When choosing knitted clothes for babies, parents are often overwhelmed by keywords like "soft," "breathable," and "safe" — two seemingly similar knitted garments can differ drastically: one may pill and deform after a few wears, while the other might even cause redness on the baby’s skin. In fact, choosing the right baby knitted fabrics follows a clear set of rules. From safety standards to craftsmanship details, as long as you follow these 5 steps, you can avoid pitfalls like "toxic fabrics" and "poor quality," and select knitted clothes that are both safe and comfortable for your baby.
When choosing knitted fabrics for babies, safety always comes first, and the core of judging safety lies in "standard certification." Many parents only focus on "100% cotton" or "softness" but overlook whether the fabric meets the special safety standards for baby textiles — this is where mistakes often happen.China has a clear mandatory standard for baby textiles: GB 31701-2015 "Safety Technical Code for Infants and Children's Textile Products", which classifies baby textiles into three categories: A, B, and C:
Class A: Specifically for infants aged 36 months and below. It has the strictest restrictions on harmful substances such as formaldehyde, fluorescent brighteners, and azo dyes that can decompose into carcinogenic aromatic amines (e.g., formaldehyde content ≤ 20mg/kg, far lower than the 75mg/kg standard for adult clothing). It must be labeled "Infant Products" and serves as the "safety baseline" for baby knitted fabrics.
Class B: Suitable for children's textile products that come into direct contact with the skin (e.g., T-shirts for children over 7 years old). Its safety requirements are slightly lower than Class A, so it is not suitable for close-fitting wear by young infants.
Class C: For products that do not come into direct contact with the skin (e.g., children's outerwear, curtains). It has the lowest safety standards and should never be used to make close-fitting knitted clothes for babies (such as onesies or underwear).
In addition to national standards, for imported knitted fabrics, you can prioritize those with OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification. This certification covers testing for over 100 harmful substances and controls the entire process from cultivation to production. For example, the "Class 1" level is specifically for infants, ensuring even higher safety.Pitfall Alert: Do not trust verbal claims of "baby-specific." Always check the label — if a knitted fabric does not have "Class A" or the corresponding international certification, do not buy it, no matter how soft it is.
80% of the comfort of knitted fabrics depends on the material. A baby’s skin is delicate and easily irritated by chemical fibers, so when selecting materials, remember the principle of "natural fibers first, blended fibers as a supplement":
Combed Cotton Knit: The most classic material for baby knitted fabrics. The combing process removes short fibers and impurities from cotton, resulting in a finer, softer fabric that is resistant to pilling. It is moisture-absorbent and breathable, so it does not cause sweating when worn in spring and autumn, and keeps warm when worn close to the skin in winter. It is suitable for making baby onesies, pajamas, and rompers.
Organic Cotton Knit: A better choice than regular combed cotton. Organic cotton is grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and no chemical additives are used during production. It is more friendly to babies with sensitive skin or allergies (e.g., those prone to eczema). However, it is slightly more expensive — when purchasing, look for the "GOTS Organic Certification" (organic content ≥ 95%).
Bamboo Fiber Knit: A "cooling essential" for summer. Bamboo fiber has a natural cooling effect, is about 30% more breathable than cotton, and absorbs and dries sweat quickly, preventing heat rashes on babies in summer. However, be sure to choose "sustainable bamboo fiber" (e.g., with BPI biodegradation certification) to avoid chemical residues in low-quality bamboo fiber.
Modal Knit: The "softness champion." Modal is made from natural wood pulp and has a smoother texture than cotton, feeling like a "second skin" when worn close to the body. It is suitable for making baby underwear and bibs. However, pure modal knitted fabrics have slightly poor elasticity and are prone to deformation after washing. It is recommended to choose blended styles with "95% modal + 5% spandex" to balance softness and elasticity.
Chemical fiber knitted fabrics such as pure polyester, acrylic, and nylon are cheap and brightly colored, but they have poor breathability and easily generate static electricity. Wearing them for a long time can cause dry skin, itching, and even allergies in babies. If the label says "100% polyester fiber," reject it immediately; if it is a "cotton + chemical fiber" blend, the chemical fiber content should not exceed 10% (e.g., 95% cotton + 5% spandex is reasonable, as spandex is used to increase elasticity).
