Cloth Diaper Inserts Are Made of WhatHuh??

The Knickernappies SuperDo insert is made of a combination of fabrics, including fabulous hemp for maximum absorbency.

Cloth diaper inserts have gone high-tech. In fact, even prefolds and fitted diapers are available in high-tech fabrics such as bamboo and hemp/cotton jersey these days. But just like the explosion in cool product offerings in the cloth diapering greenscape overall in the last few years, all the new options for diaper inserts can be confusing. To simplify the what, why, and huh for you, I have laid out each type of fabric inserts are commonly made from along with the purpose of using that fabric and the pros and cons. I hope this helps you build a stash full of leak-proof, versatile diapers. Happy diapering!

Microfiber: Possibly the most confusing term used for cloth diaper inserts, the material called “microfiber” can look like everything from terrycloth to suede to fleece. The straight poop is this: microfiber is a synthetic material (often polyester) that is used because of its wicking and filtering capabilities and its softness. Microfiber is often used for one or more top layers of basic diaper inserts, because it wicks moisture away from baby’s skin and into the insert. Microfiber is not itself absorbent, unless it is blended with another material. Microfiber is a term that seems to be used to refer to several different material blends, though, so if a diaper company says an insert is made entirely of microfiber, what they probably mean is that the material is a blend of microfiber and cotton.

Hemp: Hemp is a material that is super absorbent, so it is often used in doublers or inserts that can be used alongside a standard microfiber insert to boost absorbency. Hemp is slow to absorb liquid, though, so it’s best used in conjunction with another insert that is fast absorbing. If your baby wets through pocket diapers quickly, you could try putting the standard large microfiber insert that probably came with your pocket diaper on top closest to baby’s skin, and placing a hemp insert or doubler below that. This can turn your pocket diapers into night diapers, but it can also make them bulky. Hemp seems to work quite well in blend fabrics. Companies like GADBaby, Tiny Tush and Pooters make inserts and fitted diapers out of hemp/cotton blend fabrics that have both fast-absorbing and super-thirsty qualities. The downside to hemp? Because it is so thirsty it takes longer to dry when washed. Hemp can also get a little scratchy over many washings, which is another reason it’s usually not used right up against baby’s skin.

Bamboo: Those Sustainable Babyish fitteds you all went nuts for last week were made of bamboo/cotton fleece–a squishy soft and flexible material that absorbs moisture well and is naturally antimicrobial. Kissaluvs makes a fitted diaper lined with bamboo velour, which is about as soft as it gets when you’re pampering baby’s bum. Like hemp, bamboo can take a while to dry after washing because it holds moisture so well, but it’s the most environmentally sustainable fabric you can make diapers out of (if done properly) because bamboo can be grown so quickly and without the use of pesticides. Bamboo also has the natural tendency to wick moisture away from your skin, hence the use of this fabric in expensive exercise clothing. But, you guessed it, bamboo is a somewhat expensive fabric to make diapers out of too, so expect to pay a few dollars more per diaper if bamboo is involved.

Cotton: You all are pretty familiar with cotton already, I know. It’s absorbent, natural, and cheap. But cotton comes in organic and not-so-organic, bleached and unbleached. If going all-natural is important to you with diapers, look for organic unbleached cotton, because bleached cotton can retain some dioxin residue that isn’t so great for baby. Unbleached cotton is also much stronger since bleach is hard on fibers: I bleached out two dyed prefolds once because they wouldn’t stop bleeding dye that wasn’t colorfast, and guess which two prefolds totally disintegrated after a handful of washings? Cotton from India or China is most commonly used to make prefolds (hence the name Indian prefold or Chinese prefold). Indian cotton is reputed to be softer but slightly less durable than the Chinese version.

Wool: Wool is loved by moms for its natural fibers, the ability of its lanolin coating to neutralize urine (turn it to water), its superior breathability, and the fact that you don’t have to wash wool as often as other cover materials. Wool covers are water-resistant, not water-proof, and they have to be washed by hand, which means there’s a learning curve to this material. But wool is what sheep wear, so you really can’t do better for a natural, breathable material. Wool is also much softer than you might expect. The primary drawback is the high price. But many moms who try wool never go back. It can’t be beat for preventing diaper rash.