Comfortable play trousers with reinforced knees

If you’re looking for comfortable play trousers with durable knee fabric that won’t tear after a day of playing on the kindergarten floor, then you’ve come to the right place.

It’s no secret that most children’s trousers are torn during indoor play in the kindergarten or school. But most of the robust outdoor trousers are designed for outdoor use – with stiff reinforced knees and made from thick fabric. They are not so comfortable to play indoors all day. This is where Babbily comes in – Babbily trousers are the indoor comfortable twin to tough outdoor trousers. We use durable knee fabric, but combine it with lots more comfort.

The idea behind Babbily is simple – super comfortable trousers with knees that won’t tear even after hours of playing on the floor, so that your child can wear them all day with confidence.

What makes Babbily trousers so special? Comfort and durability in one. Babbily has the right mix of comfort, durability and style. They’re made for those who don’t like sweatpants, who love their outdoor trousers, but are probably looking for a lighter and more breathable option to wear indoors.

This is how the idea of Babbily trousers was born

The most comfortable kindergarten trousers for crawlers

When my little one first started exploring walking and crawling, the only two types of trousers I could find for him were stiff and uncomfortable baby jeans or jogging bottoms. I started making trousers for him in softer fabrics. These trousers were much more comfortable for my explorer and it was noticeable that he was able to explore and move freely in the trousers I made for him. However, his knees remained intact at this stage.

I then designed trousers that would grow with him (why waste an effort on making something that’s only good for a month?).

But by the time he entered kindergarten, reality set in – the trousers wore out at the knees before he outgrew them.

And so began the search for the right durable knee fabric for knee reinforcement.

Finding the right durable knee reinforcement

I wanted to find a durable knee fabric that would be easy to combine with the light or stretchy fabrics used in baby and children’s clothing, but would still be able to withstand a lot of pressure from constant play on the floor.

Heavy fabrics traditionally used in outdoor or functional trousers, such as Cordura, were too stiff and heavy.

So we started experimenting with a variety of fabrics. My little testers helped me out by testing trousers with different knee reinforcements. All models were tested in kindergarten and on playgrounds.

Photo @Babbily. Testing various fabrics.

Here’s what we tried:

Lightweight rip-stop – quickly gave out.
Reinforced hemp – Didn’t last long.
Regular trouser/jean fabric with interlining – Didn’t hold up well.
Polyester scuba – performed better but tended to bulge out at the knees, was too heavy for indoor use and was not breathable

Testing the limits

leggings girls for sport After a year of searching and testing, I have struck gold with the perfect fabric – light, stretchy and seriously strong. So far, none of my little testers have managed to tear it. Even though they have been testing it every day for over two years.

The Babbily knee reinforcement we use in our trousers is a lightweight, stretchy but extremely abrasion-resistant high-tech sports fabric.

It combines well with stretch jerseys and follows the shape of the body without bulging out at the knees. As an added bonus, it is slightly water repellent, which is great for playing on wet sand. And the knees can be wiped clean without having to wash the whole garment.

According to the Martindale test, this Babbiy knee reinforcing fabric can withstand up to 100,000 rubs (this is a level between industrial and military fabrics). That’s a lot of crawling and playing on the floor.

Note: The Martindale rub test simulates the natural wear and tear of fabrics (usually upholstery). During the test, a fabric sample is rubbed against an abrasive material (sandpaper or a coarse piece of fabric such as wool) until it shows signs of wear. The higher the number of cycles (Martindale units), the more resistant the material is to abrasion.

I did a “laboratory” test at home by rubbing the fabrics with sandpaper. In just 35 seconds, regular jersey wore out. Our tough, durable knee fabric was still going strong after two minutes of rubbing. Watch the video here.

Babbily and you making a difference together – for happy kids on a green planet

Babbily is not just about functional trousers. By starting a company from scratch, we wanted to do things differently and use this opportunity to build a sustainable, responsible business where you can shop with confidence.

And we hope that you, as our customer, are ready to make decisions not just based on aesthetics, price or marketing promises thrown at you. We hope you appreciate the power of your decisions to make the difference for the future and use them responsibly.

Support a business, that stands for transparency, quality and sustainability

Fabric quality and transparent supply chain

We only choose certified organic cotton fabrics, but we go one step further. Most of our fabrics are sourced from GOTS certified manufacturers, not fabric wholesalers. This way we can better control the quality of our fabrics. This also means that our supply chain is more transparent and shorter (our fabric suppliers are based in Europe). We also control and check the quality of the fabrics ourselves. And yes, there have been cases where we have decided not to use certain fabrics because we were not convinced of their quality (yes, event organic fabrics are not all the same).

European production

We work with small producers and social enterprises in Austria, Poland and Slovakia. They have been chosen for the quality of their products and their working ethics. We know them personally and visit their workshops. They are our production partners, whose expertise has been tested over time, and whom we trust to deliver a high quality product that you can enjoy.

Sustainable, long-lasting design

We have designed Babbily leggings and trousers to last a year or more. This is thanks to a combination of grow-along features and durable knees. Not only does this reduce textile waste that can pollute the planet, but it also saves resources that would otherwise be needed to make new products.

Conclusion

If you are looking for leggings and trousers that are comfortable, breathable and ready for school and kindergarten, look no further than our Babbily Leggings and Trousers. They’re up to the challenge while keeping your little one comfortable.

Babbily leggings and trousers are very comfortable and breathable for all day play – indoors or out. They are made from soft organic cotton.
Babbily trousers are stylish. They don’t look like sweatpants and can be worn to nursery, school, the playground or more formal occasions such as birthdays, the theatre or museum.
The reinforced knees are made from a very strong but flexible hi-tech sports fabric that holds its shape without bulging out at the knees. The 4-way stretch of the fabric means that your child can move freely – play or do sports without feeling a weight on their knees.
Babbily trousers are sustainable. You can choose them for their cool looks or their practicality. But with Babbily you are also making a sustainable, responsible choice for your child and for the planet. And this is something to be proud of.

Please note: Babbily trousers are not classical robust outdoor trousers. Soft organic cotton is great for comfort, but it’s limited in its ability to withstand challenges such as prickly branches, muddy or rocky slips and tough outdoor adventures (we don´t want to overpromise here). However, they are great for normal playground use.

Choose your favourite pair here

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