Baby Clothes, Textiles and Laundry

Begin with a small set of comfortable clothes for everyday changes, with layers suited to the weather. The NHS list below is a starting point; adapt quantities to your climate and washing routine.

A word with a history

French layette, Italian corredino and Spanish canastilla describe clothing and linen prepared for a newborn. In German, Erstausstattung covers the wider initial equipment, including clothes. In French, layette first meant a small chest or drawer for papers or clothes; the TLFi records its newborn-clothing sense in a 1671 letter from Madame de Sévigné. In Italian, corredo is the trousseau a bride brings to her new home, and corredino, its diminutive, the clothes and linen needed to dress a newborn. The Spanish dictionary, too, gives canastilla as the clothing prepared for a bride or for a child about to be born.

What it needs

The NHS suggests at least six sleepsuits, four to six vests with poppers that close under the nappy, two cardigans in wool or cotton rather than nylon, scratch mittens, socks or booties and a hat for going out, with a snowsuit if the weather is cold; hats and extra layers come off indoors.

Safety in the details

• Cords and drawstrings. Singapore's Consumer Product Safety Office advises that clothing for children under seven should have no cords or drawstrings around the hood and neck.
• Small parts. Check for loose buttons and other small parts that could be a choking hazard, and for bows or embellishments that could pose a strangulation risk.
• First wash. Textiles can carry finishing substances, and washing new clothes before they are first worn, following the care instructions, can help remove many of them.

At SUOMMO

The care taken over a baby's first clothes extends to the nursery's textiles. In the SUOMMO Atelier, natural silk yarns and selected cotton fibres are worked by skilled hands, with attention to embroidery and finishing.

Before dispatch, preparation includes a delicate wash followed by treatments using steam, ozone and ultraviolet light in a separate workroom.

A name or initials can be embroidered in silk. Our Concierge can discuss personalisation and care for the textiles you choose.

As a starting point, the NHS suggests at least six sleepsuits and four to six bodysuits. Adjust quantities to the weather, your baby's growth and how often you can wash and dry clothes.

The rest of the list

The NHS list adds two cardigans in wool or cotton, scratch mittens, socks or booties, a hat for going out and, if it is cold, a snowsuit. Fabrics, finishing details and the first wash are covered in the answer on the first wardrobe.

Think in terms of a rotation

Clothes being worn, clothes being washed and clean changes ready to use. Allow more spares if washing is less frequent or drying takes longer.

Layers and temperature

For daytime dressing in cold weather, the NHS suggests one more layer than an adult is wearing; in warm weather, lightweight cotton is a good choice because it is breathable. If your baby is sweating or their tummy feels hot, take a layer off; cool hands and feet are normal. Remove hats and extra layers as soon as you are indoors or in a warm car, bus or train.

At night

The NHS gives 16–20°C as a guide for the sleeping room. Choose sleepwear and the sleeping bag's tog for the room temperature, following its instructions; how a sleeping bag should fit is covered in the answer on gifts for new parents.

At SUOMMO

Nexus gives a considered place to the things chosen for a new life. Its generous form is shaped by hand, bringing the care of the artisan to the quiet rituals that fill a baby's room. Three generously proportioned drawers on soft-closing runners and open side compartments keep everything needed for each change close at hand.

Its changing pad has interchangeable covers made in the SUOMMO Atelier with natural silk yarns and carefully selected cotton fibres, carrying the craft into the details closest to the baby; they can be renewed whenever desired. Like all our furniture, Nexus is delivered fully assembled. Our Concierge can tell you more.

Yes, it is a sensible precaution. Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment advises washing clothing textiles before they are first worn, and Singapore's consumer product safety office gives the same advice for children's clothes. Washing can remove residues from manufacturing and finishing, as well as dust from transport and storage.

How to wash

• Follow the care label, including temperature and drying.
• Wash new clothes, sheets and sleeping bags before first use, and wash them separately the first time if colours may run.
• Use detergent according to the garment's care instructions and the product directions, and rinse thoroughly. A special baby detergent is not automatically necessary.

What to include in a first wardrobe is covered in the answer on the first wardrobe, and how many clothes to have in the answer on how many clothes.

At SUOMMO

The care of the SUOMMO Atelier extends beyond the embroidery and the finishing of a seam. Preparing each textile for its arrival is part of the same devotion to the craft.

