skin is also more sensitive. So take note before you decide on children's fabric choices, nursery fabric, toys and accessories.
The clothing fabric you choose for your child and your sewing requirements must be able to withstand wear and tear, which includes crawling, playing rough and running around. The material also needs to be soft and delicate on the skin, as many children have skin allergies that flare up in the early years.

Choose breathable materials for sewing; warm, cuddly fabrics that they can snuggle in when it’s cold outside and ones that are breathable, cool and easy to wear in summer.

•    Select natural fabric: Organic, natural fabrics are the best for children, such as children's linen and knit/wool fabrics. These are the fabrics you should use for clothing, blankets, bed or cot linen and towels for children.

•    Buy quality fabric: Of course it’s tempting to choose quantity over quality, as your children grow so quickly. But remember, you can’t compare the two: your child’s skin is delicate, so, when you shop, choose natural, quality fabrics for your shopping cart.

•    Consider comfort: Before you buy anything at a fabric shop, ensure the material is soft, hard wearing but also gentle on the skin. It should also be easy to wash and quick-drying.

•    Find out all the details: Sure, cotton thread is a great fabric children will love. But, as there are so many different types of cotton fabric, you need to find out which ones are the best.

Ask Yourself These Questions

Is the fabric breathable? Comfortable? Sustainable? Did manufacturers create the fabric from natural fibers? Those are just some of the questions you should ask before you choose. And here are a few more important questions that will tell you about material your children will enjoy:

·      Is the Fabric Suitable for the Kids' Item You're Making?

Remember: material is not only used for children's clothes, it’s also used to make their bed linen, blankets, many toys and accessories. Fabrics have certifications that indicate whether they are safe for children, are free of harmful dyes and chemicals, bleach and other allergens. 

For instance, cotton is one of the safest fabrics for children if it has the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 class 1 certificate.

This certifies that the material is safe to use on children's’ skin, even if the child is under the age of three. It’s also important to check when you view the textile label, that it’s flame retardant before you put it in your basket. 

Read our definitive guide to textile certifications here.

·      Is the Material Natural or Synthetic?

These days, thanks to modern technology, you can use a blend of natural and synthetic fabrics that won’t harm your child. For instance, we make Eco fleece material from Recycled Polyester, a fabric that is ideal for children over the age of three or four, especially if the material is blended with cotton to make it soft and warm. 

·      Is the Textile Durable? 

Children mess a lot, spill food and drink on their clothing as well as on their fabric toys and accessories. So the fabric you choose for sewing needs to be able to withstand washing as well as be hard-wearing.

Remember: Wash material items for children before they wear them.

No matter whether you’re buying fabric products or clothing, ensure you wash the item first before your child wears it. If any chemicals were used in the manufacture of the garment and are evident on the fabric, washing will get rid of many of these right away.

The 8 Best Fabrics to use for Little Ones

1.   Cotton

Many people choose cotton fabric for making children’s clothes and accessories as the textile is soft, lightweight and washing is a cinch.

This dressmaking textile is also breathable, hard wearing and dries fast, which is a blessing as you land up having to change your child’s clothes often, because of spills and energetic play.

If you have a choice, select organic fabric for your stock, as the fibre is grown without pesticides or chemicals. There are numerous organic fabrics to choose from, in different weights depending on what you want to make out of the fabric.

Popular Cotton Choices Including Poplin

Whether it’s poplin, gingham, summer voile or durable denim fabric, you’ll find the perfect textile for your needs. 

Various blends are a blend of cotton and other fibres, such as broadcloth, or poly cotton fabric. This type of material is also perfect for some child products. 

Organic Muslin is another popular 100% organic cotton material. We often use it for babies’ accessories like swaddling blankets and bibs as well as summer clothing.

Batiste is an extremely hard-wearing soft open-weave fabric. It’s also comfortable and light, perfect for nightwear and dresses.

If you wish to decorate these fabrics, select options like bias binding, eyelet material or broderie anglaise for dresses and nightwear, or use those textile choices for décor for your children.

2.   Linen

Sure, linen fabric creases, but don’t overlook this beautiful, natural fabric. It’s ideal for a range of children textile products, including clothing.

While cotton material is breathable, linen is even more so. It also helps absorbs moisture and regulates a child’s temperature, making it a perfect textile choice for summer wear. If manufacturers blend this textile with flax, it will also protect your children from the sun. 

