What Is Zorb? Do You Know?

By Autumn Beck | September 5, 2008

There is no end to the eternal quest for a more absorbent cloth diaper that remains trim.  We’ve all packed all poor baby in a diaper that is 6″ thick preventing her from bringing her legs together.  But that is certainly not done out of preference.  It’s sometimes a necessity just to get a few hours sleep at night.

However, there are products that do allow for less layers.  Hemp, microfiber and bamboo are all great options especially when used in combination with each other (ex.  microfiber on top of hemp).  But, hemp stinks, microfiber leaks, and bamboo isn’t quite absorbent enough for me.

There is a new soaker fabric available though. Recently, Wazoodle’s cutting-edge textile design department developed a super absorbent product called Zorb.  Wazoodle.com is a huge online retailer of all diaper making (or non diaper making) fabrics and supplies.  It is their mission to improve the overall performance of a cloth diaper.

Although the hype has been growing since earlier this year, one question or doubt has loomed: What IS zorb??

One mama put it best when she said, “I’m still waiting to hear WHAT exactly it is … it sounds ideal for my heavy wetter, but I won’t take a chance if we’ll find out in 3 months that it’s something like ground up tires, bleached in acid and mixed with a polycarbonate resin that has been hydrolyzed to a fabric-like consistency.”

Speculations flew and the “too good to be true” mentality rose, until Wazoodle finally answered our questions.  I am quoting Mike the head of textile design at Wazoodle:

“Hopefully I can answer a few of the most common question, and debunk some of the common rumors and misconceptions.

1) What is it made of?

I can tell you with great certainty there are no “ground up tires bleached in acid and mixed with a polycarbonate resin”. We’re known for a lot of things good and bad, but when it comes to innovative diaper making textiles our attention to innovation, environmental and product safety, is second to none.

Zorb contains only tangled cellulose fibers from bamboo/cotton/viscose and poly micro fiber, the same fibers found in virtually every AIO diaper on the market - nothing else. These non-allergenic fibers are non-allergenic, durable and easy to sanitize We manufacture Zorb in the USA and Canadian in modern facilities that are safe & friendly for workers and the environment.

We keep the exact formula and manufacturing process a secret.

2) Is it thick?

That depends on how you compare things. Soaker layers are built up from 3-8 layers which generally produces a thick wad of fabric. One key goal was to reduce the overall thickness of the absorbent part of a diaper, AND to minimize the number of layers needed.

The best overall thickness for Zorb proved to be about the same as Sherpa or velour. Even though Zorb is thicker, you use far fewer layers which will always makes the diaper trimmer. Fewer layers also reduces cost and cut/sew time.

This enabled some completely new designs (you should see them hit the market soon) that are trimmer than anything currently available.

For a head to head comparison on thickness, stacking Zorb on a desk against the common fabrics will show you something like this. 1 layer of Zorb is the same as:

Now, to get the same absorbency, as 2 layer of Zorb, you will need:

When you’re diaper is finished, it should be trimmer and softer handed using Zorb. You should save material cost and some cut/sew time.

3) Does it wick under compression (leak off)?

Less than anything else. We spent a lot of time looking at leak off under compression, both with Zorb and typical natural fiber fleeces. Compression leak off occurs when a fabric reaches saturation and cannot distribute moisture from the ’squish’ area to other parts of the absorbent web. Zorb cures this problem in a 2 ways.

First, Zorb is extremely fast at moving moisture around. Assaults are quickly spread over a wide area to minimize saturation and leak off in the area that is peed on. To see this drop a swatch into water, you will see the moisture moves instantly through the fabric.

Next, the ability to resist leak off depends on the resiliency of the fabric’s web. Zorb is considerabley more resilient than fleeces and terrys, and way, way more resilient than microfiber toweling. When you squish it using the typical pressure of a baby (around 5psi), moisture simply moves to another part of the Zorb web. Natural fiber knits are slow to move moisture around, so pressure creates a leak off channel, polyester fleeces (micro and polar) and microfiber terry towell have weak webs that collapse under any pressure, they have the most trouble with leak off.

