Baby Blankets: 4 Popular Styles Today

Baby blankets used to come in two varieties: pink or blue. It goes without saying that these blankets were a thin, slightly scratchy cotton blend that shrank in the wash, too.

Thankfully, those days are over. Now it is easy-almost too easy-for parents to choose a baby blanket for a gift or their own newborn that is stylish, soft, and durable. The problem is that today’s selection is confusingly big.

So below I have listed the four major kinds of baby blankets on the market today with an eye to functionality, style, and pricing.

Traditional Cotton Baby Blankets
Cotton baby blankets still rule, but today’s market offers new possibilities. Color-fast dye make washing easier than ever, and there are more colors to choose from than blue and pink. Indeed, some parenting magazines cover the season hot colors for baby gear, and many blanket producers offer seasonal colors in response.

Organic cotton baby blankets are also a hot trend. Every year, more parents learn about the advantages of organic cotton-for the baby and for the environment. Hmmm, pesticide residue or no pesticide residue? Some studies suggest that these additives can instigate allergies and skin sensitives.

The advantages of cotton blankets is their wide-spread availability, their low to moderate pricing, as well as the durability of cotton itself.

Faux Fur Baby Blankets
This is a new trend in baby gear. Typically faux fur trends rise and fall with the popularity of fur itself. Because fur is trendy this year, faux fur is also highly desirable. Faux fur baby blankets are very soft and warm-a far cry from the thin cotton security blankets of the past.

The advantages of faux fur is its ease of use. Faux fur is a durable polyester and nylon blend and it does well in the wash. Babies also love the feel; it’s comforting for them and can really make the difference at nap time.

Microfiber Baby Blankets
Faux fur is actually a kind of microfiber. Other microfibers used today in baby blankets can feel like cotton, chenille and silk too. Microfiber baby blankets therefore have created a wide range of possibilities, from thin gauze like blankets to thick and wooly ones. The best microfiber blankets are machine washer safe and very durable. Many of them, such as chenille microfiber, actually gets softer with age.

Designer Baby Blankets
The cream of the crop in baby blankets are known as designer baby blankets or luxury baby blankets. These are the blankys you see in top department stores and personally promoted by celebrities. Beyond the hype, what constitutes a "designer" feel besides a specific brand?

In truth, designer baby blankets are usually classic cotton or microfiber blankets that are given a "once over" such as satin borders or silky patches on the chenille fabric. Other features include the option to "personalize" the blanket with a monogrammed name or cute phrase.

The only disadvantage of designer baby blankets is that parents may covet their infant's soft blankies for themselves!

For more information on Designer Baby Blankets.