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Cloth Diaper Comparison Chart

Categorized as Diapers

Flats, prefolds, fitteds, all-in-ones — if you are new to cloth diapering, the choices can be overwhelming. Which system is cheapest? Which controls leaks the best? Which diapers are easiest to use? If you need some help sorting through all of that information, we have a handy cloth diaper comparison chart that can help.

Each category below is awarded 1-5 stars with 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest. Clicking on the brand name will take you offsite for more information or to purchase the product. This is, of course, just a sampling of the many brands of cloth diapers available.

PREFOLDS/FLATS Flat and prefold diapers are the cheapest and most basic cloth diaper available. While prefold diapers have a thicker center section, flats are fabric squares of the same thickness throughout, making it necessary to fold them into an absorbent rectangle. Both flats and prefolds require the use of a diaper cover and are both usually fastened with diaper pins or Snappis (I highly recommend Snappis). The different varieties of prefolds and flats below can have marked differences from brand to brand but the ratings below are applicable to most brands.
Type/Brand	Ease of Use	Absorbency	Cost	Softness	Durability	Bulkiness	Overall Score
Chinese Prefold	*******	********	*****	*****	*****	********	4.3
Indian Prefolds	*******	********	*****	*****	*****	********	4.3
Organic Cotton Prefolds	*******	********	********	*****	*****	********	4.2
Gerber Prefolds	**	*******	********	********	********	********	3.5
Hemp Prefolds	*******	*****	********	********	*****	********	4.2
Cotton Flats	**	********	*****	*****	*****	*****	4.3
Hemp Flats	**	********	********	********	*****	*****	4.0
ALL-IN-ONE All-in-one (AIO) diapers are, in general, the most expensive cloth diapers. They are also the easiest to use. These one piece diapers work just like disposables but instead of tossing them when they are soiled, you simply wash the whole thing. You may find that you need to use a doubler (a rectangle of fabric inserted into the center of the diaper) to increase absorbency.
Type/Brand	Ease of Use	Absorbency	Cost	Softness	Durability	Bulkiness	Overall Score
bumGenius!	*****	*****	**	*****	*******	********	4
Bumkins	*****	********	*	*****	**	********	3.5
Dream-Eze	********	*****	**	*****	**	********	3.7
Kushies Ultra	*****	*******	*******	*******	*******	*******	3.3
SwaddlebeesAll-in-One	********	*****	*	*****	*******	*******	3.7
SposoEasy	*****	*****	**	*****	********	********	4.2
Thirsties(All-in-One/Pocket)	********	*******	**	*****	**	********	3.3
POCKET Pocket diapers are very similar to all-in-one diapers. The difference is that pocket diapers have a pocket between the inner and outer layers of the diapers. You then stuff an absorbent cloth insert(s) into the pocket. This allows you to control the absorbency of diaper. It also shortens the drying time because the absorbent cloth dries faster when it is outside of the diaper.
Type/Brand	Ease of Use	Absorbency	Cost	Softness	Durability	Bulkiness	Overall Score
bumGenius! One-Size	********	********	**	*****	********	*****	4.0
Drybees	********	*****	**	********	********	*****	4.0
FuzziBunz	********	********	**	*****	*******	********	3.7
Happy Heiny’sOne-Size	********	********	*******	*****	********	*****	4.2
SwaddlebeesPocket	********	********	*******	*****	*******	*****	4.0
Thirsties(All-in-One/Pocket)	********	*******	**	*****	**	********	3.3
Whamies One-Size	*******	********	**	*****	********	********	3.7
FITTED Fitted cloth diapers work like disposables or all-in-ones in that they are already shaped to fit your baby and usually have snaps or Velcro to keep them closed. Unlike AIOs, all the layers of fitted diapers are made from the same absorbent material, meaning there is no waterproof outer layer. For that reason, you will need to use a diaper cover over a fitted diaper.
Type/Brand	Ease of Use	Absorbency	Cost	Softness	Durability	Bulkiness	Overall Score
Bamboozle	********	********	**	*****	*****	********	4.0
Goodmama	********	*****	*	*****	**	********	3.5
Heiny Huggers	********	*****	*******	*****	********	********	4.2
Kissaluvs	********	*******	*******	*******	*****	*******	3.5
Kushies Classic	********	*******	********	********	*******	*******	3.5
Little Beetle	********	********	**	*****	*******	*******	3.5
Thirsties Fab Fitted	********	**	*******	*****	********	********	3.7

Photo by Tiffany Washko, Creative Commons license

2 Comments

Deborah
August 2, 2009 • 11:53 pm

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Deborah

http://maternitymotherhood.net

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