Even for natural fiber knitted fabrics, different weaves make them suitable for completely different scenarios. Many parents think "thicker means warmer" but ignore that thick fabrics may lack breathability, causing babies to sweat and catch cold instead. There are two main types of weaves for baby knitted fabrics — choose according to your needs:
Jersey is a single-sided knit, with stitch patterns on only one side of the fabric. It is lightweight and has many air vents, acting like a "breathable vest" for babies. It is suitable for making short-sleeve onesies, thin pajamas in summer, or close-fitting underwear in spring and autumn. It is especially ideal for babies who are sensitive to heat and sweat a lot. However, jersey has poor warmth retention and can only be worn as an inner layer in winter, as wearing it alone will make babies cold.
Interlock is a double-sided knit, with symmetrical rib patterns on both sides of the fabric. It has a dense structure and small air pockets in the middle, like wrapping the baby in a "lightweight warm blanket." It has better warmth retention than jersey, strong elasticity, and is resistant to deformation. It is suitable for making long-sleeve rompers, thick pajamas, and outer jackets in autumn and winter. However, interlock is slightly less breathable and will feel stuffy when worn in summer, so do not choose it for the wrong season.
Tip: It’s easy to distinguish the weave — check if both sides of the fabric are the same: single-sided jersey has "patterns on one side and a flat surface on the other," while double-sided interlock has "symmetrical patterns on both sides."
Many parents only check if the knitted fabric is "soft on the surface" but overlook craftsmanship details — yet these details are key to affecting comfort and safety:
The skin on a baby’s neck, armpits, and ankles is particularly thin. The "seam bones" (seams with hard stitches) of ordinary knitted clothes can easily rub against the skin, causing redness and rashes. High-quality baby knitted fabrics use "seamless stitching" technology, where the seams are smooth and soft without raised stitches, so there is no foreign body sensation when worn close to the skin.
Hold the knitted fabric up to the light. If you can see obvious "large holes," the density is too low — it will be easy to snag and deform, and become loose after a few wears. On the other hand, if the light transmission is uniform and the holes are small, the density is moderate, ensuring both breathability and durability. For example, for baby’s close-fitting underwear, it is recommended to choose knitted fabrics with a weight of 160-180g/m², which has just the right density.
Gently rub your fingernail against the surface of the knitted fabric 10 times. If there is no obvious fuzzing or snagging, the fabric has good anti-pilling performance; if it fuzzes with one rub, it will likely pill after a few wears, and the baby may accidentally ingest the fluff when scratching. (Note: Slight pilling of natural cotton knitted fabrics is normal, as long as it is not severe and the fluff does not fall off easily.)
If a new knitted fabric has a pungent "chemical smell" or "moldy smell," it may contain residual harmful substances such as formaldehyde or dyes; if it only has a faint "cotton scent" or no odor at all, it meets safety standards. Always smell the fabric when you get it — return or exchange it immediately if there is an odor.
Even if you choose the right knitted fabric, do not put new clothes on your baby directly — during production, the fabric may retain loose fibers, dye residues, or dust, so a "final cleaning" is necessary:
Use baby-specific laundry detergent (phosphate-free and fluorescent brightener-free), control the water temperature below 30°C, and wash gently by hand or use the "baby mode" on the washing machine. Avoid vigorous rubbing to prevent fabric deformation.
Air-dry naturally after washing — do not expose to direct sunlight (sunlight will make cotton knitted fabrics hard and fade). After drying, gently pat the fabric to remove residual loose fibers.
If the knitted fabric shrinks significantly (shrinkage rate exceeding 5%), deforms, or fades after the first wash, it means the quality is unqualified — do not let the baby wear it.
Check Class A for safety, choose natural materials, match the weave to the season, and inspect craftsmanship details.In fact, there is no need to pursue "high-priced" options when choosing baby knitted fabrics. As long as you check each step one by one, you can select safe, comfortable, and durable styles even from affordable products. After all, for a baby, a knitted garment that "does not cause sweating, does not rub, and has no irritation" is the best care; for parents, choosing the right fabric without mistakes allows you to feel more at ease as you watch your baby play freely and grow comfortably.
