What Is the Difference Between Muslin and Regular Cotton for Baby Clothes?

The short answer: muslin and "regular" baby cotton are usually the same fiber, cotton, built two different ways. Muslin is woven in a light, open plain weave. Most onesies and tees are knitted cotton (jersey or interlock), which stretches and feels denser. Neither is better across the board. They suit different jobs.

Muslin vs. knit cotton at a glance

• Construction: muslin is a woven plain weave. Knit cotton is interlocking loops of yarn.
• Feel: muslin is light and airy, with a slight crispness when new. Knit cotton is smooth, stretchy and more substantial.
• Stretch: muslin has very little, so it's cut looser. Knit cotton has give, so it can fit closer.
• Weight: muslin is thin, and a large square folds small. Knit cotton is heavier per garment.
• Typical uses: muslin suits swaddles, burp cloths, bibs, towels and loose warm-weather sets. Knit cotton suits onesies, tees, sweatshirts, joggers and fitted everyday wear.
• Care: both wash easily. Muslin's open weave can snag on zippers and hook-and-loop fasteners, so a mesh laundry bag helps.

When to choose muslin

Reach for muslin when you want something light and loose: wraps, cloths, and relaxed shirts, shorts and dresses for warm days. Because the weave is open, a single layer lets air move through it instead of sitting like a thick layer. Because it barely stretches, muslin clothing is cut with room to move.

When to choose knit cotton

Knit cotton is the everyday workhorse. The stretch makes it easy to pull over a wriggling baby's head, snap closed and crawl in. Denser knits and fleece-backed cotton are also what you'll want in a cold-weather layer. A good pack of cotton onesies covers most days.

So what is mulmul?

Mulmul is a named variety of fine muslin with a long history of weaving in India, where it has been used in homes and for babies for generations. Most muslin sold in the US is just labeled "cotton muslin," with no variety and no origin. We name ours because the name tells you what the cloth is and where it comes from.

A quick glossary

• Plain weave: the simplest weave, one thread over and one under.
• Jersey: a single-knit cotton, light and stretchy. Used for tees and onesies.
• Interlock: a double-knit cotton, smoother and thicker than jersey.
• Fiber content: what the yarn is made of, printed on the care label. "100% cotton" means one fiber, never a blend.
• Certification: a third-party standard a brand may choose to meet. A genuine one names the certifying body and a license number you can check. We don't hold an organic certificate, so we don't claim one.

How MulmulBaby uses both

Our muslin line, including swaddles, burp cloths and towels, is mulmul muslin, woven in India, one fiber, never a blend. Our cotton basics are exactly that: cotton, labeled as cotton. You can browse both in Baby Essentials and Infant (NB–2 Years).