A lightweight handkerchief linen textile is particularly breathable. It’s soft, and although it does wrinkle, we often use it for christening gowns because it’s such a light fabric. Read all about How to print on linen fabrics for some inspiration.

3.   Wool

Material made from this natural fiber is the perfect choice when you shop for brand children's clothes: the material is light, stain-resistant, sustainable, versatile and very comfortable.

Best of all, a wool textile allows air to flow and draw moisture from the skin, so children stay dry and never feel sweaty or damp. Wool fabric doesn’t lose its shape either, and it doesn’t crease or tear.

Merino wool and cashmere are popular wool fabrics for little ones, because of their softness, warmth and durability. Cashmere blankets are truly luxurious and Merino woollen knits, blankets, hats and gloves are soft and sumptuous.

4.   Bamboo

Although bamboo is a natural fibre, organically manufactured from the wood pulp of the bamboo plant, its textile production process involves chemicals that transform the pulp into a soft fabric. Consider this when you shop or before you add bamboo to your fabric wishlist.

Despite the textile being non-allergenic, many children with eczema are allergic to bamboo material because of the chemicals involved in the manufacturing process.

If your kid can wear bamboo fabric, you’ll find it’s very soft and breathable. The textile regulates temperature, so children can wear it without getting too hot. It’s also durable, mould-resistant and hypo-allergenic. 

5.   Fleece

Don’t confuse merino wool fleece with fleece fabric: they are two completely different fabrics. We often use fleece material as an alternative to wool. This synthetic knit fabric is produced from polyester; it's very soft and doesn’t fray. 

Like wool, the fabric has moisture-wicking properties and insulates the body, so it’s very warm, and is ideal for winter clothing and accessories.

Fleece material is a lot easier to wash and care for than wool fabric: you can wash it in the machine and the fabric dries quickly. It’s ideal for fabrics UK children wear for jackets and also for blankets, but don’t use this textile on babies, as it doesn’t breathe and your little one could overheat.

6.   Knits

These dressmaking fabrics set themselves apart because they are stretchy, not woven. When you print on them, the colors and designs are vibrant. You can also make them out of different fibres. For instance, we make T-shirts from knit fabrics.

Ensure you put these fabrics on your list, as they are ideal for any children’s fabrics used for clothes and accessories.

Different Types of Knits

Today there are various different types of knits,. A knit is a textile made from a variety of fibers, including wool, silk and cotton, or a blend of cotton and polyester fabric.

If it’s a blend, you’ll find the textile regulates temperature (i.e. it won’t be too hot to wear in summer and warm in winter) and is very breathable.

Jersey fabric made from cotton is medium-weight and has a four-way stretch. T-shirt jersey fabric is not as soft as the knit produced from rayon or silk.

This material withstands wear and tear, is soft, comfortable and breathable. We often use it to make T-shirts, vests, undies, babygrows, and child-friendly fabric accessories. 

 7.   Waterproof Material

Children need plenty of waterproof fabric products – for dressmaking as well as bedding, nappies, bibs, rain jackets, you name it.

We often make waterproof fabric garments and accessories by the metre and half metre. And when we do, we use Polyurethane Laminated Polyester or terry cloth fabric that has a vinyl backing. But whatever material you choose, ensure it’s breathable and comfortable. 

This is the one time when it’s best to choose a synthetic fabric that has waterproof characteristics. That’s why so many waterproof jackets for both children and adults have synthetic outer fabric layers; the fabric protects us from rain, snow, wind and cold. 

Notes on Waterproof & Water-repellent fabrics

In 2026, global regulations are now in place, banning certain fabrics that contain PFAs (usually called “forever chemicals”), which are especially harmful to children as their bodies are still developing and they are extremely sensitive to toxic additives, often reacting more strongly to these substances than adults.

In fact, in January 2026, France banned importing, manufacturing and selling clothing made from fabric that contained PFAs. Denmark had already banned these substances in clothing six months earlier, giving businesses until July 2026 to put this in place. Several US states have also banned these substances in clothing, especially for children, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota and Vermont.

So, be aware that clothing that is PFAS-free or “water-repellent without PFAS” is currently on offer to parents purchasing water-repellent garments for their kids, such as bibs and rainwear.

8.   Fast-Drying Textiles

Many fabrics that dry quickly are synthetic, as these fabrics tend to dry the fastest. Children can put on numerous outfits in the span of a day, so you often need fast-drying items, especially in winter. These textile products need to be easy to clean and dry quickly.

