Cloth diapering is simple and can be simple. 

Just like there are many different styles of jeans to fit different bodies, budgets, and preferences – there are cloth diapers and that includes flat cloth diapers. What is a relatively simple cloth diaper comes in many different shapes, styles, and formats to suit different diapering goals.

One thing I want to be abundantly clear is that there is no wrong way to cloth diaper – there is no bad cloth diaper. All of these products are functional and work for families around the world in different capacities. They are sold and promoted because they work. 

• Check out the five reasons I love flat cloth diapers

Four Types of Flat Diapers

I consider there to be three main categories of flat diapers, and with this update for 2023, I’m adding a fourth style back in and that’s the Preflat.

1. Repurposed Material
2. Designed for Diapers
3. Luxury Flats
4. Pre Flats

1. Repurposed Flat Diapers (Budget)

These are the cloth diapers you can pick up anywhere from your closet to Ikea. These flat diapers offer versatility and require nothing special but maybe a trip to the store.

• Flour Sack Towels. [Read Why I Don’t Like FST]
• Receiving Blankets [Find out More]
• Cotton T-Shirts. [Find out More]
• Anything Cotton.
• Ikea Towels. [Find out More]
• Old cotton sheets

You can repurpose any type of absorbent material as a cloth diaper.

2. Designed for Diapers (Budget to Mid-Range)

I just placed my first wholesale order of organic cotton flats for the shop, and in doing so I learned that a lot of flats are the same copy cat version. It’s not a product that you can drastically reinvent besides sourcing unique fibres, different shapes, and maybe…. oh ya, our new organic cotton flat with Lunapaca is 100% synthetic free because did you know that even things marked 100% cotton might have a thread of polyester running through them?

These are flat diapers you find at your favourite cloth diaper retailer. Such cloth diapers are typically birdseye cotton in a standard shape and manufactured in the Middle Eastern countries. This is not always the case. I used to have a really long list of products here, but so much has changed over the past few years so I’ve shifted it down.

• Cloth-eez Organic Flat Birdseye at Green Mountain Diapers #sorryCanada
• GeffenBaby Hemp Jersey Flat
• GeffenBaby Fleece Fladdle
• Kanga Care Flats
• Lunapaca Prganic Cotton Flat (Available in Canada at Nest & Sprout)
• Osocozy Birdseye Cotton Flat

Many brands will add a simple collection of birds eye cottons to their existing line of prefold diapers to compliment their collection – Kangacare, Buttons, Petite Crown, and more.

3. Luxury Flats

To me these are products that are still square in shape but designed with premium textiles using something other than There are some amazing makers making flat cloth diapers.

These dedicated seamstresses choose high-quality material and serge them into beautiful squares of fabric suitable for poop and pee. #talkaboutperfect.

• Fruit of the Womb Cloth Diapers [Buy them Now on Etsy | Check out her shop]
• Lily & Frank Cloth Diapers [ CANADIAN | Check out her Shop]

I might also consider products like the Thirsties Organic Cotton Flat as a premium or luxury flat because it’s double the average cost of a birds eye cotton flat, and designed to have a few more features like stretch.

Note: many luxury flats are not great for use with diaper fasteners as it may cause holes and rips to occur.

4. Preflats

Preflats are the idea of a flat with some additional construction – they are usually cut into a funny shape, and designed to be folded a certain way to get optimal fit. Think the Blythe Life Fixed Flat, the E Flat from Nicki’s Knickers or even the Jukebox Flat .

Where do you buy your flat cloth diapers?

Do you keep it simple or splurge on the beauty of a stretchy bamboo/hemp blend? Who makes your favourite flat cloth diaper?

Feel free to tell me about more about your favourite Types of Flat Diapers. And if you’re Canadian, you’ve got a few choices including Cloth Diaper Kids, Nest & Sprout, and direct from a brand.