4) Why is shipping so expensive?

Zorb is a lofty fabric so carriers calculate the shipping cost based on volume, not actual weight. 6 yards of Zorb weighs 8lbs, but the roll size cubes out to 21lbs, so that’s what UPS they charges us to carry the package. It isn’t so bad if you look at it this way: the cheapest diaper shop we found on the net charges $213.30 to ship 20 yards of hemp 54″ FT to ZIP 90210 including freight. 6 yards of 74″ wide Zorb does the same job at a cost of $72 including freight.

We have a vacuum packager that compresses lofty fabrics, unfortunately it handles rolls up to 30″ long - but we’re working on it!

5) Is it Hemp Free?

Absolutely. For those of you who know us, we are not advocates of hemp for use in diaper or healthcare products. We never use hemp fiber in our products.

Hope that helps a little.”

I completely respect that they are not willing to divulge their “recipe”.  Now it is just a matter of time to see just how well Zorb perfoms under heavy duty diaper use.

You can find cloth diapers and mama pads containing Zorb by doing a search on Hyena Cart.  I am slowly seeing more and more and hope to soon try it out.

Topics: absorbency, making cloth diapers | 4 Comments »

Green Mountain Diapers: Prefolds

By Autumn Beck | September 3, 2008

I would not really call myself a prefold user, yet I seem to be constantly mesmerized by the prefold comparison picture on Green Mountain Diapers.

I stare at it and ponder over which size I should buy…again I’m not a prefold user! I love the choices and colors and quilty fluffiness.

But this Labor Day weekend I changed all that. I began buying cloth diapers for the new baby and I was determined to get atleast a dozen Green Mountain Diapers (GMD) prefolds.

From what I have read the Orange edged only last a couple of weeks on most babies, unless of course your babies are small to begin with. So I skipped Orange.

I thought of buying the Yellow edged but the width looked to be too much for my typically skinny, long newborns.

As I was stalking the For Sale Or Trade forum on diaperswappers I saw a dozen Green edged prefolds for sale. Brand new, unprepped for less than GMD. I bought them up quickly!

I am not 100% certain that these are the best choice but honestly if I stared at the picture any longer I’d go crazy. If all else fails I’ll use them in pockets or burp cloths or sell them.

There also is a brand NEW size prefold that GMD just released. It is the Periwinkle edged. This is a choice for mamas who birth very large babies (9, 10, 11lb). The Orange edged would be too small and the Yellow a tad big. The Periwinkle are designed to be a short term prefold for larger babies. By short term I mean they may only fit for 2-4 weeks.

For the older child the most popular sizes are the Red and Brown edged.

As far as fastening the prefolds, I’ll be using a Snappi. I really want to use pins but can’t seem to get over the fear. Someone needs to convince me that buying real diaper pins will actually “slide” through a prefold. When I have attempted pinning with a large regular pin it is a huge struggle to get it through the material.

I’m open to persuasion though!

For covers, I have purchased a variety of interlock wool covers and a Woolybottoms soaker from Leslies Boutique. I can’t wait for the itty bitty cloth diapers and covers to start arriving this week!!

Topics: Newborn diapering, cloth diapers, prefolds | 8 Comments »

How To Make Cloth Diapers

By Autumn Beck | August 30, 2008

When there’s a hole, tear, missing button, or item that needs hemming I’m on it. The simple sewing tasks don’t intimidate me however, making a cloth diaper seems out of my league.

Of course that was before I discovered the dozens of websites explaining in great detail how to sew anything from an all-in-one, fitted, pocket, to a recycled wool cover.

