Best Cloth Diapers

Take a guess as to how many diapers your baby will use in the first year. Are you sitting down? Because the answer is a whopping 2,700 — and that’s just for the first 12 months! When you consider that number and factor in that your kiddo will be wearing diapers for another year or two until they’re potty trained, you can start to see why cloth diapers are worth considering.

Are cloth diapers better than disposable diapers?

Cloth diapers offer several benefits over disposable ones:

• You’ll save money. You can expect to spend, depending on diaper brand, anywhere from $300 to $700 on cloth diapers (this estimate includes the extra laundry costs) versus $1,500 to $2,000 (also depending on brand) for disposables throughout your child’s diaper-wearing years.
• Planning on having more than one child? That initial $300 investment on cloth diapers for baby number one will literally double your savings, since they can be reused again and again and again.
• Cloth diapers don’t use most of the chemicals (like dioxin), dyes or gels that can be found in disposable diapers, so they’re less irritating and less likely to cause an allergic reaction to your little one's delicate skin.
• Eco-friendly parents will appreciate that organic cloth diapers are produced without any pesticides, and unlike disposables, cloth diapers don’t take up landfill space.

That’s not to say cloth diapers are superior to disposable diapers in every way. The cons include:

• Think figuring out how to put on that wrap carrier is confusing? Cloth diapers can be challenging to put on, at least until you get the hang of it.
• There’s a ton of laundry involved — think two to three extra loads a week. That’s not only time-consuming, it adds to your utility bill as well. And if you don’t have a laundry machine at home, it can be an extra couple of hours spent at the laundromat.
• Cloth diapers aren’t as absorbent as disposables, which means more frequent changes, and a higher likelihood of leaks. If you don’t give baby a fresh diaper frequently, the untended-to moisture can lead to diaper rashes. And once you’re battling a serious rash and need diaper ointment, the kind that works best (think thick and pasty), is not compatible with cloth diapers. You’ll either have to temporarily switch to disposables until the rash is under control, or look for ointments that are cloth diaper-friendly.
• If you’re heading out with a cloth diaper-clad baby, you may have to carry soiled diapers around until you get back home. (Some parents opt to use disposable diapers for outings to avoid this.)

What are the different kinds of cloth diapers?

Your next step after deciding that you’re on board with cloth diapers is to choose from the four main styles. These are:

Flats and prefolds

These are the least expensive cloth diaper option of the bunch. (Read: No-frills.) Flats are a square or rectangular piece of cloth that you fold into a diaper shape to fit your baby’s tush. Prefolds are exactly what they sound like — a presewn piece of cloth with three sections, the middle one being the most absorbent. While easier than flats, they do still require origami-like skill to put on your babe. Just like Grandma did, you fasten flats and prefolds with a safety pin or snap, and both require a separate waterproof diaper cover that you slip on top to keep your tot’s clothes dry.

What to consider: While flats and prefolds are the cheapest, they do require a number of cloth diaper accessories that up your overall costs. These include the pins or snaps as well as diaper covers that need to be swapped out and cleaned about every third change. Covers come in polyester, wool, bamboo cotton, fleece and other fabrics.

Contoured cloth diapers

Contoured diapers are a good meeting point between flat fold diapers and fitted ones. With an hourglass shape that fits around those chunky thighs and a tab that goes over his belly, they’re easier to get the hang of than flats and are less expensive than fitted cloth diapers. They also use less material than prefolds, which means they dry faster and spend less time out of baby’s diaper rotation. Because they fit better, many parents pick contoured cloth diapers for nighttime.

What to consider: As with flats, you’ll also have to pin or snap these in place and slip on a waterproof cover on top.

Fitted cloth diapers

As the name suggests, these diapers are shaped to fit around baby’s tush and have elastic leg holes — which translates into fewer leaks. (Hallelujah!) They’re easier to use than flats and contoured cloth diapers, and come with built-in snaps or Velcro fasteners.

What to consider: You’ll still need to slip on a waterproof cover over fitted cloth diapers. And because these have many layers, they can take longer to dry.

All-in-one cloth diapers

With the inner lining, outer lining and wicking layer all sewn together, these are the most like disposable diapers, complete with elasticized leg openings: you just slide them on and off. The big difference with all-in-ones is that they go into the laundry pile to be washed and reused instead of the diaper pail. As you might have guessed, all-in-ones are the priciest cloth diaper option.

What to consider: These are the easiest types of cloth diapers to use, a big plus if caregivers or grandparents will be changing baby’s diaper on the regular. Even if you don’t plan on using fitted diapers all the time, it’s super convenient to have a few for on-the-go changes.

How many cloth diapers do I need?

Whichever style of cloth diaper you choose, we recommend getting 30 to 36 in your baby’s size. You’ll also want to get at least six waterproof covers (unless you’re using all-in-ones, which have them built in.)

How do I wash cloth diapers?

Given that newborns go through an average of about nine to 12 diapers a day, you can count on doing laundry every two days, at least at the beginning. As soon as baby has soiled a diaper, flush any poop down the toilet then store the diaper in a designated hamper (you don’t need to invest in a special diaper pail with cloth diapers). When you have enough diapers for a load, toss them in your regular washing machine, following the instructions on the care label.

In general, you’ll want to use a baby-friendly laundry detergent that’s free of dyes, perfumes, allergens and fabric softeners or brighteners. Not only can these irritate the delicate skin on your baby’s bottom, they can change the way the diaper fits and its ability to wick away moisture.

Dry cloth diapers in your dryer or outside on a line. Line drying has the added benefits of being eco-friendly and the sun can bleach out stains.

Don’t want to tackle that much laundry? Consider using a cloth diaper service. These services pick up dirty diapers and deliver clean ones right to your doorstep for a monthly or weekly fee. Most services provide the diapers, but not the diaper covers.

Ready to get started? Below, our top picks for the best cloth diapers on the market.