Green Mountain Diapers: Polyester Fleece Diapers

Polyester and synthetics and cloth diapers - our opinion

We have created this page because we get so many emails asking for our opinions on these things. Take it all with a grain of salt, for these are opinions, not scientific facts.

Our 10% polyester products

Starbunz AIOS and Kissaluvs Fitted Diapers, wipes, and doublers (Super Soakers and Boosters) are 10% polyester. They have a 100% polyester grid base. 100% unbleached cotton is weaved onto and through the polyester grid. This means that the polyester does not touch baby's skin, only soft, 100% unbleached cotton does.

The advantage to this is that Kissaluvs have a stretch to them that no other fitted diaper we carry has, and that stretch to the material really does give them a very nice fit. But, everything has it's tradeoffs. The disadvantage to the polyester base is that polyester retains odors more than cotton does. So Kissaluvs are harder to keep smelling fresh than 100% cotton diapers are. This is more noticeable with well water than with city or town water, because city or town water is slightly chlorinated, which combats odors and cleans very well. The polyester holding odors is usually caused by detergent buildup when the wrong detergents are used, such as detergents containing optical brighteners, fabric softeners, fragrances, dyes or other residue-causing ingredients which are commonly found in mainstream detergents in most stores. We recommend using Charlie's Laundry Soap for all your diaper laundry because it's clean-rinsing (no detergent residue buildup). Using Charlie's or other clean-rinsing detergent is especially important for any diapers with any polyester content.

What does this mean? If you are on town water - no worries - Kissaluvs are a fabulous choice. If you have well water, especially softened well water, you may get better washing results with 100% cotton diapers, or just plan on running an additional hot water wash cycle, and definitely use a clean-rinsing detergent.

This polyester base structure is very common in many diapering products, and surprisingly even in many WAHM hemp products and bamboo, which is actually bamboo rayon. Yes, bamboo is a rayon (highly processed), and it often has polyester added.

As you shop and compare our products with other sites, know what the diapers are made of to make an informed choice. Can't find the material content of a particular manufactured (non-WAHM) diaper? Send us an email and we will let you know if we know. We won't list the popular brand names here, but there are quite a few. Hint #1: price - in general, polyester-based diapers are less expensive than pure cotton diapers. Hint #2: if it just says "cotton diaper" and doesn't say 100% cotton, it probably is not 100% cotton.

Our 100% polyester products

Fuzzi Bunz, Stay Dry Liners, Stay Dry Doublers and Night Stay Dry Doublers are in the 100% polyester category. Using polyester next to baby's bottom is rather new. Polyester fleece does work to keep baby dry. Does the dry-feel matter? What's your opinion?

It's up to you. Disposable diaper makers say that "feeling dry" matters, but I'm not convinced.

Polyester is a man-made synthetic. It came in to fashion for diapering 1998. No long-term studies have been done as to it's safety. Is it safe? I don't know. Until a long-term study has been done, I can't know. It appears to be safe. Some people are allergic to polyester. Some people are allergic to disposable diapers. I have not yet heard of someone being allergic to 100% cotton. Individuals with chemical sensitivities are often intolerant to polyester.

Personally, I certainly choose to have polyester next to my baby's bottom over a chemical-filled disposable any day. Even over the "chlorine free" disposables, which still have the chemical sodium polyacrylate in them, which has documented risks associated with it. Sodium polyacryalte or polyester? Polyester wins hands-down in my book! Pure cotton, organic if possible, is my personal first choice. But Fuzzi Bunz are perhaps the cutest diapering system we sell. They are indeed very soft and comfortable for baby, and as cloth diapers go, are trim fitting under clothes.

Remember everything has it's tradeoffs. The disadvantage I've found is that polyester is a bit "slippery" when runny poop hits it, and once in a great while I've had a minor, runny poop escape with polyester, which is rare with traditional cotton diapering systems. The containment success for runny, explosive poops of Fuzzi Bunz is about equal to that of disposables. Remember, disposables don't contain EVERY explosive runny poop, either, and you might be surprised by how many people using disposable diapers buy cloth diaper covers to put over their disposables - that's true! Anyhow, this makes sense. Here's why: 2 piece systems (diaper plus cover systems) have 2 levels of containment: 1=diaper, 2=cover. But Fuzzi Bunz and all-in-ones only have one leg elastic for 1 stage of containment. Remembering tradeoffs again, the advantage is that Fuzzi Bunz (and all-in-ones) are very quick and easy to put on the baby, which is a really wonderful advantage.

Fuzzi Bunz work best washed in town or city water (not softened water from a private well).

Bleached or Unbleached?

Please note that this page contains our opinions, and not facts. I'm pretty convinced that bleached or unbleached cotton, after about 5 wash cycles, is the same. While the unbleached cotton smells nicer than the bleached cotton prior to the first washing, I cannot notice any difference once they are no longer new. I list the items which are bleached for anyone who might be interested.

Items we carry which have a synthetic or bleached element to them are:

Diapers:

Re-Uz'm Elite and Bumkins All-In-Ones bleached cotton and polyester waterproof layer,

DSQ Prefolds in white are bleached cotton,

Kissaluvs Fitted Diapers have 10% polyester in them,

Infant Fitted Diapers are bleached cotton,

Snug-to-Fit Supreme One-size fitted diapers are bleached cotton,

Synthetic Covers:

Bummis Super Whisper Wrap,

Bummis Super Snap,

Bummis Original,

Bummis Cotton,