5 Plastic Swaps for Your Child's Wardrobe (and How to Read the Label)

Why does polyester count as plastic?

Because polyester is a plastic polymer. Britannica describes polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as “a member of the polyester family of polymers” that is both spun into fibres and blow-moulded into disposable drink bottles. Nylon (polyamide), acrylic and elastane are synthetic fibres too.

Synthetics are most of what the world makes. Textile Exchange's Materials Market Report 2025 says synthetic fibres were about 69% of global fibre production in 2024, about 91 million tonnes, and polyester alone about 59%. Cotton was about 19%.

“Recycled polyester” is still polyester. H&M's own product pages explain that its recycled polyester is made from PET bottles that are mechanically recycled into new yarn. It gives plastic a second use, and the fibre is the same kind of plastic. This guide is about knowing what's in the clothes. Whether wearing polyester harms children isn't settled, and this guide doesn't claim it does. Synthetic fabrics also shed fibres in the wash; our article on what the research says about microplastics and cotton explains what was measured, and our guide to cotton vs polyester in kids' clothing covers how the two compare day to day.

How do you read a kids' clothing label in 30 seconds?

Find the fibre content, scan every part for plastic names, and check for a real certification. In a shop, turn the garment inside out and find the care label. Online, open “Composition”, “Materials” or “Details” on the product page.

1. Look for the plastic names. Polyester, recycled polyester, nylon, polyamide, acrylic and polyurethane are all synthetic.
2. Check every part, not just the first line. Coats and dresses often list a shell, a lining and sometimes a fill. A cotton-looking dress can have a polyester lining, and a coat can be filled with polyester.
3. Don't worry about a little elastane. Elastane is synthetic too, but socks and waistbands need a few per cent of it to stay up. A sock that is 98% cotton and 2% elastane is a very different thing from one that is 26% polyester.
4. Look for a certificate. Words like “natural feel” or “soft-touch” tell you nothing. GOTS, the Global Organic Textile Standard, covers every step of production from fibre processing and spinning to dyeing and manufacturing, not only the fibre.

Our guide to what the law requires on kids' clothing labels in Canada and the US explains the rest of the label, and our GOTS and OEKO-TEX guide shows what each mark covers.

What are 5 easy plastic swaps for kids' clothes?

This is our guide, and we make one of the brands listed. Each swap below puts a popular piece next to one with less or no plastic. The fibre content comes from each brand's own product page, read on 6 November 2026, in the order the pieces appear in my reel. Brands change fabrics, so check the label before you buy.

1. Socks

Common pick: the H&M 3-Pack Ruffle-Trimmed Socks are 71% cotton, 26% polyester and 3% elastane. H&M lists the polyester as recycled.

Swap: Q for Quinn Natural (no dye) Kids' Socks are 98% organic cotton and 2% elastane, GOTS certified, with no dye. The product page also says the seam thread blends organic cotton with recycled polyester and the elastics are polyester and elastane.

2. Underwear

Common pick: the Zara three-pack of Minnie Mouse underwear (1½ to 6 years) is mostly cotton, 96% cotton and 4% elastane, with a 100% cotton lining. Its trim is 71% polyamide (nylon) and 29% elastane, so check the waistband and trim as well as the main fabric.

Swap: ORGANICKID boxer briefs, sold on Amazon, are the organic cotton pick from my reel. We couldn't open the listing on 6 November 2026, so their fibre content is not verified here. Read the listing's fibre content before you buy, and look for 100% organic cotton with GOTS certification.

3. Sweater

Common pick: many kids' “sweaters” are cotton-polyester sweatshirts. The H&M Appliquéd Sweatshirt is 80% cotton and 20% polyester, and H&M says at least 12% of its weight is recycled polyester. It starts at size 3 to 4 years.

Swap: the Quince Kids & Baby Mongolian Cashmere Fair Isle Christmas Sweater is 100% cashmere, in toddler sizes 2T to 5T. It is a holiday design, so for every day a wool or 100% cotton knit does the same job.

4. Coat

Common pick: winter coats are where plastic hides most, because the shell, lining and fill are often all synthetic. The Zara Faux Fur Hoodie Jacket has a 100% polyester shell and a 100% polyester fill. Its main lining is 100% polyester and its secondary lining is 65% polyester and 35% cotton.

Swap: the Quince Girls Wool Cashmere Coat is 90% RWS-certified wool and 10% cashmere, in toddler sizes 2T to 5T. It is fully lined in 100% polyester twill, so the lining is still synthetic, and it showed sizes out of stock when we checked. Layer a cotton top underneath.

5. Dress

Common pick: party and holiday dresses are often tulle, velvet or satin, which are usually synthetic. The H&M Long-Sleeved Dress with Tulle Skirt has a 100% polyester skirt with a 100% polyester skirt lining. Its top is 48% viscose, 28% polyester, 19% polyamide and 5% elastane.

Swap, and our pick: the Mom & Zoey Portofino dress is 100% GOTS-certified combed organic cotton, and its lining is organic cotton too. This one is ours. The product page doesn't list the thread or the smocking material, so we don't claim them here. We only make sizes for ages 2 to 6, and the Portofino is a striped dress with a smocked bodice rather than a velvet or tulle party style.

Fibre content as listed on each brand's product page on 6 November 2026. We could not read the ORGANICKID listing.

Why are Mom & Zoey dresses lined in organic cotton?

Because we chose the fabric before the design, and the lining was part of that choice. I started Mom & Zoey as a mom who wanted to know what was actually in my daughter's clothes, and I learned how differently cotton can be grown and processed. So we work the other way round from most brands.

• We start with a fabric list. Most brands buy fabric from the market. I started with a list of fabric specifications, then had the fabric checked against that list by an independent testing agency.
• 100% GOTS-certified combed organic cotton. Our clothes are made by GOTS-certified manufacturers. The certification is held by our manufacturers, Cotton Buds (certified by IDFL) and R K Exports (certified by GCL), not by Mom & Zoey.
• The lining is organic cotton too. The Portofino, the Santorini dress and our other lined dresses all use organic cotton linings.
• Even the tags are organic cotton.
• Every fabric is tested for shrinkage before production.

We're a small, mom-run brand. That is why I share the real labels, ours included, so you can judge for yourself.

Where should you start if you can't swap everything?

Start with what your child wears most, and swap the rest as they outgrow it. You don't need to replace a whole wardrobe at once. Socks, underwear and everyday tops are worn the most hours, so they are a good first step. Coats and party dresses can wait until the next size up.

When that next size comes, our guide to the best fabric for kids' clothes compares cotton, linen, wool and polyester for ages 2 to 6, and the Mom & Zoey collection shows every piece we make in organic cotton.

What couldn't we check?

One listing. The ORGANICKID boxer briefs are sold on Amazon, and we could not open that listing on 6 November 2026, so their fibre content is shown as not verified. Everything else in the swaps above was read on each brand's own product page that day.

Dresses in GOTS-certified organic cotton

100% GOTS-certified combed organic cotton, for ages 2 to 6.

Portofino Striped Organic Cotton Dress for Girls

A striped dress with a smocked bodice and an organic cotton lining.

See this piece

Santorini White Organic Cotton Dress for Girls

A white flutter-sleeve dress with an organic cotton lining.

See this piece

Sicily Organic Cotton Dress for Girls

A panelled dress for holidays and everyday wear.

See this piece

Sorrento Organic Cotton Dress for Girls

A puff-sleeve dress in a relaxed fit, for parties and everyday wear.

See this piece

See the full collection →