Before dispatch, SUOMMO textiles are prepared with a delicate wash followed by treatments using steam, ozone and ultraviolet light in a separate workroom. Our Concierge can advise on caring for the textiles you choose, following the instructions for each creation.

Follow each garment's care label, wash new clothes, sheets and sleeping bags before first use, and rinse thoroughly. The reasons are covered in the answer on washing before wearing.

Step by step

• Remove retail tags, pins and packaging, keeping the sewn-in care labels. Close poppers and zips.
• Sort by colour and wash anything likely to run separately the first time.
• Use detergent according to the garment's care instructions and the product directions; a special baby detergent is not automatically necessary.
• Rinse well and dry as the label indicates.
• Check seams, buttons and trims for anything loose before use.

There is no set date for washing the baby's clothes before the birth. A practical aim is to wash the first set of clothes, sheets and sleeping bags in the weeks before the expected birth, allowing for an earlier arrival, and to store them clean and dry, ready to use. Wash larger sizes later, once you know how your baby is growing.

How to wash is covered in the answer on washing for the first time, and what to have ready in the answer on when the nursery should be ready.

Yes. Wash new cot sheets, mattress protectors and sleeping bags before first use, following their care labels, as with new clothes (see the answer on washing before wearing). Keep the bedding simple. In UK guidance from The Lullaby Trust, that means a fitted sheet and either a well-fitted sleeping bag or blankets tucked in no higher than the shoulders; the AAP advises only a fitted sheet in the crib (see the answer on what a newborn needs). In both, no pillows, quilts or duvets (see the answer on choosing a mattress).

A special baby detergent is not automatically necessary: the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidance on cleaning baby clothes (2009) does not require one for all babies. Choose a laundry detergent suited to the garment's care instructions, follow the product directions and rinse well. If your baby's skin becomes irritated, ask a health professional about the washing products and other possible causes. Labels such as ‘natural’, ‘baby’ or ‘hypoallergenic’ do not guarantee that no reaction will occur.

Washing new clothes before first use is covered in the answer on washing before wearing.

Follow the care label for the finished garment; there is no single correct temperature for all baby clothes. The number in the wash symbol is a maximum temperature, and any bars indicate a gentler process. Fibre content alone does not determine the washing instructions. Rinse well and dry as the label indicates. How to wash for the first time is covered in the answer on the first wash.

Ask the manufacturer about the particular sheet or mattress. In the UK, the amendment effective from 30 October 2025 excludes baby and child mattresses measuring less than 170 cm long and less than 75 cm wide from the furniture fire regulations, with separate provisions for modular mattresses; bedding is outside those regulations. That does not mean every infant mattress is exempt, that an exempt product contains no flame retardants, or that general safety duties no longer apply. Other markets have different rules; ask which apply in yours and what documentation is available.

At SUOMMO

Within each SUOMMO crib, the attention given to its outward form continues in the mattress developed by our Research & Development team and in the natural silk and selected cotton textiles worked by the SUOMMO Atelier. Conceived around the form of the crib, the whole belongs to one creation. Our Concierge can explain the mattress supplied with each model, its care and replacement.

Usually, yes. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that many parents wash their baby's clothes with the rest of the family's laundry without problems; a separate wash or a special detergent is not automatically necessary. Wash new clothes before first use, rinse well and follow each garment's label. This does not mean combining items that need different washing conditions; follow separate hygiene instructions for cloth nappies and heavily soiled laundry. Consider a milder detergent or a separate wash if the baby's skin becomes irritated, asking a health professional if it continues. Delicate textiles may need their own cycle. See the answer on detergent.

At SUOMMO

In the SUOMMO Atelier, natural silk and selected cotton become the dress of each crib, with embroidery and finishing entrusted to skilled hands. These textiles arrive already fitted, together with instructions for use. Our Concierge can explain their care and the way each creation is prepared.

Yellowing has several possible causes, including light exposure and unsuitable storage materials. The Canadian Conservation Institute recommends storing textiles clean and dry, protected from light, using suitable boxes lined with acid-free tissue or prewashed unbleached cotton. Follow the garment's cleaning instructions; an old or fragile keepsake may need a textile conservator. One study has linked the yellowing of white fabrics stored in polyethylene bags to a reaction between polluted air and an antioxidant in the bags. See the answer on the first wash.