Of course, swimsuits for children are something you need to consider carefully. We’ve compiled a very comprehensive blog that offers The definitive guide to childrens swimsuits. Take a look before you choose fabric items for swimwear.

If you have a tumble dryer, you have a greater choice of fabrics. The reason? You can dry the clothes fast with some technological assistance. Although, be aware: tumble-drying isn’t very sustainable.

Polyester is a popular choice for children's fabric items as it’s fast drying. Sure, natural material dries quickly as well, but it’s not as warm and not necessarily as durable as its synthetic fabric counterparts.

Don’t Use These Fabrics 

We’ve mentioned great fabrics to shop for. But there are a number of not-so-great ones for children’s clothes and accessories which you should try not to include in their wardrobes. 

These include:
•    Faux fur: This material sheds, so it’s best to avoid it as children can swallow the fibers. Check the quality of fake fur on toys, especially if the child is under the age of three years.

•    Silk fabric: This delicate fabric will be ruined by children's’ rough and tumble lifestyles.

•    Vinyl: Because chemicals are used to make this plastic fabric, many children and babies are allergic to it. So it’s best to refrain from using this fabric for clothing and accessories.

Sample Our Best Textile Choices 

Here is a list of maake’s best children's fabric online options:

Cotton Textiles for your Cart

• Organic Blossom Muslin Gauze: Lightweight 100% organic double layered muslin textile which is ideal for summer clothing and accessories, as it’s certified safe for children. It’s a light, airy very versatile fabric with a double layer, which makes the fabric super absorbent and perfect for mopping up after children. Colour prints vibrantly on the white base of this plain weave fabric.

• Stretch Jersey: Buttery soft polyester-elastance jersey ideal for childrens clothing. This smooth textured knitted fabric has a four-way stretch and springs back to shape every time, is easy to sew and doesn’t fray. Colours print vibrantly and strong on its white polyester base (both print face and backing are identical, too). Certified safe for children.

• Eco Sprint Knit: With its micro-dot texture and good durability, this fabric is ideal for kids clothing, especially T-shirts and shorts. Made of 100% Recycled Polyester, it has a white base colour that prints colours strongly and vibrantly.

Add This Fleece Option

• Eco Fleece: A warm, versatile and very comfortable textile made out of 100% Recycled Polyester. It’s certified safe for children and very soft, making it ideal for blankets. In fact, you can order ready-made blankets made from this cuddly fabric on our sister website, maakeHome.

Jersey Selection      

• • Organic Jasmine Lycra Jersey: A soft, lightweight textile made out of organic lycra which is ideal for clothing for little ones, as well as T-shirts and leggings. This smooth textured knitted fabric doesn’t fray and is certified safe for children. When you print on this fabric, colours may seem lighter. They look a bit more muted than if you had printed on similar fabric made from polyester.

More Knit Choices

• • Neraki Waterproof Canvas FR: Made from 100% Polyester, this flame-resistant fabric has a water-repellent finish. The fabric feels like soft canvas. It's perfect for sewing play mats, aprons, bean bags and pets accessories because it’s a very hard wearing fabric, too. You can wipe the fabric clean, which is big plus if you have little ones, and it’s tear-resistant, another bonus. Printing on the optic white fabric base produces vibrant colours.
  • Aqua Plain Tex - PUL (Water Repellent): This lightweight 100% polyester fabric is popular for baby changing mats and lightweight, water-repellent clothing layers such as waders. The fabric has a soft, crisp handle and a smooth surface that is comfortable on the skin. Its optic white polyester base prints vibrant solid colours.
    

Printing with maake

Polyester Fabric

We use no water in our polyester fabric printing process. All the inks we use to print with meet Oeko-Tex® requirements and pass EN71-3 certification.

Cotton Material

We print these natural materials or fabric blends in one of the most eco-friendly ways possible. And we use Digital Pigment inks to print with.

At maake, we use a printing process for these textiles that requires no water. It also uses around 95% less energy than traditional screen printing on fabric.

Let's get Creative 

Design your own fabric 

Once you’ve created your fabric design, maake’s process is easy:

1. Select the file and upload…
2. Confirm copyright is yours
3. Your fabric design is ready to upload and be printed on fabric.

Choosing one of our Designs Instead?

How to use our innovative Colour Atlas for material:

Read all about this innovative fabric printing tool right here.

Get creative and order your Colour Atlas now before you start printing on fabric!