Cloth diaper absorbency types

Bamboo

Bamboo is one of those fibers that is natural, but man made. It carries some controversy if it is actually a natural fiber. Bamboo is soft, absorbent, and breathable. Premium bamboo diapers often cost more than cotton diapers but they hold about the same amount of absorbency. So it is really just preference, of what you prefer. Cloth diapers made from bamboo are  most commonly from bamboo viscose, bamboo french terry or bamboo fleece. Bamboo is a common fiber used in stretchy diapers like stretchy flats, contours and preflats. 

Cotton

Cotton is affordable, natural and a great way to cloth diaper a baby and a toddler. You can find flats, fitteds, prefolds, inserts, preflats/contours made from cotton and even as the absorbent layer in aio and ai2 diapers. 

Cotton is very breathable, soft and absorbent. Cotton is easy to clean and dry, it of course depends on the amount of layers used in the diaper. 

Most common types of cotton used for diapering are muslin, birdseye, gauze, flannel, and knit jersey.

Cotton diapers are often enough to cloth diaper a baby from birth to potty learning. But some toddlers might need some types of diapers to be boosted with extra absorbency of cotton or hemp, as they age and pee more at once. Organic cotton is readily available for diapering.

Hemp

Hemp is a material that is very stable and holds a lot of liquid, but it doesn’t wick moisture as quickly as the other materials used for diapering and can get a little rough or stiff when wet. Hemp is therefore often used as a blend with bamboo or cotton. A common mix is 45% hemp and 55% cotton mix. Hemp is best used as a cotton/hemp or bamboo/hemp blend and used with cotton absorbency on top to direct the moisture better into the hemp layer. Common types of hemp fabrics used are jersey, french terry and fleece. Sometimes with the knit side facing out and other times with the fleece side facing out. As with bamboo and cotton, you can find flats, prefolds, fitteds, inserts, preflats/contours and in aio/ai2 diapers made from hemp.

Microfiber

Microfiber is a synthetic material that can work for some families, but at a certain age most toddlers need a boost in absorbency as microfiber does not hold enough pee and may cause compression leaks (Think sponge). Microfiber is fast absorbing, but does not hold much. It’s great to combine microfiber with a more absorbing material like cotton or hemp when microfiber insert alone is not enough anymore. Microfiber is fast absorbing, and wicks moisture well and therefore can not go directly against baby's skin. Microfiber needs to be covered with a liner or stuffed in a pocket, otherwise it can dry out babies natural oils and cause rashes.

Microfiber does not cost much and many inexpensive pocket diapers have microfiber inserts included. Microfiber doesn’t last as long as natural fibers, it tends to get less absorbent with time, and needs to be replaced in a year or two, depending on use. 

Some inserts that claim to be bamboo inserts or charcoal bamboo are often just a glorified microfiber insert, eg. bamboo material on the outside and few layers of microfiber on the inside. These inserts often hold a little more than pure microfiber, but often cause compression leaks as well. So it really is just a skin safe microfiber. 

Other

Other materials that have recently been added to the absorbency group of fibers are wool blends and lyocell fabric. Wool can hold up to 30% of its weight in liquid, so using wool for diapering makes sense. Some wool doesn’t need as delicate wash and can therefore be used as the absorbent layer. If using wool as absorbency it does not need to be lanolized and it should be washed after each use. Some small makers use wool blends in their stretchy flats, contours or preflats. 

Lyocell fabric is another semi-synthetic fabric, man made fiber from natural sources. It is made by dissolving wood pulp (usually eucalyptus) in synthetic chemicals (amine oxide solution). It can be labeled as eco-friendly semi-synthetic fabric. Lyocell is similar to the touch to cotton, it is soft and absorbent but does need a little more gentle care than cotton. Tencell is one known brand of lyocell fabric. Some small makers use lyocell in their stretchy flats, contours or preflats.

There are many reasons why caregivers choose cloth diapers, price does often play a big role in what diapers we use. Some caregivers choose cloth diapering to lessen their child's chemical exposure, for environmental reasons, ethical reasons, or even just for the adorable cuteness factor of the fluffy butt. No matter your reason, you will find an option to fulfil your demands. There is an option for everyone.