No, fabric softener is not necessary. Nemours KidsHealth advises avoiding it and anti-static products because their ingredients and fragrances can irritate a baby's skin. Follow the garment's care label and seek advice if irritation persists. See the answer on detergent.

A newborn needs less than you might think in either season: what changes is mainly clothing and bedding. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature (The Lullaby Trust suggests 16 to 20 °C), dress the baby in layers you can add or remove, and check by feeling the chest or the back of the neck rather than the hands or feet. Treat that range as guidance and adjust clothing to the actual room conditions and the baby, checking for signs of overheating. In summer, keep babies out of direct sun and avoid overheating; in winter, remove hats and extra layers indoors and never let the baby sleep with a hat or under heavy bedding. See the answer on nursery temperature.

Start with a small selection likely to fit at birth and check each maker's weight and length guide before buying more. Age labels are approximate; clothes should fit the baby rather than be chosen solely to last longer. Wash new clothes before the first wear. See the answer on how many clothes a newborn needs.

An ‘antibacterial’ claim does not by itself establish that a textile is suitable for a baby. If the effect relies on a biocidal treatment, ask which active substance is used, its intended use and how the article complies with the applicable rules, including labelling. In the European Union, treated articles are subject to conditions on active substances, labelling and consumer information; in a report published in 2020 about inspections conducted in 2019, ECHA reported inadequate labelling in about a third of the selected treated articles checked. For everyday baby clothes and bedding, follow the care label. See the answer on detergent.

OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 is a private certification in which textiles are tested for a list of harmful substances, with the strictest limits in product class 1, for babies and young children up to three years. It concerns substances in the textile, not the design, flammability, small parts or how the product is used, so it does not replace the safety requirements for a cot, a sleeping bag or a toy. Check that the certificate covers the article you are buying and is current: look for STANDARD 100, the relevant product class and the certificate number, then check the scope and validity through the scheme's Label Check. See the answer on safest fabrics.

There is no single safest fibre for every use. Consider the fabric, finishes, construction and fit together, and follow the care and safer-sleep instructions for the actual article. Look for soft, breathable fabrics such as cotton for clothing next to the skin, free of loose decorations, cords and small parts, and washed before first use; for sleep, follow safer-sleep advice on bedding rather than adding layers. Labels and certificates for harmful substances can help. See the answer on OEKO-TEX and the first wash.

Some textile finishing processes use formaldehyde-based resins, for example to reduce creasing. EU restrictions on the clothing and textiles in scope limit the substance's concentration in the material; this is different from measuring furniture emissions into room air. China has its own requirements for children's clothing. Washing before first use is sensible care, but does not certify that an article complies. See the answer on the first wash.

Organic cotton for the cot is a choice rather than a safety requirement. Organic content and textile processing are different questions; if a product claims a named certification such as GOTS, check the actual label and scope. Organic certification does not replace the requirements for a safe sleep surface or suitable bedding. What matters for the cot is a fitted sheet that fits the mattress, soft, breathable fabric washed before use, and following safer-sleep advice on bedding. See the answer on safest fabrics and OEKO-TEX.

Follow the particular garment's care label, including the permitted method, temperature, detergent and drying. Do not assume that all wool tolerates a machine cycle, and do not substitute airing for cleaning a soiled baby garment. For sleep, wool garments and blankets should not make the baby too hot. See the answer on washing baby clothes.

The conditions in which baby textiles are made and packed vary widely between makers. Ask where and by whom textiles are cut and sewn, which materials and tests are used, how finished pieces are cleaned, inspected and packed, and how the supply chain is checked for working conditions. Wash new textiles before first use unless the maker states otherwise. See the answer on rules and working conditions and the first wash.

Change cot sheets promptly whenever they are wet or soiled, and wash them regularly according to their care label. A weekly change can be a practical starting routine, with more frequent changes when needed. Keep correctly fitting spares ready. See the answer on washing baby clothes.

The meaning depends on the labelling system. In China, infant textile products must meet safety Category A under the relevant Chinese standards. This is different from an OEKO-TEX product class or a fibre-composition label. Check which standard the label names and which market it is intended for. See the answer on formaldehyde in new clothes.