Well, it's been interesting getting up to speed on the variety of different car seat brands/models, features, price ranges, etc when it comes to protecting an infant. I've done a lot of research before and after I bought my final (I hope) infant seat for this go-round and the one thing that seems to come up in reviews are comments about fabrics.
This is what I got - the Chicco KeyFit 30 in the black/white/yellow "Miro" pattern. The solid black fabric is the softest part (slightly rough feeling nylon), while the printed fabric feels rather stiff. I'm guessing the type of fabric chosen was done so with the printing process in mind. Also - my example doesn't seem to be as vivid a yellow as I saw in the stock photo, and they printed (as opposed to a sewn in label) the standard warning about not placing a rear-facing child seat where there's an air bag. I've checked out different KeyFit 30 patterns, and they have a range of different fabric types, although none is quite as stiff as the Miro pattern. Some are fairly stiff overall, but with a finish that feels somewhat "silky".
Personally I think most people make too much about how hard or soft a fabric feels to the touch. I've yet to see an infant seat with a cotton cover, although the lack of cotton seems to be a common complaint when I read reviews. I'm pretty sure that synthetics are chosen for their durability and ability to incorporate fire retardants. For the most part, we're placing our babies in there fully clothed, and how soft the fabric feels against the fingers (which are far more sensitive than other parts of the body) isn't going to be a good indicator of how comfortable it's going to be overall. I have a variety of high-tech synthetic clothing. While they feel anywhere from satiny smooth to almost hard when I use my fingers, the comfort level when I actually wear them is about the same. My car's seats are made of this rather rough weave (it's actually dimpled somewhat) to give a bit of grip, but I can't really tell compared to other seat fabrics that seem smoother.
I've also noticed that most infant seats seem to come in clothing like patterns (the higher end Safety 1st onBoard and onBoard Air being an exception). Most of the convertible and forward facing seats are conservative looking seats that look like car upholstery, although I've noticed that Britax has a few cow-print patterns and other manufacturers have pink seats or ones with flower patterns.
This is what I got - the Chicco KeyFit 30 in the black/white/yellow "Miro" pattern. The solid black fabric is the softest part (slightly rough feeling nylon), while the printed fabric feels rather stiff. I'm guessing the type of fabric chosen was done so with the printing process in mind. Also - my example doesn't seem to be as vivid a yellow as I saw in the stock photo, and they printed (as opposed to a sewn in label) the standard warning about not placing a rear-facing child seat where there's an air bag. I've checked out different KeyFit 30 patterns, and they have a range of different fabric types, although none is quite as stiff as the Miro pattern. Some are fairly stiff overall, but with a finish that feels somewhat "silky".
Personally I think most people make too much about how hard or soft a fabric feels to the touch. I've yet to see an infant seat with a cotton cover, although the lack of cotton seems to be a common complaint when I read reviews. I'm pretty sure that synthetics are chosen for their durability and ability to incorporate fire retardants. For the most part, we're placing our babies in there fully clothed, and how soft the fabric feels against the fingers (which are far more sensitive than other parts of the body) isn't going to be a good indicator of how comfortable it's going to be overall. I have a variety of high-tech synthetic clothing. While they feel anywhere from satiny smooth to almost hard when I use my fingers, the comfort level when I actually wear them is about the same. My car's seats are made of this rather rough weave (it's actually dimpled somewhat) to give a bit of grip, but I can't really tell compared to other seat fabrics that seem smoother.
I've also noticed that most infant seats seem to come in clothing like patterns (the higher end Safety 1st onBoard and onBoard Air being an exception). Most of the convertible and forward facing seats are conservative looking seats that look like car upholstery, although I've noticed that Britax has a few cow-print patterns and other manufacturers have pink seats or ones with flower patterns.
