The Evolution of the Prefold Diaper

I think everyone who is familiar with cloth diapering, even if it’s just the old fashioned kind, know what a prefold is- the rectangle of fabric with more layers in the middle that can be pinned around your baby.  What some may not be so familiar with are the new modern variations of prefolds.  Here’s an overview of some of them:

One simple variation of prefolds are the ones known as better/smart fit prefolds.  They are simply cut shorter and wider than regular prefolds, so they’re easier to wrap around baby or trifold in a cover without having to fold one end down.  You can find them in cotton and bamboo, and even stay dry.

Thirsties Hemp Prefold

These are a little different in the way they’re sewn.  They have two layers of hemp/cotton knit sewn together and then sewn into a loop.  So if you trifold this prefold, you get a total of 12 layers.  That’s a lot of absorbency!  The loop design allows for more thorough cleaning and faster drying.

Econobum Unbleached Cotton Prefold

These prefolds have the same amount of layers throughout the whole prefold.  Both styles have two rows of stitching going in two different directions to make them easier to fold.  The idea is that they’re one sized and you can trifold it the shorter way for a smaller baby, and the wider way for a larger baby or toddler.  Econobum prefolds are made of woven organic cotton, while the Flips are made out of knit organic cotton and are a little more trim.

These variations are more of a prefold made into a fitted.  One layer of the outside panel has a little tab cut out to make the wings longer.  Here are two links to tutorials on how to make your own:  http://baabaababy.us/2011/10/seamless-extended-wing-prefold-conversion/and http://prefold2fitted.blogspot.com/2013/04/turned-and-top-stitched-t-shirt.htmlThese are a great option if you have a lot of regular prefolds that you’re not loving but don’t want to get rid of. 

It’ll be interesting to see what other variations on old fashioned prefolds that people will come up with.  Cloth diapers just keep evolving.  Are there some modern prefold variations that you’ve seen that aren’t included?

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