Fabric comparison
We get asked which closure works better on baby clothes: a zip or poppers (snap buttons). Both close over the same double-layer muslin cotton we sew every Epic piece from, so the fabric underneath stays identical either way. The real difference comes down to how each closure handles changes, fit, and everyday wear.
By Vanessa & Bob, Epic in Bali · Updated 30 August 2026
| Zip closures | Poppers (snap buttons) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre and construction | Zip closures run in a single track down the front, sewn onto the same open-weave muslin cotton we use for every Epic piece. The weave stays loose right up to the tape edge, so the fabric itself does not change. | Poppers are individual studs spaced down the same muslin placket. The weave and double layer are identical to the zip version, so only the fastening method changes. |
| Breathability | Muslin's open weave is what makes Epic clothes breathable, and that holds along the zip line too. The zip tape is a solid strip, so a narrow band down the center gets slightly less airflow than the fabric around it. | Poppers leave more of the loose weave open between each stud, so more of the fabric's natural airflow stays exposed across the placket than it does around a solid zip tape. |
| Weight and feel | Zip closures add one continuous strip of tape and teeth down the front, which creates a firmer line against the skin. Everything else on the garment is still the same lightweight, quick-drying muslin. | Poppers sit as small individual points rather than one continuous strip. More of the panel between studs keeps muslin's usual soft, lightweight feel, and each stud itself is a small firm spot, no different from any snap fastening. |
| Hot-weather performance | A zip opens the whole front in one motion, which helps for fast changes or airing a baby out on a hot day. | Poppers can be undone partway from the bottom for a quick vent, or opened fully by working down the row. It takes longer than one zip pull, but you can open just part of the outfit instead of all of it. |
| Softness and durability | Muslin softens more with every wash no matter which closure it has, and that holds here too. The zip's tape and teeth are metal or plastic, so they will not soften like fabric, though they also will not stretch or loosen with repeated washing. | The muslin softens the same way here. Snap studs can feel a bit looser after months of daily use, the way any snap fastening does over time, and how much depends on the garment and how often it gets worn. |
| Best for | Zip closures suit parents who want the fastest possible change, especially for the middle-of-the-night diaper changes where every second counts. | Poppers suit parents who want to adjust fit stud by stud, or who would rather not have a zip pull sitting near a baby's chin and neck. |
Choose zip closures if you want the fastest changes and don't mind a firmer strip down the front of an otherwise soft, breathable muslin outfit.
Choose poppers (snap buttons) if you'd rather adjust the fit stud by stud and want more of the open muslin weave left free between fastenings.