Prefolds are the most common one-size diaper. They are cloth diapers that stretch any budget through low cost, little need to buy multiple sizes, and very simple care. Below we’ve gathered comments and reviews from our customers, so you can find out what other parents think of prefold diapers.
For the advantages and disadvantages of each style of cloth diapers, see our comparison posts.
The listing of Prefolds and Flat Cloth Diapers at bynature.ca includes reviews, ratings, price, and tiny icons that indicate which standards this product exceeds as part of our Safe Family Promise. We hope all of these help you to find the diapers that best fit your needs as a family.
Prefolds Are So Versatile
Parents use prefolds for more than just diapers.
“I think I use these the most of all my diapers. They are very inexpensive and it’s cheap to have a lot of them on hand.” Unbleached prefolds reviewed by Miranda, “Use these all the time. . .”
“It is super handy to have a few of these around for all sorts of uses. Under his bum in case he pees when he’s “airing out,” stuff inside any pocket diaper when I can’t find the insert, use to double up for naps or long car trips, or just as a diaper in a pinch. Washes and dries easily. Soft, organic, absorbent, comfortable, custom fit – what more can you ask for?” Hemp flat diapers reviewed by Kristen, “Perfect multi-use diaper”
“My son is almost two, and we’ve been using premium size prefolds since he was about a week old. These are so much cheaper than fitted diapers, and they are not difficult at all to use. They are also incredibly durable, and we’re planning to use them for an eventual second child.” Unbleached prefolds reviewed by Mary, “Prefolds all the way!”
“These diapers are deceptively easy to use (even my husband agrees!)” Unbleached prefolds reviewed by Westee, “Low maintenance, economical way to cloth diaper your baby”
“I invested in a full set of diapers when I first became pregnant, since I knew money would be tight when my Mat Leave started. Best money I ever spent.” Unbleached prefolds reviewed by Barbara, “So many good reasons to use pre-folds”
“Bummis cloth diapers are by far my favourite. They are the best value, easy to use, the pre-folds are so absorben, the diaper covers are gorgeous and good quality, and we NEVER have leaks with Bummis. I use several different kinds of cloth diapers (pockets, aio’s and fitted diapers with a cover) and the Bummis prefolds remain my favourite.” Bummis starter kit reviewed by Steff, “I love Bummis”
Washing & Drying Prefolds
Washing prefolds couldn’t be simpler. Rinse on warm (about body temperature) then wash on hot. Parents like that prefolds don’t take extra care.
“Prefolds are easier to clean than the pocket or fitted diapers because they wash flat without any little crannies for poop to stick into.” Unbleached prefolds reviewed by Barbara, “So many good reasons to use pre-folds”
Many parents mentioned in their reviews that line drying prefolds leaves them stiff. This is going to be true of any all-cotton diapers, and it is an easy problem to solve. You can either just machine dry the diapers, or, even you want to save energy, just finish the diapers off in the dryer. If you don’t want to use a dryer, you can roll the diapers around in your hands after they are dry to flex the fibers and soften up the feel.
Don’t add fabric softener, though! This is a chemical additive that can inhibit the absorbency of the cotton. You want mechanical softness rather than chemical softness for the best performance.
“I don’t recommend them for line drying–they seem to get very stiff that way. Pop them in the dryer, though, and they’re good as new every time.” Unbleached prefolds reviewed by Mary, “Prefolds all the way!”
Prefold Sizing
Some parents find they can use one size prefolds and just stick with those. Other parents change sizes to get a batter fit. Whether you go with one-size or not depends on whether you mind the bulk on a very small baby and whether you want to pay for a new set of diapers. Even doubling your cost for prefolds still leaves the cost of cloth diapering with prefolds much lower than with disposable diapers or with any other style of cloth diapers.
If you have a very small newborn or a newborn with skinny legs, you might have to use newborn size prefolds and adjust your folds to make keep from having leaks. Bummis has a starter kit just for newborns with a new, smaller size diaper for the tiniest babies. These diapers come in handy later as doublers and wipes.
“I do agree that prefolds can be a bit bulky, so I find that they make great ‘everyday’ diapers, and I use fitteds or AIO’s when my son wears ‘going out’ clothes like jeans.” Unbleached prefolds reviewed by SK, “A must have!”
That’s it! We’ve spent a month comparing the four major styles of cloth diapers as well as our customers’ reviews of those diapers. Every style and every brand is someone’s favorite. Every diaper was created by someone who wanted to make a product that would help parents and babies. We carry diapers that we have found work for us or that have worked well for our customers. Please continue to share your experience with other parents by reviewing cloth diapers and other products from bynature.ca.
