Hi
Simplicity or McCalls has a good adult "BIB". You might try and see what they use or fabrics they sugguest.
Silly sewer sandi

I make clothing protectors for the Conway (AR) Human Development Center. Last year I made about 500. My pattern is homemade, shaped much like a baby bib, about 20" across, about 22" long. I use 100% cotton print for the top, Wal Mart sheets for the backing (twin size makes 12), then I put an 18" X 14" piece of cotton flannel in the middle and channel quilt it, 5 rows. I bind them with extra wide double fold bias tape and complete them with a 4 part gripper snap at the back of the neck. They didn't want Velcro or ties. Social workers have told me they hold up much better than any they have ever bought. This year I've only made 240, just got distracted with the desire to make quilts. You understand. hehe.

Bless you, Carolyn. I used to go to Conway often for football games when my oldest son played for UAM (in the 1990's). Neat little town, I thought.

My mother taught me years ago to make baby bibs using flannel as the fabric, and thick plastic (like ziplock bags thick) between the layers. We both made them this way for many years. I know friends who said that the bibs I made for them were the only ones that survived their first baby well enough to then be used for their second baby. If a ziplock bag isn't large enough for adult bibs, you can get plastic sheeting at a hardware store.

They're called "clothing protectors". Making them from terry towels is the best way to go.

I use vinyl backed table cloths that you find on a roll get a couple yrds of it and you can back seveal bibs with it that is what i use to make baby bibs for my kids babies it works great you can use velcro or make it with ties to put on the people :)

Joanns has it.9.99 a yard. Use 40 or 50 percent off coupon. I think it might be 60 inches wide.

http://www.outonthetownbibs.com 8 adult bib free bib patterns.

i was just going to suggest them too. if i remember right there was a pattern for santa and mrs. clause along with others.

I made these for the people in our RV park that had a stroke or other problems. I used terry kitchen towels.
They were soft enough if they needed to wipe their chins it didn't irritate their face. The terry cloth absorbed the liquids.