My son’s new minky and bamboo fleece fitted cloth diaper. The diaper pattern needs slight changes, but overall I’m pretty happy with how the diaper turned out.

Question from Chandra:
Hello. I was wondering how many layers of bamboo fleece you would recommend using to make inserts? I have bumGenius 4.0s.

Answer:
Hi Chandra,

The number of layers of bamboo fleece you need will depend on a few things such as, fabric weight/thickness, whether your baby is a heavy wetter, and the bamboo content in the fabric. The standard bamboo fleece fabric is approximately 16 ounces per yard and is 70% bamboo, 30% cotton (usually organic cotton). If you’re planning to make an insert that can be trifolded before use, and you have a light wetter, then you might be able to use only two layers (the insert would then be 6 layers when trifolded). If you have a heavier wetter, then you can make a rectangular doubler, 2-3 layers thick, and wrap the insert around that doubler, or you can attach the end(s) of the doubler to the insert by either adding snaps or by sewing.

During the day, I usually use a two-layer insert that can be trifolded, but I change my son’s diapers frequently (i.e. after each pee). When going out I usually use 7-8 layers in case I can’t change him after only one pee.

Most bamboo fleece AIO’s that I’ve bought in the past have 7-8 layers of bamboo fleece. One had 7 layers of bamboo fleece and 1 layer of bamboo velour. So, for a pocket diaper you might need at least 7-8 layers.

Keep in mind that the less layers you use to make an insert, the easier it will be to wash and dry the insert. So, it might be a good idea to use a two-layer insert and just add a 2-3 layer doubler. At night, you might want to use two of the two-layer inserts and see how that works. My daughter was a heavy wetter when she was a few months old, and we used 11-12 layers of bamboo fleece at night, but we used bamboo fleece fitteds with wool covers which are more absorbent than pocket diapers with 11-12 layers of fabric.

In addition, before using the bamboo fleece inserts to go out or at night, make sure they’ve been washed a few times. Some people say that it takes at least 6-8 washes for bamboo fleece to reach its maximum absorbency.  If you’re making the inserts for yourself and not for sale, then I would recommend washing the fabric on hot at least a couple of times.  I usually wash mine 3 times before cutting.

I hope this helps!

Wool interlock backed cloth pads. These are made with bamboo fleece and organic bamboo velour. Two of the pads have a layer of cotton interlock print.

Wool interlock trainers (with bamboo fleece insert on the right). The fabric is VERY stretchy, so they could probably be used as a cover over a trim fitted as well. I think I might try a slightly shorter rise for the next pair of trainers.

Question:
What is your favorite fabric for making cloth diapers?

Answer:
My favorite cloth diaper making fabric is bamboo fleece. The bamboo fleece I use is soft, durable and very absorbent.  I’ve used different cotton fabrics before and I’ve found that none of them are as absorbent as the bamboo fleece.  Also, most cotton tends to get a bit scratchy, especially when line dried. Some types of bamboo fabric can also get a bit scratchy, that is why I stick to bamboo fleece which remains relatively soft.

Bamboo velour is also a nice fabric, but I find that it doesn’t absorb as much as bamboo fleece, and it doesn’t remain as soft and beautiful as when new after a few hot washes.  I prefer to use bamboo velour for cloth wipes.

For the outside layer of the diaper, I like to use cotton interlock prints the most. They make the diaper cuter :)

If you have a question about cloth diapers or cloth diaper making, please write me a message using the contact form.

What kind of fabric do you like your diapers to be made of?

I think this might be my first turned and top-stitched bamboo All-In-One cloth diaper ever!  I used a heavily modified La-Di-Da diaper pattern because I have the undying need to improve diaper patterns hahaha.

So, in order to remove some bulk and to make walking a little easier, I decided to make the second doubler a contour one.  The contour doubler can be either attached at both ends or it can be snapped in.  The snap-in version, allows for more thorough cleaning and faster drying.

The new insert is seven layers thick which should be enough for most babies.  If you have a heavy wetter, then another layer of bamboo fleece could be added.  If you have a light wetter and would prefer less bulk, the insert can be made thinner.

If you’re interested in giving this insert a try, they are available at the Doublers and Wipes Etsy shop.

The popularity of Zorb has been on the rise.  A lot of cloth diapering moms think it’s a solution to their night-time cloth diapering problems.  Some think it’s miracle cloth… at least until they try it.

As a lot of you know, I make Zorb doublers.  The doublers are actually made of two layers of OekoTex certified bamboo fleece and one layer of Zorb.  I think a lot of people forget about the bamboo fleece part of the doubler.  They forget that bamboo fleece itself is very absorbent (after several washes of course), that Zorb alone does not do all the hard work.

Zorb(TM) and Bamboo Fleece Doubler

Here are some pros and cons of using Zorb that I’ve experienced:

PROS:

• Quite absorbent
• Does not retain odours
• More cushy than bamboo fleece by itself
• Cheaper than bamboo, hemp and organic cotton.

CONS:

• I hate sewing with it.  I find that I’m spending more time serging Zorb doublers than bamboo fleece only doublers.  I also tend to make more mistakes when sewing with Zorb than without.
• I find the absorbency of one layer to be comparable to that of two layers of the thinner bamboo fleece.  Note that 1 layer of Zorb is approximately as thick as 2 layers of my thinner bamboo fleece.
• It’s not made of natural fibres only.  Might not bother most cloth diapering people out there, but it does bother me a little.  If you looked at my diaper stash, you’d see that most of my diapers are made of natural fibres only.

So, what do you think about Zorb?  What has been your experience with it?

Organic Bamboo Velour & Cotton Print Wipes

Flannel Wipes with Boy Prints

Flannel Wipes with Girl Prints

Bamboo Fleece & Zorb(TM) Doublers

OBV and Organic Sherpa Wipes

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