Nappy Fabrics

Bamboo

Bamboo is a relatively new material in cloth nappies
Its 60% more absorbant then cotton, antibacterial and usually stays soft
Envirmonmentally friendly as it grows quickly with hardly any or no pesticides
A downside is that it can take a while to dry

Hemp

A hardworking nappy fabric being more durable and absorbant than 100% cotton with added antibacterial properties
Most nappy products contain 55% hemp and 45% cotton
Like bamboo it has a short growing cycle it can generally be harvested 4 months after being sown and twice as much can be grown compared to cotton and due to its fast growth it suppresses weeds so therefore it hardly needs any pesticides
It can be slow to dry except the pocket nappy inserts and boosters
Can need washing upto 10 times before reaching maximum absorbancy

Terry

This is fairly absorbant and cheap, however being a intensely produced crop it requires huge input of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, it also requires a lot of water to grow
Organic cottons are a better choice as there is no risk of chemicals still being in the cloth

Microfibre

This is used to make shaped nappies, pocket nappy inserts and as a in built soaker pad in fitted nappies
Its light and can hold 7-8 times its weight in liquid and is quicker drying than other materials
However microfibre is not from renewable sources but is a manmade material therefore isnt biodegradable

Fleece

This is 100% polyester and is used as a stay dry liner particularly in pocket nappies as it passes urine through leaving baby comfortable and dry
It is also easy to shake off solid poo, just stretch it over the toilet and it drops off
when the fleece is washed it is stain free and quick drying
Also available in washable nappy liners

Suedecloth

This is also used inside pocket nappies
It is thinner than microfleece but also keeps moisture away from baby

Velour

This material is very luxurious, it feels like velvet and is used in the swaddleebee econappy

PUL

This is short for Polyurethane laminate