How to Build a Versatile Reusable Nappy Stash with My Top 5 Cloth Nappy Brands.
I used to think the only down side to cloth nappies was that you couldn’t just buy one brand of reusable nappies and stick with it. In reality you of course can, this may work perfectly well for you, but for many this simply isn’t the case.
For me, I’ve now found a real joy in having a selection of different cloth nappy brands, trying out different types and switching which are my favorites through different phases.
Why you shouldn’t buy all one brand of cloth nappies.
There are many great cloth nappy brands around, some cheaper, some more expensive, some seem more complicated than others, the list goes on. When your new of all this is can seem overwhelming, it could even put you off trying but here’s why it shouldn’t….
A bit like buying a pram for your new baby you’ll probably find there isn’t ONE perfect cloth nappy out there. There definitely isn’t one that EVERYONE is going to love, because everyone has different needs right? For example when it comes to prams you may have a small car so you need an lightweight fold-able pram. You may not own a car and want a big, easy to push pram with a huge basket for all your shopping.
The same thing goes for cloth nappies, the difference being of course that you have the luxury of having more than one type to suit everything from your mood, your needs at that moment, the changing shape of your baby and practically what your doing and where your going.
This is why I believe instead of looking at it as a bad thing that we need to try different types of nappies before buying more, we should enjoy building a versatile stash of nappies that will truly see our children through from birth until potty training.
It is also worth bearing in mind that our babies have ever changing shapes. So if you feel like one style of nappy isn’t for you or once was great but now looks a little snug on your chunky pre-crawler, you can’t possibly imagine how it will fit a toddler, just wait a few months. Once their on the move they slim down and stretch upwards pretty quickly. All of a sudden your find yourself adjusting down a size again.
Pin me for later……
Having a versatile stash of cloth nappies doesn’t mean it will cost the earth.
My only advise would be to not buy a ton of nappies, or one type of nappy before your baby arrives. Buy a few different styles and brands, buy more of the ones you love but still buy more than one brand. If there are any you don’t like don’t rush to sell them on. Give it time, use them again, you may find later on down the line you love them above all the others. This has certainly been the case for me.
With all this in mind, to help you get started I’ve complied a list of my top cloth nappy brands and the styles I have found to be the most versatile.
My top 5 reusable Nappy brands.
1. Motherease Wizard Uno. £22.99
At £22.99 its at the top end in the price range. However it is without a doubt my favorite style of nappy and in my opinion worth every penny.
Pros
Quick drying.
The slimmest fit of all the cloth nappies I have tried and tested.
Easy to fit. A good fit on cloth nappies help prevent leaks but I find you can’t really go wrong with these.
High absorbency, easy to add boosters for extra absorbency should you need it.
Cons
It’s not a very wide fitting nappy, perfect on my slim toddler but it may not be the favorite choice for people with chunkier babies.
The price is higher than most cloth nappy brands but they are very well made and hold their value so selling them on after can give you a decent chunk of your money back.
Turns out its not just me that loves an Uno so a downside is they have become like gold dust. When the Nappy Lady gets a drop, its all fingers on keyboards to get your order in before they sell out. This also means they very rarely come up on the second market and when they do they aren’t much cheaper than new. Good news if you ever need to sell some on though. You will have people knocking on your door indeed.
2. Baba and Boo Pocket Nappies £14.95
These make up the majority of my nappy stash and as a brand are my favorite. They are a small business with wonderful ethics. If your not signed up to their newsletter already I would highly recommend becoming part of their community.
Pros
They are easily to use and come with two insert so although the inserts themselves take a while to dry the outer shell is dry in an hour meaning you can put another insert in and have it back on the bum in no time.
Highly absorbent. We have only ever needed one insert but you could add the second for more absorbency or other slimmer boosters such as Little Lamb Bamboo.
Super soft and well made. They still look as new as the day I brought them.
Double gusseted to keep in any explosions. You never get a leak with a Baba and Boo as long as their fitted right. There’s some good fitting guides out there like THIS ONE. Nothing daunting, once you’ve got the hang of it with cloth nappies its easy peasy.
