How to Choose Digital Print Fabric: Tencel, Cotton, Gauze, Oxford & Waterproof — A Complete Comparison Guide

Start Here: Your End Use Decides Your Fabric

The most common question we get from first-time custom fabric buyers is: "Which fabric is best?" The honest answer is that there is no single best — only the one that fits your project. Planning a baby bib? Go with double gauze. Designing a summer dress? Choose 100-count plain-weave cotton. Building a tote bag? Oxford cloth is your answer. Need a waterproof table cover? Only 75D waterproof poly will do the job.

cocochi's house (operated by KAIYO FABRIC CO., LTD.) currently offers 10 fabrics available for custom digital printing. All support small-batch custom orders starting at just 20 yards, and sampling is available. Below, we break each one down by material type so you can find your match on the first try.

Tencel: The Bedding Favourite — Smooth, Cool, and Season-Proof

Tencel is the silkiest fabric in our lineup. It has a natural sheen, feels cool against skin in summer and warm in winter, and is exceptionally gentle — even for sensitive skin. Our current specification is:

• 40-count Tencel (white base), 59 inches (150 cm) wide
• Weight: Lightweight (2 out of 5)
• Breathability: ★★

Tencel is the ideal choice for fitted sheets, flat sheets, pillowcases, pyjamas, and neck scarves — anything that sits directly against the body. If you run a bedding label or are developing a premium gift line, Tencel delivers some of the finest print detail of any fabric we stock. It's a natural fit for indie textile designers who want colour accuracy and a luxurious drape.

Plain-Weave Cotton: The Most Versatile Family in Our Range

Pure cotton is the fabric type with the most options at cocochi's house. We carry four weights, so there is a cotton for almost every maker:

• 100-count plain-weave cotton (white base), 57 inches (145 cm) wide — Ultra-fine, almost silk-like. Best for lightweight summer tops and high-end bedding.
• 40-count plain-weave cotton (white base), 57 inches (145 cm) wide — Our most popular all-purpose spec. Balanced hand-feel. Great for apparel, fabric face masks, and everyday accessories.
• 20-count plain-weave cotton (white base), 59 inches (150 cm) wide — Slightly heavier. Works well for bag linings or practical utility items that need a little more body.
• 20-count plain-weave cotton (greige/natural base), 43 inches (110 cm) wide — Retains the natural cream colour of unbleached cotton. Prints read warmer and more vintage. Perfect for artisan or craft-market aesthetics.

All cotton options sit at a lightweight weight rating (2 out of 5) with ★★ breathability. They suit summer clothing, skin-contact products, baby apparel, OEM children's wear Taiwan projects, and fabric face masks. The greige-base version is a favourite among indie textile designers going for a linen-look or natural-goods feel without the linen price tag.

Double Gauze and Triple Gauze: The Go-To for Baby and Toddler Products

Gauze fabrics are the top request from infant and toddler brands — and for good reason. They are soft, absorbent, and breathable, making them almost entirely non-irritating for newborn skin. We stock two grades:

• Double gauze (white base), 59 inches (150 cm) wide — Sometimes called "baby muslin." Great absorbency, ★★★ breathability. Ideal for drool bibs, swaddle wraps, and crib sheets.
• Triple gauze (white base), 43 inches (110 cm) wide — A layer thicker than double gauze, with even higher absorbency and the same ★★★ breathability rating. Best for heavy-use drool bibs or fabric face masks where extra absorption matters.

Both are 100% cotton and share the same lightweight weight rating (2 out of 5). The difference comes down to layer count — and the hand-feel that creates. If you are building a baby or toddler brand, we strongly recommend ordering a sample of both. The difference is subtle but real, and you will want to feel it before committing to a run. Our Japanese-imported double gauze is also available as in-stock yardage if you need fabric fast.

Oxford Cloth: Tough, Structured, and Beautifully Colour-Saturated

Oxford cloth is the heaviest fabric we carry, and it shows in the best way — prints come out vivid and fully saturated, and the weave stands up to hard use. We offer two versions:

• Double-warp Oxford cloth (white base), 59 inches (150 cm) wide — Extra-dense construction. Built for load-bearing bags and outdoor gear.
• Standard Oxford cloth (white base or greige base), white base 59 inches (150 cm) wide / greige base 43 inches (110 cm) wide — The greige base softens print tones for a vintage look; the white base gives you the brightest, truest colours.

Weight rating: 4 out of 5. Breathability: ★★. Material: cotton with good structural integrity. Oxford cloth excels for crossbody bags, tote bags, shoes, outdoor accessories, and lifestyle goods. For B2B buyers, it is one of the most-requested fabrics for OEM children's wear Taiwan accessories and branded merchandise.

75D Waterproof Fabric: Lightweight Performance for Outdoor and Functional Goods

75D waterproof fabric is the only polyester option in our lineup. It is water-repellent, prints in vivid, punchy colours, and is surprisingly lightweight. Because it is a synthetic, breathability is zero — so keep it away from anything worn directly against the skin.

• 75D waterproof fabric (white base), 59 inches (150 cm) wide — Weight: 2 out of 5. Water-repellent finish.
• Best for: waterproof table covers, reusable shopping totes, beverage carrier bags, and outer shells for rain gear.

If you want your original print design to go places — literally — waterproof fabric is how a great pattern becomes a functional, weather-resistant product.

Five Things to Confirm Before You Choose

• Match material to end use. Skin-contact items → Tencel or gauze. Durability-first → Oxford cloth. Waterproofing needed → 75D poly. Everyday apparel → plain-weave cotton.
• Base colour affects how your print looks. White base delivers the brightest, most accurate colours. Greige (natural unbleached) base shifts tones warmer and adds a vintage, artisan quality.
• Fabric width affects yield. A 43-inch (110 cm) wide fabric gives you less usable area per yard than a 59-inch (150 cm) wide fabric. Factor this in when comparing price per yard.
• Small dots or shell fragments in natural cotton are normal. Tiny specks or edge pinholes in natural cotton fabrics are part of the raw material — they are not defects.
• Custom printing starts at 20 yards; sampling is available. Not sure how a fabric will feel or how your design will print? Contact us to ask about the sampling process before committing to a full run.

From Fabric Selection to Finished Design — All in One Place

cocochi's house is operated by KAIYO FABRIC CO., LTD., home to a pattern-making team with over 40 years of experience. We have worked with international labels including Best Pale (百事特, a leading Taiwanese childrenswear brand) and Betty Boop, and we support every stage of the process — fabric selection, custom digital printing, and pattern development.

Whether you are an independent maker, an indie children's apparel brand, a creative studio, or a B2B buyer sourcing at volume, we are set up to help. Custom digital printing starts at 20 yards, with sampling and small trial runs available. Japanese-imported fabrics — including double gauze, plain-weave cotton, and performance textiles — are available as in-stock yardage for faster turnaround.

Ready to get started? Get in touch via LINE @cocochishouse to discuss your project, request a sample, or get a quote. We will recommend the right fabric for your exact use case.