Fabric comparison
Muslin cotton is muslin cotton no matter where you buy it: the weave, the softness and the flat seams stay the same. What changes is how much you can check with your own hands before you buy, and how far the parcel has to travel afterward. Here's an honest look at shopping for it at a Bali boutique versus shopping for it online.
By Vanessa & Bob, Epic in Bali · Updated 11 September 2026
| Shopping at a Bali boutique | Shopping online | |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre & construction | In a Bali boutique you can pick up the garment and feel the open, loose weave and the flat seams for yourself before you pay, and see straight away that it's double-layer muslin cotton, not a single layer. | Online you get the same double-layer muslin cotton and flat-seam construction, but you're going by photos and the product description until the parcel arrives. |
| Breathability | Hold a piece up to the light in the shop and you can see straight through the gaps in the open weave that let air move through the fabric. | You read about the open weave and the airflow it gives before you buy, then feel it for yourself once the piece is on your baby. |
| Weight & feel | You feel the light weight and the slight crinkle of muslin against your skin right there in the shop, and can compare it to other fabrics on the same rack. | The first time you feel the weight and texture is when you unpack it at home, going by the size guide and your own past orders in the meantime. |
| Hot-weather performance | Bali's own heat is the test: if a piece feels cool and breathable in the shop at midday, it will feel that way in any other hot climate too. | You're trusting the fabric description and the fact that these clothes are made for a hot climate, since you can't test it yourself before it ships. |
| Softness & durability | Staff can tell you the fabric is pre-washed and already soft, and you can crease it in your hands on the spot since muslin creases easily and softens more with every wash. | You can't crease-test it before it ships, so the promise that it arrives pre-washed soft and keeps softening rests on the brand's word until your own washing machine proves it. |
| Best for | Parents already in Bali who want to see and feel the fabric and buy from a small family business face to face. | Parents anywhere in the world who want the same double-layer muslin cotton, pre-washed and flat-seamed, shipped with tracking and a 30-day return window if it's not right. |
Choose shopping at a Bali boutique if you want to see the weave, crease the fabric in your own hands, and buy from Vanessa and Bob's small family business in person.
Choose shopping online if you're outside Bali and want the same double-layer muslin cotton, pre-washed and flat-seamed, delivered with tracked worldwide shipping and 30 days to return it unworn.