Your supporting a small business here in the UK
Cons.
Because they are made from bamboo, a more absorbent fabric they do take longer to dry.
They need to be stuffed as the inserts come out in the wash. This can take a little time but it’s normally done in front of the TV with a glass of wine.
3. Bambino Mio All in One. £15.99
Probably the most well known brand and a great place to start for anyone new to cloth nappies. Make sure you look out for the Aldi Baby and Toddler event when they are all sold for £8.99. If you can beat the ques of course.
Pros
Quick drying,
Easy to fit. They are velcro nappies so the most like the traditional disposable. For this reasons I send these nappies to nursery and our teachers have never had a problem.
Quiet a large fitting nappy. Although they fit my daughter well from about 5 weeks old we are still on the lowest setting at 18 months so they will have no problem fitting her until she potty trains.
Easy to prep and stuff as they are an All in One, all the components are sewn together.
Cons
They are made with micro-fiber which is a less absorbent material. This means they are quick drying but may not last as long if you have a heavy wetter. We have never had a problem with them lasting 3/4 hours but it could be easily solved with the fore mentioned Little Lamb boosters.
They are a bulkier nappy compared to others in my stash especially on smaller babies. This has never bothered me but with all cloth nappies it is worth baring in mind they are larger than single use nappies. Sizing up on clothes and investing in some vest extenders is never a bad idea.
Although a pro when baby is being cared for by others such as nursery or Grandparents velcro is a con for me. I find it doesn’t stand the test of time as well as poppers and isn’t as easy to get a really good fit. For this reason I like to have a few velcro to send to nursery but use poppers at home.
4. Alva Baby Pocket Nappies £6.95
They work the same as the Baba and Boo pocket nappies. I find them very similar apart from the double gusset and the quality of the fleece but they still do the job pretty perfectly. I would always opted for the bamboo option as they come with either bamboo or mirco-fiber but have found unlike Bambino Mio these mirco-fibre inserts need an extra booster to last any period of time.
Pros
A much cheaper option, these are great for anyone on a budget or someone that whats some extra nappies to bulk out their stash.
Like Baba and Boo the outer pockets are quick drying. Most come with two inserts anyway but its quiet cheap to buy extras. This is a great if your on a budget you can get away with having less nappies and prepping the nappy with extra inserts before the others are dry. Also great in winter if you have limited drying space.
They have the biggest and best range of prints. Everything from pretty flowers and pumpkins to Star Wars.
Choose from either Velcro or poppers.
Cons.
Made in China. This may or may not bother you. They are a cheaper nappy so costs are cut somewhere of course. I’m not saying they are unethical and I do have a number in my stash, but I do also like supporting UK based businesses.
5.Tots Bots Easy Fit Stars £17.99
Another great UK based brand with wonderful ethics. They are, like Baba and Boo a family business.
Pros
Great absorbency.
An All in One nappy they are quick to put together, no faffing and are easy to fit with velcro so also a go to for us when it comes to nursery and grandparents.
Hidden velcro so no “sock marks” and gentle on skin.
Cons
You need to make sure the material on the inside is tucked in to avoid moisture wicking. This isn’t really a problem but worth noting in case someone else that isn’t sure changes their nappy. For this reason I have preferred this nappy on our girl as she has got bigger. When she was little I did find they could be prone to leakage but fit nicely on her as a toddler.
They take the longest to dry. This is an all in one nappy so no grabbing spare inserts. This does of course mean they are highly absorbent and last for ages on the bum.
Happy nappy buying. It turns out it’s quiet addictive so feel free to come back and message me if this rings true after a while.
Hannah xx
Related posts for you to dive into…
A Complete Guide to Cloth Wipes and How to Use Them.
My Cloth Nappy Changing Bag. Essentials to Pack.
How to be an Eco-friendly Mum.
How many cloth nappies will you need to go full time and ditch the disposables for good?