Orange Diaper Company Review: Design and Fit

Guest post by Mandy Moeller, faithful customer of Orange Diaper Co. Part One details the design and fit of the one-sized fitted diaper.  Part Two will detail absorbency, price and where to buy.

I’m excited to introduce y’all to my obsession, one-size fitted diapers from Orange Diaper Company. My children and I love these so much that I asked to give a review to spread the word about these terrific diapers.

One-size fitteds from Orange Diaper Company (ODC) are all handmade in a Virginia studio by a very small team of women, led by Jen Rosenberg. Jen started the company in 2008 as “Scuttlebutts” when she began to make diapers for her own children. She changed the name to ODC in 2010 when the demand for her diapers grew and the style changed.  Most used diapers on the market are under the ODC name, although some Scuttlebutts still pop up from time to time.

Currently, Jen and a few seamstresses stock diapers each week that are meticulously constructed and cute as can be. They arrive wrapped in the signature ODC ribbon and often have a small treat like an organic lollipop or teabag tucked inside. There are several reasons to feel good about buying from this company, from the excellent, personal, fast customer service and domestic construction to the unconditional 15-day love-it-or-return-it guarantee for unwashed diapers and 45-day defect guarantee.

The diapers are a fitted style, with a non-waterproof outer layer of knit or woven fabric (usually cotton). The prints are gorgeous and span a wide range of colors and designs. There are some traditional choices in boy, girl, and gender neutral prints, including polka dots, pandas, flowers, and everything in between. There are also some with a very modern sensibility—chevron, stripes, plaids, and argyles are very popular choices. She also occasionally stocks minky prints (I snagged a Cat-in-the-Hat minky design called Madcap that has captured my 2-year old’s heart) and seasonal prints. All are given fun names by Jen and posted to a drool-worthy Flickr stream.

The diaper is constructed with a layer of bamboo fleece sandwiched between the other print layer and an inner layer of OBV or cotton velour—both the softest, squishiest stuff you can imagine. Henry, my Cat-in-the-Hat obsessed 2-year old,  has been known to steal them right out of the package for snuggles and to raid his diaper drawer to love on one at night.

There is a snap in soaker with two “flaps”, each with layers of OBV or OCV.  The soaker is generously sized to allow for customized folding in the wetzone or to shorten the rise for smaller babies.  In total, there are 8 layers of absorbency built into the diaper, not counting the outer print layer.  Additional snap-in or lay-in boosters are available from the ODC website.

Diapers are available either turned and topstitched or serged. There are benefits for both. The T&T edges protect sensitive skin and have a professional, tidy finish. The serged legs are finished to be extremely soft and comfortable and have a bit more stretch and give for chubby-thighed babes.  There are three hip snaps on each side and a crossover snap position, which allows for good fit on a wide range of body types. Hip snap covers are available through ODC for babies and toddlers who have a bigger waist and only use two of the three snaps.

These are a true one-size diaper outside the newborn period. Most people find that the diaper begins to fit at about 12-lbs, although all babies are different. For little ones, there is a fold down rise (FDR) on all diapers.  I use this option on my 21 lb 15-month old for the newer ODCs, but not the older ones.

There are several reasons for this—first, because these are natural fibers, shrinkage occurs with washing. New ODCs are sewn with a 10-15% allowance for shrinkage built in, so my newest diapers fit bigger. Also, mid-summer 2012, the style of the diaper was changed to include a slightly higher rise and wider bum. These changes allowed a better fit on larger, older babies and toddlers as well as very little ones.

That said, all of my children have a great fit with both older and newer diapers. The primary users are my 15-month old (5-10% for weight, 50% for height) and my 26 lb 2-year old, who is built on a similar scale.  I can also sneak one of these onto my night-wetting 4-year old in a pinch and get a great fit with no leaks and a comfortable waist, especially if I add a hip-snap cover.

The only time I’ve ever had a mark left from the diaper was when I accidentally folded the soaker too low, leaving the FDR snaps exposed and snapped the waist too tight—a mommy fail rather than a diaper fail.  The leg and back elastic is very gentle. They’re so comfortable that my children refuse other brand fitteds in our stash and grab their favorite Oranges every change.

Although my children are skinny to average, I have many friends with chubbier babies who are equally happy with the fit and comfort. These diapers are moderately trim for a fitted diaper. I have no trouble pulling pants, covers, or wool over my children’s fluffy ODC bums.

In Part Two, Mandy will share just how absorbent ODC fitteds are and where you can buy one!

Autumn Beck

Autumn is a wife, mother, homeschool teacher, friend and most important a follower of Christ.