14 Personalized Baby Blankets That Will Wow at Your Next Shower

editor@purewow.com (PureWow)
·12 min read

Shopping for baby shower gifts can be a daunting task. If you've been racking your brain to find the perfect bundle of joy for an impending bundle of joy, you can ease a big sigh of relief, as there's one tried-and-true gift that's always sure to delight: a personalized baby blanket. As one of the sweetest presents you can buy for someone who is welcoming a child into the world or celebrating a recent arrival, these cuddly covers are adorable, sentimental and special, helping you to freeze a precious moment in time for your loved one forever. Considering that babies are wrapped in blankets 99.9 percent of the time, it's also sure to get plenty of use, so you’ll want to be sure it’s of good quality. The best personalized baby blankets should be able to withstand everything from tantrums to spit-up. They should also be plenty cozy and soft without any itchy or irritating fabrics.

What Is the Best Fabric for Baby Blankets?

Cotton: Cotton is a great choice and the most common one you'll find. In fact, the first blanket a baby is exposed to in the hospital is typically made of a cotton flannel fabric, and it's no wonder: It's breathable, loose and ideal for sensitive skin. If you want to do one step better, opt for a baby blanket that's made with organic cotton, or cotton muslin, which are made without harsh chemicals. Keep in mind that cotton doesn't absorb moisture as well as other fabrics, however, so it can irritate a baby over time if it gets soiled.

Wool: Wool is a natural, woven material that comes primarily from sheep. This fabric is suitable for baby blankets that will go outdoors, as it's very warm, but the rough fibers can wreak havoc on sensitive skin and cause a lot of itchiness, so it's best to go with merino wool, which has a softer outer layer.

Cashmere: It doesn't get much softer, warmer or delicate than cashmere, which is precisely why baby blankets made from this material are often significantly more expensive than other options on the market. You get what you pay for, though, and in the case of cashmere, that translates to unrivaled warmth and comfort. If you're willing to spend the extra dough, it's a wonderful option to consider and will make for a lovely gift.

Fleece: Known for its amazing warmth, fleece is soft and lightweight, making it an attractive option for baby blankets where warmth is needed. It can cause heat rash, though, so be careful when using fleece blankets on babies with sensitive skin—especially in hot climates.

Linen: Lightweight and silky smooth, linen will create less sweat than cotton, which will help prevent babies from overheating while also keeping them comfortable and warm. It might not be warm enough for everyday outdoor use in the cold, but it's a good idea to keep one in your arsenal if baby is ever running a fever.

Bamboo muslin: This man-made fabric is a popular option in modern times, particularly for eco-conscious parents. Billed as the "cashmere of cotton," the material is silky, soft and breathable. It also has anti-static properties, so it won't cling to a baby's body. Better yet, it's reportedly two to three times more absorbent than cotton and will remain cooler in warmer weather. Did we mention that bamboo is also naturally antibacterial?

Flannel: This material is warm and has a soft, velvety texture that babies and parents alike will love. It's also breathable thanks to its more loosely woven structure, which makes it preferable to some over fleece.

What Are the Worst Fabrics for Baby Blankets?

Fur: Baby blankets made from fur may be ultra-warm, fuzzy and comforting, but the strands can come loose and end up in baby's mouth—particularly with little ones who are teething and like to gnaw on everything in sight. Real fur, which is typically made of a combination of wool and sheepskin, may also cause allergies.

Polyester: While a lot of new parents may be tempted by the affordability of polyester, it's advisable to avoid this fabric for baby blankets. Polyester is not very breathable and can irritate sensitive skin. More importantly, since it's actually a form of plastic, it's made with chemicals that could be dangerous for your little one, including dyes, petroleum and coal. It's also flammable, so some may include flame-retardant chemicals to boot.

Acrylic: While there are benefits to acrylic—it's gentle, reliable and easy to wash and dry—it's still a man-made synthetic material derived from plastic, just like polyester. The price is typically right, so if you're on a budget, it might be tempting to go this route, but it may be best to spend a bit more for peace of mind.

How Do You Choose the Right Baby Blanket?

We've scoured the web to find the best personalized baby blankets around, taking into consideration all the most important factors, including material, price, comfort, softness, ease of cleaning and more. Keep scrolling for the 14 of the prettiest, coziest options you ever did see.

The Best Personalized Baby Blankets at Glance:

RELATED: The 45 Best Baby Shower Gifts, According to Real Moms

1. Custom Catch Personalized Baby Blanket

Best overall personalized baby blanket

Earning huge points on the cute scale is this one-of-a-kind personalized baby blanket. Made of 200 GSM (grams per square meter) fleece, it's on the cusp of being a lightweight microfleece, making it the perfect little pocket for your bundle of joy—not too hot and not too cold. It has a satin lining for extra flair, and you can customize it with a name, birth date or other message via embroidered letters (there's room for up to 15 characters). Hearts and moons can also be added for an additional $4.

From $30 $23 at Amazon

2. Mark & Graham Cotton Cashmere Blend Stroller Blanket

Best luxury personalized baby blanket

This is the type of luxury blanket that a frugal parent might not shell out for, which is precisely why it would be a great gift. Made of 95 percent cotton with 5 percent cashmere for an added touch of extra softness, this cover has rib-knit edges and embroidered monogramming. Personalize it with the baby's name, birthdate or a sweet message: With room for up to two lines of text, the options are endless!

