About cloth diapers

Disclaimer:  I did not receive any products to be reviewed.  This is not an advertisement post, but an informative one for me to use in the future.

OK, my blog is evolving again from Pregnancy to Motherhood.  While I still have few more months to go, it's time to do some research for baby things.  In the past few days, I have read so much of cloth diapers that I think I am an expert but since I don't have hands-on experience for now, I am still an amateur with information.

I am a person who likes natural products.  You can tell from my TTC post alone.  I am never into plastics and artificiality stuff.  Anything that's good for Mother Earth, I will be the first supporter.

So, for the longest time, I have decided to venture into cloth diapering for my kid.  Not only they are environmental friendly, but also cost-effective.  

Past few days, I have read so much about cloth diaper, from export brands to local brands, from the different types to the different styles.  So, I am just going to share our local cloth diapers brand.  Because USD is sky high at the moment, it's not really that affordable now, compared to maybe last year.  Best stick to Made in Malaysia products.  What I like about a Malaysian product is that it is most likely suitable for our hot and humid weather and fit better on our Asian babies compared to the Western babies.

Before I go into the brands, here's a quick guide on Babycenter on the type of cloth diapers and their inserts.

And here's a quick guide on different type of materials for cloth diapers.  

This is one of the latest Malaysian brand cloth diapers.  They are still new in the market, so you can't really find any reviews on them yet.  I will probably get the trial kit to test it out on my newborn.  By the way, I love their website.  It's just too cute and the instructions are very clear.

Style - They only provide 1 style at the moment, and it is the hybrid style, meaning, "A hybrid is similar to an AI2 diaper, with two parts making up the whole. The difference is that a hybrid diaper's insert can be either cloth or disposable."  This is what AI2 means as per BabyCenter:

"An AI2 diaper consists of an outer waterproof shell (similar to a diaper cover) and an insert that gets put into the shell and lies directly against your baby's skin. Some inserts attach with snaps or Velcro, and some get tucked under flaps in the cover.
The shell has elastic around the legs and waist and fastens with snaps or tabs. The insert is made of absorbent material. Some inserts are topped with a stay-dry fabric for your baby's comfort.
When your baby needs a diaper change, you can just swap out the insert and keep the same shell (unless the shell got soiled, in which case you change that too)."
Colour and design - Don't be dishearten by their website showing on the bright red option.  If you chose to buy, there are many printed designs to choose.  Snaps and velcro types available.

Size - 1 size fit all from preemie to toddler.

External - looks like waterproof PUL

Internal - Same as above

Inserts -  Bamboo hemp soaker and Hemp cotton doubler.

Added features - Double gussets (great for preventing leaks)

Price - Trial pack (1 cover, 1 bamboo hemp soaker + 1 hemp cotton doubler) = RM36


Another Malaysian brand.  However, when I clicked on cloth diaper in the website, it only show the inserts and nothing about the cover.  But you can find this in other online shop like OneBabyWorld.

Not much info can be gathered from the website, so I got the info from bloggers who have reviewed the product instead.

Style - A pocket diaper means (taken from BabyCenter) "A pocket diaper consists of a waterproof outer layer and an inner layer of fabric that has a pocket opening. An insert is stuffed into the pocket opening before wearing and then taken out for washing. Pocket diapers' absorbency can be adjusted by using more or fewer absorbent inserts.
The inner layer of fabric is sometimes made with stay-dry material to keep your baby comfortable. Pocket diapers have elastic around the legs and waist and fasten with snaps or tabs.
Because the insert and pocket will both get dirty when your baby pees or poops, pocket diapers are used once, then washed.
Pocket diaper tip: When removing your baby's dirty diaper, you may want to pull out the insert before dumping both the insert and diaper into the diaper pail. That way you won't have to deal with pulling it out on washday."
Color and design - Many design available. Both snaps and velcro also available.

Size - 1 size fit all, S, M, L.

External - PUL and Minky.  Minky doesn't have the plastic feel.  It's soft and fluffy.  But still not natural.

Internal - Microfleece lining

Inserts - Microfibre inserts

Price - RM42 (1 cover, 2 inserts)


Also a local Malaysian brand that says they created a cloth diaper for our Malaysian climate.  Because of the thin external material, many reviewers said it's quite easy to dry and breathable.

Style - Can't say they are pockets as there are no pockets.  Looks like just a diaper cover with velcro only.

Color and design - Plain colours only.  No cute designs.

Size - 1 size fit all, S, M, L

External - PUL

Internal - Soft cool fit inner cover (not sure what it means)

Inserts - Three fold soakers made of bamboo fleece and micro terry (100% polyester)

Price - Eco-Pack = RM315 (3 covers, 6 inserts)


So far these are the Malaysian ones I could find.  There's another brand called Adora, but not sure if it is a Malaysian brand as not much info is out there.

Adora

Style - Pocket diaper with snaps only

Color and design - Plain colours only.  No cute designs.

Size - 1 size fit all, S, M, L

External - Bamboo material with cotton and waterproof PUL

Internal - Bamboo

Inserts - Bamboo

Price - RM42 (1 cover, 1 insert)


There are many work-at-home-moms who have started companies or businesses into making cloth diaper for a living.  These brands are not that known and so I won't be talking about them.

Which one should I buy?
I am really not sure which one.  I will probably just buy 1 of each and try it out.

From my research, I also read that most of these cloth diapers fit newborns from 3kg onwards.  So if you have a small baby, then it might be too big for him/her.

In order to still use cloth diaper for smaller newborns, you can do this:

1. Buy a cover cloth diaper
2. Use cotton napkins (lampin) or prefolds

Some mothers said that's the best combination as newborns tend to pee a lot.

Just from looking at the pictures, I kinda like Tiny Bibiya because they said it fits from preemie onwards.  Meaning smaller newborns won't have a problem.  And I like their extra feature which is the double gussets although some mothers said that that gave their babies a red mark on their thighs.  This feature was found on imported cloth diaper earlier.  And I really like the inserts, which is made mostly natural.

But, I don't really like the idea that the velcro at the back of the cloth diaper.  That means baby's skin will have contact with it.  I also prefer a much natural material which PUL is not.  But let's see.

The price is extremely reasonable for a new mom.

Autumnz has been in the market far longer and more reputable compared to Tiny Bibiya and I really like the Minky material (I touched it when I was in Babyland).  But I don't really like the inserts which is microfleece as that is polyester.  You see, if you prefer to put your babies on cotton clothes, then why would you want to wear your baby in polyester?  Just my thought.

As for MyEcoNappy, I also saw it at Babyland.  I don't really like the material as it feels very, very plastic.  But that's probably good as it is waterproof and easy to dry.  Also the inserts are microfleece and microterry, both also polyester.  And for a pack that cost at RM315, I think it's pretty expensive still.

I also like Adora, mainly because of it's more natural approach in the material.  And I love all the plain colours too.

If you like to know more about the imported cloth diapers, go to Tiny Tapir.  They are more expensive, costing like average RM50 for 1 cloth diaper.

Looks like from the above, Tiny Bibiya is the only Malaysian cloth diaper that looks like an imported cloth diaper, with double gussets and hybrid.  I may be wrong.

I will probably talk about it more once baby is here and when I experiment it on her.

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