Muslin vs waffle vs terry for baby textiles
How the three most common baby-textile fabrics differ, and which products each suits: swaddles, blankets, bibs and burp cloths.
Written by the Olyo team. Updated .
Muslin is light, airy cotton gauze for swaddles, burp cloths and summer blankets. Waffle cotton has a honeycomb texture that is light but warm, for blankets and wraps. Terry has absorbent loops for bib and burp-cloth backs. We manufacture all three to order.
Comparison
| Muslin | Waffle | Terry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | Open plain weave (gauze), often layered | Honeycomb weave | Looped pile |
| Feel | Light, soft, crinkles after washing | Textured, light, warm | Plush, absorbent |
| Best for | Swaddles, burp cloths, light blankets | Blankets and wraps | Bib and burp-cloth backing, blankets |
| Key specification | Number of layers | Weight and wash stability | Weight (GSM) |
Shrinkage and sizing
All three are cotton and can shrink on the first wash. For private label, agree whether fabric is pre-washed and state the finished size after washing on your specification.
Combining fabrics
Burp cloths and bibs with a muslin front and a terry back combine a soft surface with absorbency.