Here are a sampling of the sites showing you how to make cloth diapers:

Diaperkits.com - awesome website for kits, patterns, fabrics and more

Buttknits - Amber of diaperkits other website for knitting patterns

Sewing Cloth Diapers

Sew Your Own Cloth Diapers- all types of patterns

How To Make Prefold Diapers - scroll down the page

How To Make a Cloth Diaper Pattern

Mama Bird Diaper Patterns

One Size Diaper Pattern

Baby Bum Sweaters - wool soakers

How To Sew a Pull-on Fleece Cover

How To Make Your Own Fuzzi Bunz Inspired Diaper

How to Make a Fitted Cloth Diaper - on the cheap

How To Sew a PUL Pocket with Snaps

Fleece Pocket to lay in a cover

Topics: all in ones, cloth diaper covers, cloth diapers, fitted, how to, pockets, wool | 3 Comments »

Politics Shmolitics! A Debate Worth Watching

By Autumn Beck | August 27, 2008

I don’t know about you but this time every election year I have had it with platforms, debates, conventions and commercials. And it will only get worse.

Alas! There is one debate worth watching. A Diaper Change directed a cute diaper debate video filled with information we truly care about. Sit back and have a chuckle.

Topics: cloth diapers | 1 Comment »

How to Give Your Cloth Diapers Some Bling

By Autumn Beck | August 22, 2008

There’s no denying the immediate love a mama feels when she opens a brand new bamboo velour diaper. So squishy. So yummy. So perfect. But, after a while a stash of vanilla can lose it’s charm.

Thankfully, there are some amazingly creative and talented WAHMs working hard to spice up wool, diapers, and clothing at very affordable prices.

Nissi, a sweet friend of mine, is the WAHM behind Sapo Verde. Nissi offers many choices ranging from patches you can apply yourself to detailed applique work that she will customize and apply to your items.

Here is a picture of my Luxe soaker:

And here is the soaker with an adorable Sapo Verde patch (not attached at time of photo):

Nissi also customized a Goodmama and a Sugarpeas wool cover for me:

For more examples of Sapo Verde work check out her gallery.

These small embellishments make my wool and diapers unique and fun to use. If you have an idea you’d like to see on a t-shirt or cloth diapering item don’t hesitate to contact Nissi through her Hyena cart. She is the kindest WAHM to work with and her work is stunning.

Another way to put some bling in your stash is to dye…hopefully you caught the spelling! Dyeing has quickly become a fun hobby with many cloth diapering moms, but a few have earned the title of “Queen Dyer”. I have included links to these WAHM galleries so that you can see their past work and be in awe of their talent. (I don’t even like tye-dye and I’m drooling)

Big Bad Voodoo Mama Hyena Cart and Gallery

Color.Me.Crazy Hyena Cart and Gallery

Sweetiebums Gallery (the Queen)

Don’t be afraid to try something creative on your own. If you mess up the dye job no one has to know! Appliques can be made from scrap interlock wool, fleece, knit…whatever you desire. The key is to have fun and remember they’re just diapers!

Topics: WAHMs, how to | 2 Comments »

Rotavirus and Cloth Diapers: What To Do

By Autumn Beck | August 20, 2008

I’ll be the first to shrug off a stomach bug or fever but when it comes to diarrhea I’m hittin’ the high road…well atleast I’m wishing I could. Not only do you just ache for your poor child and the misery they’re in but secretly you’re wishing you didn’t have to deal with the mess.

Granted, liquid poop is much easier to “clean” off when you simply dump it in the washer but are your diapers really clean?

Our family has been very fortunate to experience very very little illness in the last 8 years. We’ve had a couple of 24 hour stomach bugs but thankfully have not experienced the nasty Rotovirus. For those not familiar with this virus here is a common definition:

Rotovirus (or Rotavirus) is a common viral infection among young children. It is the most common cause of diarrhea in U.S. children and is a leading cause of death among children in developing countries. The virus works by attacking the lining of the small intestine, causing often copious loss of fluids and electrolytes. The virus is spread through oral contact to fecal material, and is common in child care environments.

In order to prevent cross-contamination washing your hands after changing a diaper is of great importance. However, the virus remains alive in cloth diapers if proper care is not taken.

