The 7 Best Organic Cotton Swaddle Blankets in 2024
This guide will explore what a swaddle blanket is, why choosing organic fabric is important, introduce a few small businesses crafting sustainable swaddle blankets and share a few tips for swaddling your baby!
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A swaddle blanket is a soft and lightweight blanket wrapped snugly around a baby’s body. It can calm them, while also aiding sleep and prevent your baby's arms and and startle reflex from jarring them awake.
There are often different sizes available to make sure you get the right size for your baby to have a perfect fit without extra fabric.
These are usually thinner, larger, and may be made with winged sides, loop fasteners, or closures to help with wrapping and tucking of your swaddling technique.
But as long as you are swaddling your baby properly and following safe sleep practices according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you can use either.
Why is Organic Cotton a Good Choice for a Swaddle Blanket?
If you’d like a deep dive on choosing organic cotton for babies we have a special guide! Or you can read our quick points below!
Organic materials are gentle on the skin
Keep in mind that a baby’s skin is thinner and more sensitive, making it more susceptible to chemical irritation.
This makes organic options like organic cotton a safer choice, because the cotton is grown without the use of the harsh chemicals found in synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, preventing residue from lingering on the fabric and affecting your baby’s delicate skin.
This also ensures a safer environment for the farmers and surrounding communities as they're exposed to less harmful materials than with conventionally grown cotton.
Safer for babies
Organic materials production minimizes or eliminates the use of harsh chemicals. It seeks safer alternatives or avoids the use of toxic treatments and finishes such as bleach and dyes, especially synthetic varieties like azo dyes.
Bleached and dyed products can irritate skin and may contain heavy metals that can potentially accumulate in the liver or kidney.
Allergy Standards reports that in 2003 the EU banned azo dyes that could release one or more of the 22 most dangerous aromatic amines; in the United States these dyes are only banned in the state of California.
Definitely an interesting fact to consider when choosing fabrics for your children.
Not only are these harsh substances bad for your baby, but for the planet too because textile manufacturers that don’t treat or recycle their wastewater, merely dump it into surrounding waterways affecting aquatic life and surrounding communities.
Look for brands using safe, eco-friendly dyes.
7 Best Organic Cotton Swaddle Blankets to Try
Whether you're looking for more of a sleep sack, wearable blanket or a more traditional swaddling blanket, these are 7 of the best swaddle blankets for new parents to try on their newborn baby.
Discover cute designs, sustainable materials, and high quality, so that you can confidently wrap up your baby like a little burrito.
Colored Organics Fun Print Swaddles
From babies to 6-year-olds, clothes to toys, Colored Organics is focused on organic, ethical fashion and accessories that are good for your little ones.
Along with bodysuits, bibs, and burp cloths – and lots more – they offer swaddle blankets made from organic jersey cotton.
Colored Organics uses azo-free and heavy metal-free, water-based dyes for their organic cotton that is made without harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and flame retardants.
Made in GOTS-certified, sweatshop-free facilities, they ensure zero child labor, safe working conditions, capped hours, and fair wages.
Colored Organics swaddle can be purchased for $26 and offers adorable prints on the fabric. That makes this swaddle a great gift for new moms!
Passion Lilie's Colorful Organic Swaddles
Using 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, Passion Lilie’s swaddle blankets are hand-screen printed.
There are also clothes and bibs perfect for babies, but Passion Lilie allows parents to place sustainable and ethical items in their closets too, thanks to a range of dresses, jumpsuits, and sarongs, as well as men’s button-down shirts and shorts.
These are made with natural fibers and non-toxic dyes. These fair trade swaddles can be purchased for $26.
Malabar Baby Swaddles Made with Organic Muslin Cotton
Focused on small batch production and thoughtful design, Malabar Baby was founded to provide parents with safe, eco-friendly, high-quality baby products.
Combining natural Indian cotton fabrics with traditional artisanal craftsmanship, they make bedding, towels, bathrobes, and swaddle blankets, along with toys and clothes.
Made from GOTS-certified organic muslin cotton, Malabar Baby’s swaddle blanket can also be used as a stroller cover, burp cloth, and changing pad cover.
There’s also the bamboo pom pom swaddle for an extra luxurious touch, made from bamboo and cotton. It’s super silky to the touch but still breathable. These swaddles can be purchased for $18-$24.
Blaynk’s Undyed Cotton Swaddle Blanket
Offering baby bibs, burp cloths, crib sheets, and swaddle blankets, Blaynk was started in an effort to provide quality textiles made in a way that’s good for babies and the planet. Their products are made from 100% organic cotton and are free from dye and bleach.
Blaynk’s their manufacturing is powered by wind energy, fabrics are processed using rainwater, and their GOTS-certified factories are equipped with a treatment plant that recycles 99% of their water.
Balynk's natural undyed organic swaddle can be purchased for around $29.
Pehr Whimsical Designs
Pehr has a fantastic range of organic clothing that even includes swimsuits and ponchos. Their swaddle blankets are made from organic cotton and come in a variety of whimsical designs that are hand-screen printed using natural dyes and treatments.
Pehr is also making their packaging more eco-friendly and sustainable. They no longer use vinyl in their packaging and have started using drawstring fabric bags made from excess fabric. These bags are great for repurposing in everyday life.
Pehr's swaddles can be purchased from $15-$26.
Under the Nile's Fair Trade Swaddle Blankets
Founded by a mother looking for clothing that would not irritate her baby’s skin, Under the Nile now produces not only clothing but also baby accessories and toys.
Their swaddle blankets are made from GOTS-certified organic cotton in a Fair Trade facility in Egypt that uses low-impact, metal-free dyes. They also do not use chemical finishes or flame retardants.
Under the Nile goes beyond organic farming, implementing biodynamic farming. This focuses on the sustainable treatment of animals, crops, and soil as a single system, making the farm self-sustaining. Under the Nile's swaddles can be purchased for $22-$30.
Alternatives to Swaddling a Baby
There are other swaddling options like the Halo Sleepsack that has a zippered closure and is designed to keep your baby snug and safe as they sleep. The sleep sack is made of soft and breathable material, which is machine washable and ideal for daily use.
They even have a Halo Sleepsack made with 100% organic cotton. So, this could be a great alterative option. The price point is around the same as the swaddles listed above.
You can also opt for swaddling blankets with Velcro flaps or adjustable fasteners that make swaddling a lot simpler.
Now that you've done some research, you can find your top pick for the best baby swaddle wrap or organic baby blankets to try for your sweet angel.
We hope this guide has helped you learn about the importance of sustainable materials, introduced you to some great brands, and provided tips to help you feel more confident swaddling your baby!
Or given you some great ideas for purchasing a swaddle blanket as a gift for new moms.
For more ethical & sustainable tips be sure to explore more conscious lifestyle blog posts, follow The Honest Consumer on social media, subscribe to our newsletter, & check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory.