Etta Loves XL Muslin vs Avery Row Muslin Swaddle: Same 120cm Organic Square, but Only One Is Printed for Newborn Eyes

COMPARISON · NURSERY & SLEEP

Of everything on a newborn list, the big muslin is the thing you will use most and think about least. A 120cm square of thin cotton ends up as a swaddle, a pram sunshade, a feeding cover, a burp cloth, a tummy-time mat and a car-seat comfort blanket, sometimes all before lunch. It is worth two minutes of thought before you buy one.

On paper, Etta Loves and Avery Row are natural rivals. Both are British brands. Both sell a single extra-large muslin rather than a pack of small squares. Both measure 120 x 120cm, both are made from organic cotton, and both sit between £19 and £24 depending on the print and the shop.

Lay them side by side, though, and they are designed for different jobs. Etta Loves prints are built, with input from a consultant orthoptist and a university baby lab, to be something a newborn can actually see and focus on. Avery Row prints are built to be something you want to look at: soft botanical patterns that sit quietly in a nursery and look lovely in photos.

So the real question is less "which is better" and more "what will you use it for most". We compared current UK listings, brand specifications and care instructions, plus the feedback parents share with us, and weighed both on newborn usefulness, everyday versatility, fabric and value. The fabric is close to a tie. The print is where the money goes.

Lil' Bubba's verdicts

• Best for Tummy Time and Newborn Play: Etta Loves XL Muslin 0-4m · 8.5/10 - a high-contrast print designed for 0-4 month eyesight, and the cheaper of the two at £19
• Best Everyday Swaddle and Gift: Avery Row Baby Muslin Swaddle · 8.0/10 - GOTS organic cotton with organic dyes, calm countryside prints and the widest choice of designs

Quick comparison

	Etta Loves XL Muslin 0-4m	Avery Row Baby Muslin Swaddle
Price (UK)	£19	£19.80 to £24 depending on print and retailer
Size	120 x 120cm	120 x 120cm
Fabric	Organic cotton on most current listings (one stockist lists a bamboo viscose version, so check the label)	100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, organic dyes
Print designed for	Your baby's developing vision, birth to around 4 months	Your nursery: muted, nature-inspired patterns
Care	Machine washable	Machine wash up to 40°C, tumble dry low
Packaging	Gift box	Standard retail packaging
Strongest use	Tummy time, floor play, pram and car-window shade	Swaddling, naps, buggy blanket, gifting
Our rating

How we picked the 2

We wanted a fair fight, so we only compared single, extra-large muslins sold on their own rather than multipacks of smaller squares, which are a different purchase. Both products here are 120cm square, both come from established British brands with their own wider ranges, and both are in stock with UK retailers we work with at the time of writing.

We then scored each on four things: how useful it is in the first four months, how many everyday jobs it covers, how clearly the fabric and care are described, and what you get for the money. Ratings reflect a muslin used as a muslin. Neither brand sells these as sleep products, and we have judged them on that basis.

What to look for in a large muslin swaddle

Size first. For swaddling you want 110cm or more on each side, and 120cm gives you enough fabric to tuck securely without fighting it. Anything under about 80cm is a burp cloth, however it is marketed.

Weight and weave. A good swaddling muslin is a single layer of thin, open-weave cotton that lets heat escape. Double-layer and quilted muslins are cosy blankets, not swaddles. Hold it up to a window: you should be able to see light through it.

Fibre. Organic cotton is breathable, softens with every wash and dries quickly. Bamboo viscose feels silkier and drapes more, but it can feel warmer and take longer to dry. Neither is wrong, but know which one you are buying.

Care. Expect a little shrinkage on the first wash and a crinkly, softer feel afterwards. A 40°C wash covers most spit-up and nappy leaks.

Print. This is where these two products part ways. A high-contrast print is a tool for play and visual development. A soft, low-contrast print is decoration. Both are valid. Just buy on purpose.

Swaddling safely. UK safe sleep guidance is clear: use only thin fabric, keep the wrap below the shoulders, leave the hips loose so the legs can bend up and out, always lay a swaddled baby on their back, never add extra blankets on top, and stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows signs of trying to roll. And never drape any muslin over a pram or buggy opening to block the sun, as it traps heat inside. Clip it to one side instead.

1. Etta Loves XL Muslin 0-4m / 10 · Best for tummy time

Etta Loves started from a simple observation: a newborn's eyes are still developing. In the early weeks babies see best at close range and respond most strongly to bold contrast and clear shapes. The 0-4m prints, such as Dandelion and Starfish, use graphic patterns sized and spaced for exactly that stage, developed with a consultant orthoptist and a research partnership with a university baby lab.

