How to Choose Children's Underwear?

Comfort is very important when buying children's underwear. We'll show you some common mistakes and tell you how to make the best choice.

Choosing children’s underwear is an activity fraught with doubts for new parents. At first glance, it seems a fairly simple task, but a more detailed analysis will reveal many variables. The size, the materials of the garment, the design, and the color are just some of the questions that come up unexpectedly.

Certainly, the most important thing to consider when buying children’s underwear is comfort. This should be the starting point and the entire choice should revolve around it.

In the following article, we’ll show you what criteria to take into account, what mistakes to avoid, and some more tips on the subject. Take note!

Children’s underwear: How to make the perfect choice

Generally speaking, we can divide children’s underwear into two categories: Those for everyday use and those that fit the season. Indeed, weather changes don’t go unnoticed by your little one and you must anticipate them to ensure that the garment fits the body temperature of the moment.

Three criteria serve as an initial reference for the purchase:

• Breathability: It’s very important that garments are breathable, as this prevents moisture accumulation during play. This reduces the likelihood of infections and keeps your little one cool all day long.
• Firmness: Garments should be stretchy enough to allow free movement, but they should also be firm. That is, they should stay in place and not disrupt the child’s day-to-day activities by moving around.
• Tastes: To minimize underwear rejection, it’s very important that your purchasing choices take into account your child’s tastes in terms of design, color, and style. This way, you’ll reduce the possibility of waste and make the purchase of new garments something to look forward to.

These three variables are your starting point when choosing children’s underwear. We’ll leave you with a guide that you can use to avoid making naive mistakes during the purchase.

The age of your child

For babies, it’s best to opt for soft fabrics that are organic if possible. Look for models that fit diapers well and that are easy to open for changing.

When the child starts to go to the bathroom alone, it’s essential that the underwear is easy to pull up and down. Also, it’s key that it resists washing, as there can be many accidents!

For older children, it’s essential that the clothes are comfortable, as this is the time to start running, jumping, or riding a bike, and for this, flexible, elastic, and soft clothes are required.

Quality materials

The manufacturing materials for children’s underwear are many, but we recommend that you discard polyester and synthetic fibers. All of them have low absorbency and can cause allergic reactions, even dermatitis.

The most appropriate fabric is cotton fabric, which is soft, hypoallergenic, breathable, and has good elasticity and support.

Underwear made of organic materials, such as bamboo fabric, silk, lyocell, linen, and others, is also advisable. Garments made of bamboo have gained notoriety in recent years. Their popularity is due, in part, and as experts indicate, to the fact that they’re warm in winter and cool in summer.

Appropriate size

The size of the garment has to be appropriate for your child because if it’s larger, it’ll impede the fit, and if it’s one size smaller, it’ll be uncomfortable and will leave marks or lesions on the skin.

It’s important to follow this simple rule: The size is the same for underwear as for outerwear. For example, pants and underpants will be the same size, and so will T-shirts and sweatshirts.

Many brands of children’s underwear offer charts of their sizes in regard to the age, weight, height, and waist of your little one. Don’t be shy to ask for these.

The time of the year

One of the functions of children’s underwear is to help regulate body temperature and for this, it must absorb moisture when the child perspires and keep warmth in when it’s cold outside.

Therefore, in summer, it’s essential to use light fabrics and short-sleeved T-shirts or tank tops. As for underpants, cotton briefs are the coolest and most suitable for the summer season, while boxer shorts are better for the cold.

Designs to move freely

For babies, underwear designs go hand in hand with functionality and comfort to take off and put on the garments.

However, for older children, the choice of design depends on the size of the child, their activities, and also on their taste and comfort. Therefore, it’s best that you consult them before buying.

Many times, the refusal to use underwear isn’t so much due to the change from diapers, but to something much simpler: The design does not fit the child’s desires or expectations. Without a doubt, your child will enjoy wearing the clothes of their favorite superhero, something that, fortunately, brands take into account in their catalogs.

Colors

We know that kids love colors and drawings on their clothes, but keep in mind that many inks have aggressive elements for the skin.

It’s best to opt for white underwear or light and solid colors, especially if it’s for younger children or those with very sensitive skin. If the manufacturer has a certain reputation, it’s likely that the inks and materials are of optimum quality, even if this means raising your purchase budget a little more.

Finishes and labels

Details such as seams or the location of the labels are important to provide comfort to your child.

Make sure that the seams aren’t thick, as they can mark the skin and cause chafing and sores. As for labels, it’s best if they’re sewn or glued on and are made of soft fabric. Cutting large labels may not be the best option, as if it’s done poorly, it can produce edges that hurt your little one’s skin.

Choosing children’s underwear: A joint task

Although it’s true that there will always be limitations when choosing children’s underwear (in terms of budget, what you want, and what he or she wants), it’s true that, in the end, it’s a joint task.

Take your little one shopping for underwear when they’re old enough so that you actively include him or her in the process.

It’s natural for you to control the “technical aspects,” such as size, material, or quality, but it’s important that the little one begins to make small decisions that build self-esteem and foster independence. It also reduces the compulsory aspect and the refusal to wear them by imposition.

The purpose of knowing how to choose the right underwear is to offer children the greatest comfort in their daily tasks, whether at school, at the club, or at home. But also, it’s to teach them to take care of their bodies, starting with simple choices like these.