Nainsook (fine cotton batiste)
Also known as: Nainsook cotton, Fine batiste, Baby batiste
Very soft, lightweight plain-weave fine cotton — historically used for baby wear, lingerie and bias tape.
Description
Nainsook — the name comes from Hindi nainsukh ("delight of the eye") and is documented in English since 1790 — is a very soft, lightweight form of muslin: a plain-weave fine long-staple cotton typically at 60–95 g/m2. Key traits are the soft hand, mild light transmission and a slightly silky surface further enhanced by calendering.
Historically nainsook was the go-to for baby wear and newborn garments (bodies, smocks, swaddles) and, until the 1920s, for women's lingerie and nightgowns. In the 1950s and 1960s it was the standard base fabric for bias tape in ready-to-wear production. Today nainsook is used in premium baby layettes, fine summer blouses, handkerchiefs and traditional folk blouses. Within the batiste family it is finer than poplin but less transparent than voile. For corporate applications it matters mainly in spa/wellness (pyjamas, baby bath robes) and housekeeping (fine bed linen).
- Plain weave from fine combed cotton
- Very soft and light (60–95 g/m2), skin-friendly
- Classic uses: baby wear, lingerie, bias tape
- Finer than poplin, less transparent than voile
Properties
| Weave | Plain weave |
|---|---|
| Fibre | Fine combed long-staple cotton |
| Weight | 60–95 g/m2 |
| Hand | Soft, silky, lightly calendered |
| Application | Baby wear, lingerie, summer blouses, bias tape |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Nainsook Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nainsook
- Wikipedia: Muslin Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslin
