Cloth Diaper Absorbency For The Hybrid Shell

When cloth diapering, you have different absorbency options to choose from, from the type of cloth diaper insert to the material used to make diaper inserts to their absorbency level. The most commonly used absorbency types are: cloth diaper inserts, doublers, soaker pads, boosters, and diaper liners. You can get these made out of cotton, organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, microfiber, and microfleece materials that range from normal absorbency levels to high if your baby flows like the Amazon River.

Cloth Diaper Absorbency Comparison

Price: $18.95

Absorbency: Medium

Prepping: Yes

Layers: 5

Materials:

  • Inner: 100% Organic Cotton
  • Gussets: 88% Polyester/12% Cotton
  • Outer: 100% Water Resistant Polyester TPU

Pros: Certified Organic, natural fiber is easier to clean, trimmest of the Soaker Pad options.

Cons: Must be prepped before use, can eventually show wear holes over time.

Price: $16.95

Absorbency: High

Prepping: No

Layers: 4 Topped With Microfleece Top Layer

Materials:

  • Inner: 100% Microfiber Terry topped w/ Polyester Microfleece
  • Gussets: 100% Polyester
  • Outer: 100% Water Resistant Polyester TPU

Pros: Most absorbent of the Soaker Pad options, no prepping needed, can be bleached.

Cons: Must make sure you are cleaning well, made of synthetic materials.

Price: $19.99

Absorbency: High

Prepping: No

Layers: 3

Materials:

  • Lining: Certified natural, 100% Ingeo

  • Core: Sustainably harvested wood pulp fibers

  • Outer: Bio-film (fecula), waterproof and 100% natural.

Pros: Convenient, very absorbent, great for using with rash creams.

Cons: Disposable, more expensive than reusable options.

Price: $8.95 - $16.95

Absorbency: High

Prepping: Yes

Layers: Size 1: 2x6 x 2 Ply, Sizes 2, 3 & 4: 4x8x4 Ply

Materials:

  • 55% Bamboo

  • 45% Cotton

Pros: Most economical absorbency option, versatile.

Cons: Must be prepped, no waterproof backing so you may need to change Shell more often.

Price

$20.95

$17.95

$22.95

$9.95 - $17.95

Absorbency

Medium

High

High

High

Prepping

Yes

No

No

Yes

Layers

5

4 Topped With Microfleece Top Layer

3

Size 1: 2x6 x 2 Ply
Sizes 2, 3 & 4: 4x8x4 Ply

Materials

Inner: 100% Organic Cotton

Gussets: 88% Polyester/12% Cotton

Outer: 100% Water Resistant Polyester TPU

Inner: 100% Microfiber Terry topped w/ Polyester Microfleece

Gussets: 100% Polyester

Outer: 100% Water Resistant Polyester TPU

Lining: Certified natural, 100% Ingeo

Core: Sustainably harvested wood pulp fibers

Outer: Bio-film (fecula), waterproof and 100% natural.

55% Bamboo
45% Cotton

Pros

Certified Organic, natural fiber is easier to clean, trimmest of the Soaker Pad options.

Most absorbent of the Soaker Pad options, no prepping needed, can be bleached.

Convenient, very absorbent, great for using with rash creams.

Most economical absorbency option, versatile.

Cons

Must be prepped before use, can eventually show wear holes over time.

Must make sure you are cleaning well, made of synthetic materials.

Disposable, more expensive than reusable options.

Must be prepped, no waterproof backing so you may need to change Shell more often.

Cloth Diaper Education

In this guide to cloth diapers, we break down the most common fabrics used in modern cloth diapers. Read more about waterproof layers, absorbency layers and a word about wool.


Organic cloth diapers mean chemical-free diapering, and chemical-free diapering means wrapping your baby in safe and soft cloth diapers that won’t harm or irritate their sensitive skin. Read how to choose a finer fabric like organic cotton.


Looking for organic cloth diapers? We’ve got ’em—certified! (Did you know that, unlike food, cotton and other textiles don’t have to be certified in order to be described as organic?