Toddler sweaters have one job that nobody writes about: surviving the wash. A toddler wears the same sweater three days running, gets something on it, and it goes through the machine again. By February a cheap knit has pilled, lost its shape at the cuffs and gone a shade paler than it started.
Every sweater in this Firebird collection is made from GOTS-certified organic cotton or a cotton-cashmere blend, knit in small batches in New York City, and built to go through that cycle. Toddler sizes are 2-3T and 4-5T, and the same knits run on through 12-13, so one sweater covers a toddler now and a sibling later. Prices run $85 to $118.
What’s In The Toddler Sweaters Collection
Five kinds of knit.
What Toddler Sweaters Are Made From
The cotton knits are GOTS-certified organic cotton, which certifies the fiber and the processing it goes through rather than only the crop. None of them carry chemical softening finishes, which matters more at two than at ten. A toddler’s sweater spends a lot of time against the neck, the wrists and sometimes the mouth. The softness here comes from the yarn, which also means it is still there after twenty washes instead of rinsing out after three.
The hoodie sweater is a separate blend, 85% Egyptian Giza cotton and 15% cashmere, which gives it the softness without the hand-washing that pure cashmere asks for. If you are dressing a toddler with reactive skin, our guide to fabrics for sensitive skin goes further into what to look for.
There is no wool in this collection, so the usual scratchiness objection does not come up.
How A Toddler Sweater Should Fit
Toddler sizes are 2-3T and 4-5T, then the same knits continue through 6-7, 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13. The size guide lists height and weight beside each size, which is the better measure at an age when two toddlers the same age can be three inches apart.
Leave room for a long-sleeve tee underneath. The cut here is relaxed enough that a knit sized for a two-year-old still layers over a base without pulling at the shoulders.
Between two sizes, take the larger one. A chunky knit worn slightly big looks deliberate and buys another season. On the hoodie sweater, check the sleeve rather than the body, since that is where a growth spurt shows first.
Keeping The Shape Through Winter
Toddler knits go through more wash cycles than anything else in the drawer, and a few habits do most of the work.
- Wash cold, inside out, on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent.
- Lay flat to dry. A wet knit on a hanger stretches at the shoulder under its own weight.
- Fold to store rather than hanging.
- Expect light pilling on any natural fiber. A sweater comb clears it in a couple of minutes, and our guide to keeping sweaters from pilling covers how to slow it down.
When the size is outgrown, Pass It On resells the sweater to another family. Knits hold up well enough that a second owner gets real wear out of them, which is where the cost-per-wear math on a toddler sweater lands.
The Rest Of The Toddler Wardrobe
Toddler Sweater FAQs
What Are Firebird Toddler Sweaters Made Of?
The cotton knits are GOTS-certified organic cotton. The hoodie sweater is a separate blend of 85% Egyptian Giza cotton and 15% cashmere. No wool and no chemical finishes.
What Sizes Do Toddler Sweaters Come In?
Toddler sizes are 2-3T and 4-5T, and the same knits continue through 12-13 in kids’ sizes.
Are These Toddler Sweaters For Boys Or Girls?
Both. Every knit is cut unisex, so it moves easily between siblings and between seasons.
Are Toddler Sweaters Machine Washable?
Yes. Cold water, gentle cycle, mild detergent, then lay flat to dry. Nothing here needs hand washing.
Is Organic Cotton Warm Enough For Winter?
A chunky knit or the cotton-cashmere hoodie sweater layers under a coat for cold weather. A finer knit like the striped crewnecks carries three seasons on its own.
Will The Knitted Design Wear Off?
No. The tree and snake motifs are knit in with separate yarns rather than printed, so they come through the wash the same way the rest of the sweater does.
