Cozy Your Baby In These 10 Soft Blanket Fabrics

Cozy Your Baby In These 10 Soft Blanket FabricsBy Vince Nitti
A soft, warm blanket is a must for every infant. Always amongthe most popular baby gifts, blankets give new mothers somethingcuddly to wrap her baby in. Blankets are available in andunending number of designs, colors, and styles, and can be hadwith plush lining and trim. They are also available in manytypes of fabrics, which is the subject of this article. Here's alisting of the ten most popular baby blanket fabrics and whatyou can expect to spend on them.
Cotton
Cotton is the most well known fabric in existence today. It canbe washed by machine and is extremely versatile - it can bewoven, knitted, and dye any color you can imagine. Generallypriced in the $10-$40 range, it can become more expensive withan elaborate design. The packaging may also influence the price.
Flannel
A light- or medium-weight cloth, flannel can be made in severalways, primarily a blend of wool and cotton or wool and asynthetic fiber. These blankets are generally available in thesame price range as cotton, $10-$40.
Chenille
Usually made from cotton, this fabric can be distinguished byits manufacturing process. First the fibers are spun into atightly wound core, then piles (short lengths of fabric) arewrapped around so its edges stand at right angles from the core.This gives chenille its characteristic look and makes it feel sosoft. A blanket made from chenille is a little more costly thanone made from cotton or flannel, ranging from $25 to $60 incost.
Fleece
I bet you think you know what this is made from, but you'rewrong. You're confusing this with the wool of sheep. As used ina fleece baby blanket, the term describes a polyester fabric.There's no wool in a fleece baby blanket! Prices can range from$10 all the way to $70.
Satin
Once very expensive because it was made from silk, satin iscurrently produced from nylon, rayon, acetate, and polyester.This provides a much more affordable way to attain the glossyfinish the fabric is known for. Although still costing $50 ormore, satin baby blankets are much less expensive today thanthey were when they were made from silk.
Alpaca
The original source for alpaca wool is the Peruvian alpaca, butthe term now refers to a more generic style of fabric. It can bemade from Icelandic sheep wool, high-quality English wool, ormohair, and is available in a wide price range. Expect to pay aminimum of $30 but the cost could go above $120.
Cashmere
Obtained from the cashmere goat, this wool is renowned for itslegendary softness. One of the more expensive fabrics to choosefor a baby blanket, expect to pay from $80 to more than $200 fora cashmere blanket.
Merino
Merino is a less expensive alternative to cashmere. Originatingin Spain, it comes from a breed of white fine-wooled sheep thatproduce an exceptional quality of fleece. It looks and feelsvery similar to cashmere, but baby blankets made from merinowill cost significantly less - about $30 to $120.
Velvet
Considered a luxury fabric because it requires multiple stepsto manufacture and more thread per square inch than otherfabrics, velvet can be made from many fibers, including cotton,silk, and synthetics. Prices for velvet baby blankets range from$40 to more than $150.
Charmeuse Silk
Charmeuse silk is the most expensive fabric used to make babyblankets. Shiny and very smooth, a blanket made from the "silkof the emperors" will make a great impression on the new parentsand show just how much they and the baby mean to you. With abeautiful drape and an elegant luster, a blanket made fromcharmeuse silk will cost about $300. Maybe not the mostpractical fabric to catch baby's messes, but it'll definitelyfeel nice.
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