Babble Best • 2011
Cloth Diapers

Babble Best Picks:
Cloth Diapers

11

Cloth diapers aren’t always the most convenient or cheapest option, but it’s a choice that’s healthy for your baby and the planet. Plus, they’ve come a long way! Today you can find highly absorbent, easy-to-fit cloth diapers that are used exactly like disposables — only you throw them in the wash instead of the garbage. Plus, it’s not an all-or-nothing decision. You can use hybrid options (which are biodegradable but disposable), or supplement your cloth diapers with disposables.

Yet all of these advances have given cloth-using parents one problem: too many diapers to choose from! Luckily, we tested 17 of the most popular cloth diapers — from prefolds to all-in-ones — to find the best of the best. Did we forget one? Nominate your favorite here.

BEST FOR TRAVEL | gDiapers


Best Cloth Diapers: gDiapers

Say you’re out and about a lot — there's still a way to be more environmentally conscious without carrying around a filled wet bag wherever you go. Enter the hybrid diaper, which can be used with either cloth or disposable inserts.

We tried a few hybrid diapering systems, and while it was a very close call, we reached for our cute little gDiapers the most often.

Each gDiaper hybrid insert is 100% biodegradable, meaning you can compost, flush or simply toss it in the trash for a faster break down than the typical 500 years it takes for a disposable diaper to decompose. (50 to 150 days vs. 500 years. Kind of a no-brainer.) The more environmentally conscious inserts (especially the composting option) was a major factor in our decision. We tried flushing the insert and it literally disintegrated into the water, which we like better than sending it to a landfill. (You can buy a 3-month supply of the biodegradable gRefills for $52 at Diapers.com.)

As for the diaper itself, the outside shell is made from super-soft cotton that feels more than a T-shirt than the typical diaper cover, and they’re also the least bulky (which is perfect for traveling). And with adorable style options (like these little ruffled gPants), they look the absolute cutest on tiny behinds.

We had a few instances of poo spilling out of the inner waterproof pouch (as we did with all hybrids, to be honest), and our infant tester leaked more often than our toddler. And while we wouldn’t recommend them for overnights, they’re our favorite option for running errands and short outings.

A bonus for parents of toddlers: The Velcro closures are in the back, making it nearly impossible for a baby to rip off. While the back closure is a little more difficult to put on a stationary baby, it’s super convenient for toddlers who refuse to lie down for a diaper change.

11 Comments

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Angela B Jul 21, 10:01 AM

I HATE GDIAPERS!! They leak all the time. They are not user-friendly. They do NOT hold up to washings (yes, I read directions and follow them very well.) Plus, I have a big problem with using disposable inserts in general. (I only used the cloth inserts.)

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Nayeli Becerra Acevedo Jun 13, 3:21 PM

thse diapers suck! period. We use GroVia Hybrids, and they are AWESOME! cloth inserts are resonably priced, and the bio inserts are super cheap! If youre going to CD part time, or for easy traveling, on the go diapers, GROVIA is the way to go!

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gmom Amy May 25, 1:58 AM

We have had very few leaks with g's. When we do its because I put it on wrong. When the pouch, gpant and gcloth are washed properly they will last a long time. Follow the directions!! I love how I can use 1 cover the entire day and only change the pouch when poopy and the cloth for pee. The best goes on my kids and they only use g's!!

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GreekMomma May 25, 12:44 AM

We have used gDiapers for over 2 years now (on the same child). We have rarely had leaks and none were overnight. There are the best fitting cloth diaper for our chunky monkey!

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Anonymous Feb 22, 11:31 AM

This is a joke, right?

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LoveMyGdiapers Feb 21, 5:38 PM

I have been using Gdiapers for quite some time now with two children. They rarely leak if they are put on right. In the beginning I didn't realize that you are supposed to fit the elastic liners in the crease of the babies legs, just like underpants. When I figured that out, they stopped leaking. They are great. (I use the cloth inserts with a flushable liner on the for the poo diapers).

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PlumbLucky Feb 21, 11:55 AM

We used these with our oldest, with cloth prefolds (not gCloth or gRefills). Not bad, but I am disappointed with how (not) well the shells have held up, much less the liners (which are falling apart). We're transitioning over to something else (mostly Thirsties) because I am not going to cough up more money for something that's not going to hold up to repeated washings.

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Ashley Whitehair Jan 15, 10:04 PM

i was NOT a fan of these. i used them for my EBF newborn boy. the disposable inserts would only soak up the pee right up front, and then leak out the diaper if he wasnt changed quick enough. the insert was hard to get in the shell the right way (im kind of a perfectionist) and EVERY SINGLE poop ended up on the shell, and or the diaper. this was not the system for us. i never did try their cloth insert.

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gParents Jan 12, 9:32 PM

We have had nothing but epic success with gDiapers. We use the cloth inserts at home and disposables whilst traveling and at day care. We experience minimal leakage. We double-up the cloth inserts at night and have had much success. We are the first of our friends to have a baby. Now we have three more couples using them. gDiapers is a way of life around here. We plan ahead, troubleshoot when needed, and have been very pleased with the results. Comments from sfm > comments from cd mama.

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sfm Jan 12, 7:55 PM

I've been using gDiapers for my now 5-wk old breastfed daughter. We've had under 10 leaks total, including blowouts, and mostly when using the cloth inserts. Also, poop gets on the covers only with the really messy/big poops. We think they're great, much easier, neater & trimmer than the the handful of fitted cloth diapers we've tried.

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cd mama Jan 12, 5:32 PM

Did the people who put this together even actually use these diapers? gDiapers leak all the time, the shell is not waterproof,poo gets on the cover every time, and the inserts are insanely expensive.

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