What Is Muslin Fabric? Types, Benefits and Uses

Muslin is a lightweight, plain-woven cotton fabric with a soft, open weave. It is breathable, gentle on the skin and gets softer with every wash, which is why it is loved for baby products, summer clothing and home textiles, and why natural dyers love it too.

What is muslin fabric?

Muslin is a loosely woven cotton fabric, traditionally made from fine yarns in a simple plain weave. The name is believed to come from the city of Mosul (in today's Iraq), where Europeans first met the fabric. The finest historical muslins were hand-woven in Bengal, around today's Dhaka, and were famous across the world. Today muslin is woven in many countries; ours is woven in Turkey, which has a long tradition of fine cotton weaving.

In North America, the word "muslin" is also used for simple, plain cotton fabric used for test garments (toiles). In this article, we mean the soft, airy cotton gauze known as muslin in Europe and Turkey.

Types of muslin

• Single-layer muslin or gauze: very light and sheer, for scarves and summer clothing.
• Double gauze (2-layer muslin): two layers of gauze joined together; soft, light and opaque, ideal for shirts, dresses and baby clothes. See our 2-layer cotton gauze, also in a wide width.
• Crinkle gauze: a textured gauze with a natural crinkle. See our undyed crinkle gauze.
• Multi-layer muslin: 4 or 8 layers for warm, cozy blankets and throws, such as our 4-layer muslin baby blanket and 8-layer muslin blanket.

Benefits of muslin

• Breathable: the open weave lets air flow freely, so it keeps you cool in summer and helps prevent overheating.
• Soft: it is gentle on sensitive skin and gets softer every time you wash it.
• Light but durable: it is strong for its weight and lasts for years.
• Versatile: swaddles, blankets, clothing, scarves, curtains, kitchen cloths and more.
• Natural and biodegradable: 100% cotton muslin returns to the earth at the end of its life.

Read more about muslin for babies in why muslin is the best choice for babies.

Muslin for natural dyeing

Undyed muslin is a wonderful base for natural dyeing, eco printing and shibori. Its open weave lets dye penetrate evenly, and the soft texture makes beautiful naturally dyed clothing and blankets. As with all cotton, scour it first and use a tannin and alum mordant. See how to prepare fabric for natural dyeing. Our 4-layer cotton gauze is also ideal for testing dye colors.

Muslin made in Turkey

At themazi we supply 2-layer, 4-layer and 8-layer muslin and many other woven cotton fabrics in Turkey, undyed and ready for natural dyeing. For brands and studios we also supply muslin wholesale; see our wholesale page.

Frequently asked questions

Is muslin the same as gauze?

They are very similar. Both are light, open-weave cotton fabrics; "double gauze" is a two-layer muslin.

Does muslin shrink?

Yes, cotton muslin can shrink when first washed, especially in hot water, so wash it before cutting and sewing.

Shop: undyed fabric by the yard · Muslin blankets and blanks · Naturally dyed goods