Reviewed by The Mom Store editorial team, October 2026. See our editorial policy.
Many Indian families dress a new baby in soft, washed hand me downs before anything new. The reasons are partly practical, because cotton that has been washed many times is soft and has no stiff finish or loose dye left, and partly traditional, such as passing on blessings or not drawing attention to a new baby. You do not have to choose between the custom and a shopping list. Use the family bundle, check every piece, and buy new only the few items where fit and fastening really matter.
Customs differ from home to home. Some first clothes come from an older sibling, some from a cousin, and some families have never followed the practice. All of these are normal.
Why Indian newborns wear old clothes first
Ask three families and you may hear three explanations. The custom is passed down by word of mouth, so the reasons vary by region, community and household.
Softness. The most common answer, and the easiest to check with your own fingers. Cotton washed many times feels softer than cotton fresh from a shop.
Blessings and continuity. Some families see the clothes of a healthy older child as a way of passing on good wishes and welcoming the baby into the family.
Keeping things low key. In families who believe in nazar, plain old clothes are a way of not attracting attention to a baby in the first weeks.
Thrift. Newborns outgrow the smallest sizes quickly, and earlier generations did not waste good cloth.
Whether the beliefs hold meaning for you is a personal matter, and this article does not try to prove or disprove them. The practical side is worth a closer look, because it applies to every family.
What is practical about hand me downs
Washed out finishes. New fabric can feel slightly stiff and may release some dye in its first few washes. Clothes that have been through dozens of washes are past that stage.
Fewer scratchy bits. Older handmade jablas often have no printed labels or tags at the neck.
Simple, open shapes. A jabla opens at the front and goes on without pulling anything over a floppy newborn head.
Less waste. A piece worn for three weeks by one baby has plenty of life left. Our guide to sustainable newborn clothing covers reuse in more detail.
The catch is condition. Clothes that sat in a trunk for years can come out with knotted ties, loose buttons, tired elastic or a musty smell. The tradition works best when every piece is checked and washed, which most grandmothers would say too.
Talking it through with the grandparents
If you have already washed a drawer of new clothes when the bundle arrives, nobody needs to win this conversation.
Ask before you decide. A simple "Why old clothes first?" usually brings a warm answer about softness, a cousin who wore them, or what her own mother did.
Start from what you agree on. Soft, clean cotton for a newborn is something both generations want.
Sort the bundle together. Checking ties, buttons and elastic side by side turns a possible disagreement into a shared job.
Explain replacements as fit problems. Mittens with slack elastic or a cap that slips over the eyes are about fit, not a judgement on the tradition.
Most families end up using both: old jablas for the early weeks at home, and a handful of new basics for the gaps.
What to borrow and what to buy new
Sort by how hard each item works. Anything that goes near the mouth, depends on elastic, or must fasten reliably is better bought new. Soft outer layers are usually fine to borrow.
| Item | Borrow? | Buy new? | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton jablas and vests | Yes | A few, to fill size gaps | Well washed cotton is soft. Bundles are often all one size. |
| Onesies and bodysuits | If every snap closes firmly | Some | Worn snaps pop open during feeds and changes. |
| Mittens | Rarely | Yes | They end up in the mouth, and old elastic is often too loose or too tight. |
| Booties and socks | Rarely | Yes | Stretched elastic slips off. Tight elastic marks the ankle. |
| Caps | Only if the shape holds | Usually | A cap that has lost its shape can slide over the eyes. |
| Anything with ties or strings at the neck | No | Choose snaps or zips | Strings near the neck can wrap around it. |
| Swaddles and muslin cloths | Yes | Optional | Old muslin is often softer than new. |
On the strings point, the AAP's tips for dressing your newborn suggest clothes with no ribbons or strings that could wrap around the neck, and garments that snap or zip down the front. Many older jablas tie at the neck, so swap those for snap fastened versions or keep them for a supervised photo.
The short list worth buying new
Buy after the family bundle arrives, so you only fill real gaps. Our tips on buying newborn clothes without overbuying help here, because the smallest size is outgrown fast.
Onesies with snaps
Older bundles rarely include onesies with crotch snaps, and that one feature lets you change a nappy at night without undressing the whole baby. Plain cotton onesies sit comfortably alongside old jablas.
From our range
Cotton, with snaps at the crotch and shoulder. View product
Mittens, booties and caps
These are the pieces most likely to have gone slack in storage. Relaxed elastic lets mittens slip off, and a cap that has lost its shape can slide down over the eyes. A fresh set fits properly.
From our range
Mittens, Booties and Cap set, City Drive
A cotton set sized for the first months. Check the size and returns details on the product page. View product
A couple of jablas in the next size
Family bundles are often all one small size, and many babies move up within the first month or two. Two or three new jablas with snaps keep the familiar shape without the neck ties.
Wash everything before the first wear
Old and new both need a wash, and this is where tradition and modern advice agree. Old clothes have usually been stored for months or years, and new ones have passed through a factory, a warehouse and a shop. The AAP's guidance on cleaning baby clothes notes that newborns tend to have sensitive skin and that it is generally a good idea to wash all clothes before use. It also says a special baby detergent is not essential; switching to a milder one makes sense if your baby's skin gets irritated.
Wash the hand me downs as their own load, then check every seam, snap and tie while folding.
Wash new pieces with similar colours, since some prints release a little dye at first.
Rinse well, and dry everything fully, in the sun where possible, before storing.
For water temperature and drying, see how to wash newborn baby clothes safely. If you notice redness, a rash or dry patches after a particular outfit or detergent, set it aside and check with your paediatrician.
Washing and sorting the bundle before buying anything new is the easiest way to keep the list small. Once you can see what fits, what fastens and what is missing, you often need only a few onesies, one set of mittens and booties and a couple of jablas in the next size.
When the new clothes come out
This varies too. In many homes the first new outfit appears for the naming ceremony, a temple visit or the first festival, and the baby goes back into soft cotton once the photos are done. Other families switch gradually as the baby outgrows the bundle. For a first festival outfit, use the same checks: soft lining, no neck ties and easy access for changes. Our ideas for baby's first Diwali twinning outfits follow that comfort first approach.
