Bleached or Unbleached Cloth Diapers

Have you noticed that some of our diapers are white and some are a creamy color? We offer both bleached (white) and unbleached (beige) cotton diapers.

Bleached Cloth Diapers

Bleached prefold diapers are white because the cotton yarn was bleached in the factory prior to weaving the material. Cotton is naturally an ivory or light brown color. The bleaching process turns the cotton fibers white and also removes the natural cotton oils in the fibers. In doing so the strength of the fibers is reduced and the resulting woven material is slightly less durable. The bleaching process can lead to additional pollutants being released to the environment through airborne and waterborn emissions. Recent improvements in bleaching technology has reduced but not eliminated this impact.

Unbleached Cloth Diapers

Because unbleached diapers retain much of their natural cotton oil in the fiber matrix, they are softer and more durable than bleached cloth diapers.

Unbleached prefold cloth diapers must be washed at least 2-3 times after you receive them before they become absorbant. We recommend washing the diapers in hot sudsy water and drying them on high heat and repeating as many times as necessary for the diapers to become absorbant. You can test the absorbency by making a pocket of the diaper and slowly pouring 1/2 cup of liquid into the diaper. If the pools and does not soak in fairly quickly, keep washing. Depending upon the detergent you use and the hardness of your water and the natural variations in cotton materials you may have to wash these up to 5 times before they become fully absorbant. Do not under any circumstance use fabric softener as this causes the fabric to be coated and thus repels moisture.

Despite the added effort necessary to break them in, unbleached cloth diapers are extremely popular and by most accounts well worth it.

Unbleached Organic Cotton Diapers

Our unbleached organic fitted diaper has all the benefits of the unbleached diaper and is also made with certified organic cotton. Organic cotton is grown and harvested using practices that significantly reduce the environmental impacts of growing conventional cotton. No pesticides or man-made fertilizers are used, and defoliants are not used prior to harvesting the cotton. Organic materials are much more expensive, thus the diapers cost more.

Bleached or Unbleached Diapers

• Bleached, unbleached, and organic cotton fitted diapers
• Bleached and unbleached prefold diapers
• Pre-wash unbleached diapers to reach full absorbency