5 Reasons To Use Flat Diapers

2023 Update: The more time I spend in the cloth diapering industry, the more my love for flat cloth diapers explodes. I know that many parents new to cloth diapering brush off flats diapers as complicated and outdated form of cloth diapering – but that could be further for the truth.

If you are truly looking for the easiest, simplest, cheapest way to diaper your baby – consider flat diapers. Canadian’s, I got you with a simple organic cotton flat available! For every reason that flat diapers are ‘too hard’ or ‘too difficult’ so is a modern pocket or all in one diaper. If I had a third baby, I would use flat diapers almost exclusively for these five reasons.

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Flat Cloth Diapers are seriously the best. I’m so thrilled that in the past decade we’ve seen flat diapers get destigmatized and re-embraced as an essential cloth diaper choice for families around the world. Creators like myself and Jaqueline at Jays Nest – we’ve really worked to share the love and passion that is the simplicity of flat diapers.

I know that flats will always have a stigma to them as being old school, but sometimes the things that worked for generations is truly the thing that is sustainable and functional for generations ahead of us. So many things in my life – I’ve circled back to simple, natural fibre, no fuss.

5 Reasons To Use Flats

1. Low Cost
2. Easy-to-wash
3. Quick to Dry
4. Adjustable Absorbency
5. Versatile

Flats are a Low Cost Cloth Diaper Choice

You can spend as little as $4-5 per flat, or as much as $20-30 per flat. This price varies depending on the quality of the textile, the labor of the product, and other costs of business from the owners.

• Imagine Baby Stretchy Flat Review (High Cost)
• HumBird Hemp Blend Flat Review (High Cost)
• Lunapaca Organic Cotton Flat Diapers (Average Cost)
• T-Shirt Flats Review (Low Cost)
• Receiving Blankets (Low Cost)

Check out this list of items you can find around your home that can be repurposed as a flat diaper. My favourite type of flat diaper is a receiving blanket, and was my go-to choice for my toddlers and night time routine. 

Flats are easy to wash

If the idea of a cloth diaper wash routine stresses you out, then you need to consider flat diapers. They are one of the best ways to have a little less panic on wash day. As a single layer of material they don’t hold onto dirt and grime the same as inserts or synthetic materials do. 

They are so easy to wash that you can wash them by hand with soaps and still have a clean product. Flat diapers are simple to bleach clean, if needed. I can’t wait to share this weeks wash routines and best practices families have learnt over the week.

• How to rock your hand wash routine

Families who love flats include those who handwash, use communal laundry, laundromats, travel, camp, live off grid, and in emergency situations. There are so many amazing stories from parents around the world about the power of flat cloth diapers.

Quick to Dry

For many families around the world, access to a dryer is not the norm. If you do have a dryer, they can be expensive to run and take a long time. With flats, you can hang to dry or toss in the dryer for a short time.

Quick to dry is an important step because then there’s no waiting for the diapers to dry scenario. In a pinch, iron a wet flat.

Adjustable Absorbency

The classic padfold gets everything into a square, but you can strategically fold a flat to give more layers or folds in the front or the back for optimal absorbing power depending on your child’s needs. 

Flat cloth diapers are adjustable to your baby, not only in their absorbency but how they fit and function for your child.

Additionally, flats come in many sizes and textiles to increase or decrease absorbency potential. For more information on absorbency of cloth diapers check out this list. You can choose a wide selection of materials, or easily add boosters and doublers to the product to get the absorbency you need.

Versatile

Flat diapers can be used with almost any cloth diaper cover, or pocket diaper system. You can use flats with a Nerdy Mommas Pocket, a Bebeboo training pant, or with an Osocozy Cover. They can be used with almost any PUL diaper system that uses inserts.

When you choose flats you get all the perks of the flat, plus the perks of a cover system that works for your child. Flat diapers are just one part of the story, and you get the power to choose the most versatile and perfect exterior for your family.

That means you can use flats with whatever diapers you got handed down, or with the only cover available at the local boutique, or with the brand that wins your heart through their prints and  passion for social sustainability. 

Flats give you the power to cloth diaper in so many situations using whatever you have.

You can choose to use flats with wool, fleece, covers or pockets.

What do you love about flat diapers?

There are so many more amazing benefits to using flats and considering flats. These aren’t your grandma’s diapers, they are modern and easy solutions to ensuring your child has a clean diapered bum.