Underneath the print it is a generous, soft muslin: 120 x 120cm, arriving in a gift box, and at £19 it is the cheaper of the two by a small margin. The 0-4m label refers to the print, not the fabric. After four months it is still just as useful as a muslin, your baby simply gets less from the pattern, and Etta Loves sells separate prints for older babies.

What parents love

• A print with a job. Spread over a play mat for tummy time, hung beside the changing table or tucked into the side of the pram, it gives a newborn something they can genuinely focus on without adding another toy to the pile.
• Soft from day one. One parent told us: 'It's so soft, even after a few washes.' The fabric does not need a dozen cycles to lose its stiffness.
• Properly multi-use. A parent shared: 'beautiful, large multi-purpose muslin cloth!' It works as a feeding cover, a light blanket for the car seat and, wound into a car window, a sunshade that doubles as something to look at on long drives.
• Gift-ready for under £20. The box makes it an easy, thoughtful present, and the story behind the print makes it more memorable than another plain pack of squares.

What to know before you buy

• Bold is not everyone's style. The graphic, high-contrast look stands out. If your nursery is all soft neutrals, it may feel loud on display.
• Check the fibre label. Most current listings describe organic cotton, but one UK stockist still lists a bamboo viscose version. If fibre matters to you, check the label on the exact print you order.
• The print has a best-before. It is designed for 0-4 months. After that you are paying for a very good regular muslin rather than a developmental one.

Best for

• Tummy time and floor play from the first weeks
• Parents who want stimulation in the pram or car without more toys
• A newborn gift with a story behind it
• Second muslin for play, alongside a calmer one for sleep

2. Avery Row Baby Muslin Swaddle / 10 · Best everyday swaddle

Avery Row is a small British brand, now based in Bath, whose whole textile range is drawn from the British countryside. The muslin swaddle comes in prints like Wild Chamomile, Riverbank, Nettle Scatter, Daisy Meadow and Nature Trail: muted colours, small repeating motifs and nothing that shouts.

It is 120 x 120cm, made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton with organic dyes, and the brand plants a tree for every sale through a climate partnership. Care is straightforward: machine wash up to 40°C and tumble dry on low. Price depends on where you buy it, from £19.80 at some independents to £22 to £24 direct.

What parents love

• Certified fabric, clearly stated. GOTS organic cotton and organic dyes are spelled out on every listing we checked, which is exactly what you want for something that sits against newborn skin all day.
• Calm prints for sleep. Low-contrast botanical patterns are easy on the eye at bedtime and look at home in almost any nursery. A soft print is arguably better than a stimulating one when the goal is winding down.
• Lots of choice. We count at least eight prints across our retailers, and they coordinate with the rest of the brand's bedding and nursery textiles if you like things to match.
• A lovely gift. The prints photograph beautifully, which is why this muslin turns up in so many newborn announcement pictures.

What to know before you buy

• Few public reviews yet. The listings we checked carried little or no customer feedback, so you are relying more on the brand's reputation than on a crowd verdict.
• Price varies by print and shop. The same muslin ranges from £19.80 to £24, so it pays to compare before you buy.
• No developmental angle. Soft, pale patterns are lovely for you, but in the first weeks a newborn will mostly see a gentle blur. Fine for sleep, less useful for play.

Best for

• Swaddling and naps in the newborn weeks
• Eco-focused buyers who want certified organic fabric and dyes
• Parents building a coordinated nursery
• Baby shower and new-arrival gifts

What about aden + anais?

aden + anais is the name most people associate with big muslin swaddles, and their classic swaddles are excellent. They are usually sold in packs of three or four, which makes them a different buy from a single statement muslin, so we have left them out of this head-to-head. If you need several plain swaddles for rotation, a multipack is the better value. If you want one or two muslins that do something specific, read on.

How to choose

Choose the Etta Loves XL Muslin 0-4m if you want your muslin to earn its place during awake time. It is the one to spread out for tummy time, clip beside the pram or wind into the car window, and at £19 it is slightly cheaper too.

Choose the Avery Row Baby Muslin Swaddle if your muslin will mostly be used for swaddling, naps and as a buggy blanket, if you care about certified organic fabric and dyes, or if you are buying a gift that should match a calm nursery.

Honestly, many families end up with both: a bold one for play and a soft one for sleep. At around £20 each, that is not a bad way to cover both jobs.

Add it to your Nest

Can't decide, or want a friend to pick one up for you? Add either muslin to your free BubsNest registry and let family and friends choose from your list. Your Nest keeps everything in one place, from muslins to the big-ticket items.