I started using reusable nappies on my little one about a month ago, in an effort to be more eco-friendly. At first, I bought only pair simply to try them out. Then I bought another pair from a different brand.

Today, I have 19 of them, which is confirmation enough that I really love them! So far, I’ve tried out 4 different brands. They are all good, but some more so than others.

Here’s how I rate them after a month of use.

How I Rate Reusable Diapers

I based my rating on a couple of things:

• Are they easy to fit and put on a baby?
• How absorbent are they?
• Do I like the design?

All of these are 100% plant-based (at least the part that’s right next to your baby’s bum), so I didn’t rate them based on the material.

Best Reusable Nappies

4. Bamboooz all-in-1

I have 3 Bamboooz reusable nappies, and I find them really simple to use. They are soft, my baby’s bottom is always dry after using them, AND they come with extra pads you can use for additional absorbency.

Plus, they make poop removal very easy, and you don’t need to change the diaper every time — you just remove and replace the pad.

As the name suggests, these are made of bamboo, which is a super-absorbent material and great for your baby’s bum.

Best about these diapers: at $20 a piece (includes an extra pad!), these are the cheapest reusable nappies I’ve come upon.

What I dislike: These diapers are the ones that leak the most often, which would mean they are not as absorbent. And despite being fairly easy to fit, they’re not as easy to position correctly as the other entries on this list.

3. Bare & Boho 2-in-1

These reusable cloth nappies are also incredibly cute. They’re the only 2-in-1 diapers I have, and I somehow thought that’d make the experience more complicated. It was actually the other way around!

I purchased 2 pants, and 6 hemp inserts. You can use the outside (pants) part for 4 inserts before they need to be washed, although for big wee-ers (which my little one definitely is), you’ll probably have to have them washed after 2-3 inserts.

The hemp takes some time to become maximally absorbent, so for now, I have to change them once every 1.5 hours.

They are among the easiest nappies to fit, too.

Best about these diapers: Design and ease of use! Just remove the insert and put in a new one (all you need is two buttons).

What I dislike: That they take a long time to become fully absorbent, so you’ll likely need to change them more often at first.

2. Kit & Kin All-in-1

Let me preface this by saying: Kit & Kin have by far the cutest designs out there! Despite it being almost winter, I am so tempted to just have the little one walk around naked in them.

They are easy to fit and super-absorbent, made of TENCEL™ and hemp. There are two absorbent layers, and the option to buy additional boosters.

These are the only reusable nappies I have which are fastened with velcro, not buttons, which is a lot easier to get on board with when you’re just starting out.

Best about these diapers: Design and the ease of fitting.

What I dislike: The website will tell you they can keep a baby dry for up to 12 hours, but my baby was rarely able to have them on longer than 3 hours.

1. Little Lovebum All-in-1

These are my absolute favorites! Apart from a lovely design and the ease of fitting, they also turned out to be super-absorbent. It has 2 thin layers made of organic cotton, so you’d think they couldn’t handle much — but they definitely end up surprising you!

Best about these nappies: Super absorbent, super easy to fit.

What I dislike: They take a while to dry due to having 2 layers, but it’s a tradeoff I can live with!

How Reusable Diapers Work

Reusable nappies that I’m using have all natural ingredients in parts that are in touch with the baby’s skin. These ingredients are all-natural and made of highly-absorbent materials, such as:

• Cotton
• Hemp
• Bamboo
• TENCEL™

These absorbent materials are placed inside non-leaking panties, so once the materials are wet, they’re still not soaking your baby’s clothes.

Are Reusable Nappies Better?

I’d say 100% yes. They lack any sort of chemicals present in disposable diapers, so they’re automatically better for your baby’s skin and overall health.

And because you’re using them over and over again rather than putting them in the trash 10-ish times a day, they’re so much better for the environment, too.

So why isn’t everyone using them? Mostly due to two reasons:

• They’re more expensive short-term. I spent some $400 so far on 19 pairs I have so far. However, in the long run, they end up saving you money, especially if you use the one-size-fits-all nappies. That way, you only need to buy some 20 pairs for the entirety of 2 years that your baby will likely spend in them!
• There’s a learning curve. It takes me roughly 5 fittings for each brand to figure out exactly how to do it. But once you know it, you know it — and there are some really useful videos to help you out.

Why Do Reusable Nappies Leak?

If they’ve been on your little one for a very short amount of time, say, less than 1.5 hours, it’s likely you haven’t put them on correctly.

If they’ve been there for at least that long, you have a heavy wee-er on your hands! It means you’ll need to change these a bit more often than recommended (2-4 hours is the usual number you’re given).

Try to stick to this timing, as reusable diapers don’t make it easy to know when it’s time to change them, since they don’t swell with liquid nearly as much as disposable nappies do.

How Many Reusable Nappies do You Need?

It depends on how often you’re planning to wash them, and how many times your little one wees and poops during the day.

If you’re looking to switch to the reusable option completely, you’ll need at least 14, probably more.

You’ll need to figure out first how often you’ll need to change them, before knowing for sure how many you need.

Can You Wash Reusable Nappies with Clothes?

This isn’t recommended, since you shouldn’t be using fabric softener for reusable diapers, and it’s welcome for clothes. Also, diapers need some pre-washing, which everyday baby clothes usually don’t.

That being said, I did wash them along with his regular clothes when I still had some 5 diapers. Otherwise, I’d be washing an almost empty washing machine, and that’s not really eco-friendly or practical.

Jelena

A 28-year-old married mom, trying to have it all. I have a full-time job I enjoy, a home I’m in love with, and plenty of hobbies I try my best to have the time for. A psychologist by vocation, with the goal of helping young women live their best lives.