Buttons or zippers on baby clothes?

Hi everyone,

since I’m currently making baby clothes by hand, I’d be interested to know which fastening option is safer: buttons or zippers? Or does it not matter, and does it depend more on the type of thread or specific technique used to sew them on or in?
I’d love to hear any tips and tricks on this topic. :-)

Best regards
Jana

Hi,

That really depends on what you want to sew.

  I’ve always used buttons on little jackets, and snaps on bodysuits and other everyday clothes.

But you’ll also find zippers on footmuffs and winter suits. If you want to sew a specific garment, you can use the industry as a guide. (That’s what I did.)

I’d go with Velcro. That’s the safest option.

Thank you for your answers—I hadn’t even thought of snaps or Velcro yet. I’ll give them a try :-)

Hi!

I generally find regular buttons (the kind fastened through a buttonhole) impractical for babies and toddlers because you have to fumble around so much to do them up.
In that case, I’d go for (well-attached!) snaps.
I also find zippers practical and useful in many cases, but only if they have a “pinch guard” at the top (like an overlapping piece of fabric) so you don’t accidentally hurt the child when zipping it up and so it doesn’t rub uncomfortably against their chin or neck.
Velcro... hmm... I think Velcro is unsuitable for wool items... it can pull threads.
And in general, Velcro is a pain in the washing machine because other items can get caught on it.
Plus, Velcro fasteners often wear out pretty quickly and/or don’t hold well in the long run.

Best wishes

@zwergnasebaer
Thank you for the detailed answer. I’ve now decided to use a zipper on the jacket. And you’re right—I remember having items with Velcro before, and they don’t really last very long, plus lint gets stuck in them, especially when washing. :-(