After the virus has run it’s course fill your washer basin and add 1/4 cup of bleach. Then add ALL the diapers you have been using into the machine. This is one time when bleach is the first recommended plan of action.

Not only is killing the virus important for your little one but also for those who may buy your diapers in the future. Last year a mom on diaperswappers purchased some used diapers. When she began using them her child fell severely ill. Through research of past posts it was obvious that the mama who sold the diapers had posted about her child’s bout with rotovirus. The diapers in question were tested by the hospital and came up positive for rotovirus.

Obviously this is a case of extreme. No one knows about the health of the family that bought the diapers. Compromised immune systems, poor nutrition and other factors determine if your child will become ill from a lingering virus in a used diaper. Truth is you never know what happened in the used diapers you purchased. Take the precautions you feel are necessary to protect your little one.

Topics: cloth diapers, how to, washing | 2 Comments »

How To Start Cloth Diapering on a Budget

By Autumn Beck | August 15, 2008

Many families choose to cloth diaper for financial reasons. Budgets can be so tight that startup costs are often overwhelming. However, there are ways to begin cloth diapering today on less than $125.

The least expensive route are prefolds and covers. My favorite prefolds have been the very first ones I purchased in 2005. I bought 2 dozen DSQ newborn/infant 4×8x4 Indian cotton prefolds from the Granitesmith ebay store. 1 dozen prefolds costs $18.99. If you buy 2 or more dozen you get free shipping on covers. Shipping for 2 dozen prefolds is $11.50. So far the total is up to $49.48.

For covers I purchased the proraps covers in size L. At the time my son was 15 months old. I have used proraps on a newborn and loved them. For a 4 pack of prorap covers it is $27.90. I started out with only 4 and washed them when 2 got wet or soiled. I never had a problem running out of covers. However, for a newborn or infant the chances are a lot higher that the cover will become soiled. In that case, I would order 8 covers.

I prefer proraps covers for children that can undo diapers because of the clasp. I’m sure there are some crafty kids out there that can undo it but I found it to be the only one my son kept on. The clasps are not on size Newborn and Small.

Okay, so with 2 dozen prefolds (+shipping) and covers (free ship) the total is $105.28. Granitesmith ships FedEx so you get them fast.

Now you need to purchase a diaper pail system. I use a Sterilite 20-Quart Touch-Top Wastebasket from Walmart for $4.97. For a pail liner I went to the camping section of Walmart and bought a waterproof bag. I paid $5.00 for mine. I have also used the $1 laundry bags from the Dollar Tree. They don’t last as long but they’re cheap.

Add $10.00 to our diaper total of $105.28 and you can start cloth diapering for $115.28. Keep in mind this is for NEW items. I always recommend for those on a very restrictive budget to buy used. This can knock your cost down to under $100.

Topics: cloth diapering on a budget, cloth diapers | 11 Comments »

Does Your Target Carry BumGenius One Size 3.0?

By Autumn Beck | August 12, 2008

If there was one cloth diaper loved by more parents it has to bumGenius diapers. Everywhere I go it seems bumGenius has made its presence known.

Jenn, the creator of bumGenius, has done a phenomenal job of marketing her product to the public. Besides bricks and mortar cloth diaper stores, bumGenius can be found in many health foods stores like Whole Foods and the newest merchant Target. This is huge for cloth diapers. With Costco making them available online I was excited, but to actually be able to pick up cloth diapers in a regular store is outstanding!

bumGenius cloth diapers are often raved about as being “sposie trim” and daycare/daddy friendly. Because of the suedecloth inner we have not used bumGenius but the new Organic bumGenius offers me a chance to try out the bumGenius brand.

Besides packing up the kids and driving to the nearest Target to discover if they carry bumGenius you can call the Target corporate customer service number 1-800-440-0680 and ask for stores in your area carrying these specific DPI (item #s):

wetbag (found by searching for “wet bag”): 030 00 2235

reuseable diapers: 030 00 2126

They are showing up under Parent Inventor’s so asking customer service for local stores carrying cloth diapers will bring up nothing.