Buy It ($92; $63)

3. Berry Bebe Personalized Baby Blanket

Best sensory personalized baby blanket

Made of minky velour, this blanket adds a sensory element not seen in other options here in the form of raised dots that are meant to stimulate the senses. Considering the importance of tactile stimulation for a baby's development, this will be a truly thoughtful gift—you can even choose from six different fonts with which to spell out their name.

$35 $33 at Amazon

4. Custom Photo Blanket

Best personalized baby photo blanket

While this one's technically not a baby blanket, it would make a wonderful one when customized with nine photos of baby's mom and dad, siblings and family members. Custom text can also be added at the top and bottom (up to 30 characters each). It's made of an anti-pilling flannel, so it won't get all scraggly, and at 50 inches x 40 inches, it's large enough for a precious bundle of joy to snuggle into.

$17 at Amazon

5. Mark & Graham Pendleton Baby Blanket

Most stylish personalized baby blanket

If you're not into cutesy animal prints and pastel colors, this is a great baby blanket with a more refined style. It's made of pure virgin wool that's been combed for a softer feel, is the perfect size for swaddling and will keep baby toasty warm. It's also completely machine washable, so you don't have to worry about any messes that may befall it.

Buy It ($63)

6. Precious Gift Company Personalized Baby Blanket

Best cotton personalized baby blanket

Each one of these covers comes with a faux leather patch at the corner that can be customized with the baby's name, along with a cute rabbit graphic (you can also do custom orders if you prefer another character or image). If you're grabbing one of these 100 percent cotton blankets as a gift, you'll can even opt to throw in the matching magnetic gift box that's just missing a bow and a card before it's ready to go.

$40 at Amazon

7. Mark & Graham Stars and Stripes Baby Gift Set

Best personalized baby blanket gift set

You'll not only get a soft, warm, lightweight personalized blanket in this gift set, it also comes with a matching cloth toy known as a "lovie" and a pair of matching bibs, all of which are made with 100 percent organic muslin cotton. It's the perfect gift set for swaddle and tummy time, meals and naps: Just make sure to wash everything on a gentle cycle with cold water and tumble dry it on low to keep it looking nice and spiffy.

Buy It ($72; $48)

8. Pottery Barn Luxe Knit Sherpa Baby Blanket

Best personalized baby blanket for travel

Made with nylon and viscose and soft sherpa on the other side, this blanket will keep baby nice and warm and has cute pom-poms at the edges for a sweet style that will look lovely draped over the side of the crib. In addition to the four pastel hues you'll get to choose from, you can add up to 18 characters to spell out baby's name in elegant cursive in your choice of font and font color.

Buy It ($73)

9. Be Burgundy Personalized Baby Blanket

Best modern personalized baby blanket

For a modern twist on this old classic, there's this word cloud art baby blanket, which displays a newborn's name throughout in various sizes and fonts. The result? An eye-catching (and photo-friendly) design that's completely customizable. It's made of a breathable flannel that can be washed in cold water only to maintain the 12 vibrant color schemes. You can also select from nine font types.

$27 at Amazon

10. Honestchi Personalized Baby Blanket

Best personalized baby blanket for newborns

This soft fleece blanket is best for newborns not only because it's the perfect size for swaddling, but because you can also personalize it with a name square that's surrounded by a bevy of adorable images in two-tone color. It's machine washable for easy cleaning, and you can choose from one of two sizes to best suit your needs. There's also an option to add a matching bib.

$34 at Amazon

11. Seamaid Personalized Baby Blanket

Cutest personalized baby blanket

It doesn't get much more adorable than a cute baby animal, and you can choose from nine different types thanks to this custom blanket. With room for a child's name customized in a variety of print styles, this cover measures 30 inches x 40 inches (larger sizes are also available). It's made from an anti-pilling flannel and won't easily wrinkle, either.

$20 at Amazon

12. Monica + Andy Aspen Knit Blanket

Best organic baby blanket

This mostly organic cotton blanket is made with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified 100 percent cotton, which ensures that no toxic chemicals were used in its manufacturing, including lead, phthalate or flame retardants. The double layer knit means it will be ultra-warm, especially in cold environments, and you can embroider it with a first, middle and last name. Better yet, there's a whole collection of matching items to go along with it—did someone say completed registry?

Buy It ($40)

13 .Mark & Graham Cozy Cotton Baby Gift Set

Best personalized baby blanket accessories

This set includes both a GOTS-certified 100 percent cotton baby blanket, plus an organic cotton bunny toy and rattle—the latter of which is sure to come in handy once baby learns to grip, shake and explore. All of these items will be safe for him or her to to chomp on, and you can add their name or even a sweet message to the center of the blanket.

Buy It ($119; $87)

14. OllieByBeebz Personalized Baby Blanket

Best personalized baby quilt

The heavier feel of this quilt will be perfect for babies who need that extra boost of security. Made of 100 percent cotton, it’s soft, but weighty enough to stay in place as newborns move about. The customization options, meanwhile, are seemingly endless: You can choose the colors, text, font and thread color and embroidery placement, plus, there's options to add additional text wherever you like.

$50 at Amazon

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