If your local Target does not carry them give it some time. Right now they are in the test market phase. There are a number of test stores that immediately sold out, some even before actually stocking the diapers. This is certainly the right message to send to Target!

You can purchase discounted packs of bumGenius online from Leslies Boutique!

Topics: bumgenius, cloth diapers | 3 Comments »

Do Your Pocket Cloth Diapers Have the Stinkies?

By Autumn Beck | August 8, 2008

It is amazing how fast pocket cloth diapers can start stinking. I used fitteds for months and never had this problem.

Coincidentally, when I began cloth diapering my then 15 month old son in 2005, the pocket diapers were the only diapers that reeked of ammonia.

Back then I just figured that’s what toddler pee smells like. Now I realize that the smell is from a buildup in the diapers.

There are many ways to remove buildup from your cloth diapers (all of which I include in The Ultimate Guide to Cloth Diapers). One of the simplest ways is to squirt Dawn dishwashing liquid in your washer. I make 3 big circles of the Dawn in the basin and toss the diapers in.

Sometimes it can be difficult to find regular Dawn. I have Dawn Ultra, the concentrated form, and use it with no problems.

I always check during the rinse cycle for bubbles. If there are any, even small ones, I run a second rinse.

If you suspect that your inserts are still retaining the buildup, run a load with just the inserts and a small amount of bleach. Microfiber is highly absorbent and tends to hold on to molecules very well. Any time you use bleach run an extra rinse. I rinse until there is no bleach smell.

I wash with Dawn about every 2 weeks. Using Dawn is great for Top Loaders but NOT FRONT LOADERS. I have not experimented with this myself but I have been told that Dawn creates too many suds for front loaders and can ruin the machine.

However, if you have a front loader you can still strip your diapers with Dawn. When the diapers are clean, take your pockets and apply a couple of drops to the fleece. Rub it around with your fingers (now you know why I said when they’re clean :D ), thoroughly cleaning the inner microfleece. Rinse the Dawn off in your kitchen sink until there are no more suds. I recommend tossing them back into the washer for a hot wash with no detergent.

Topics: cloth diapers, washing | 15 Comments »

Blueberry Minky Diapers: The Perfect Fit

By Autumn Beck | August 5, 2008

I recently switched my entire stash from fitteds to pockets. After a few trades I ended up finding some great pocket diapers that I had never tried before. One of them is the Blueberry Side Snap Minky pocket diaper.

When I was using fitteds it seemed that most had a longer rise. Although not a problem for most babies, for us it was too much diaper. We made it work but Paisley definately suffered from major bubble butt. She has a very short rise so finding a fitted diaper was harder (I did find one that fit perfect and even interviewed the maker: An Exclusive Interview with Lotus Baby).

When I received a Medium Blueberry Side Snap Minky pocket diaper in the mail my first reaction was, “This looks tiny!” I snapped it on Paisley and it was a perfect fit (visions of Cinderella just popped in my head).

However, there is a good and bad to this story.

The bad: Blueberry diapers are much higher priced than other sized pocket cloth diapers. Their one-size pockets run average to one-size fitteds I did own. But, for a new minky side snap blueberry diaper it would cost me $30.

The good: *I traded for the 3 I have via diaperswappers fsot forum. I see them pop-up often. Trades are a great way to make a transaction. Sales aren’t moving as fast this summer but I have found people very eager to trade.

* Blueberry Diapers has an outlet store available at: http://swaddlebees.com/products/newoutlet

* And the best- Blueberry Diapers runs an awesome sale a couple of times a year! The sale is Buy Two Get One Free. You need to register on their site for email updates. This is the only way of knowing when the sale will occur. Diapers sell out fast. This is the time when most Blueberry diapers are purchased.

I also really like the Blueberry microfiber/hemp inserts. They are trim and absorbent. And the price is affordable.

I’ll be posting soon on my other great pocket finds…*hint* they’re all minky :D

Topics: cloth diapers, pockets | 1 Comment »

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