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a. Fabric »
The most sensible place to start choosing your nappies - as the way the fabric works both while on and while being washed and dried will need to be suitable to your need.
Bamboo
Lovely and soft, this is one of the most absorbant fabrics available for use in real nappies. Because of this, less is often needed than in other fabrics, meaning you get a lovely slim fit. Naturally antibacterial and antifungal, it is made from quick-growing bamboo - so is easily and quickly replenished, which means it is kinder to the planet, although the manufacturing process is fairly energy-intense. As it is such a thirsty fabric, it is slower to dry than the others.
PROS: Very absorbant, therefore also slimline, quick growth cycle, beautifully soft, antibacterial, antifungal
CONS: Takes longest of all fabrics to dry
Microfibre
A great, absorbant, fast-drying fabric. Really lovely and soft against your baby's skin - for an idea of how it feels, think about your baby's softest teddy bear! Man-made, however as materials are usually recycled, these can actually end up being better for the environment. Can be bulkier on baby, but is still a lightweight fabric, keeping baby cool and dry inside the nappy.
PROS: Very soft, super-absorbant, wicks moisture away from baby's bum, leaving it dry, uses post-consumer waste, quickest of all nappies to dry
CONS: Bulky, man-made fabric
Cotton
The original real nappy fabric. Good absorbancy and faster-drying than bamboo, you can choose from a range of cotton fabrics, including organic cotton and a cotton-hemp mix. Generally slightly cheaper than bamboo, but as it is less absorbant, more fabric is used, meaning it is slightly bulkier.
PROS: Fairly quick to dry, available in organic versions, soft
CONS: While it performs adequately in all major areas, it isn't the best in any of them, and doesn't match up to bamboo or microfibre.
b. Style »
All-in-one
A nappy and wrap combined into a single piece. Available in a variety of fabrics and designs, these nappies are making changing time easier than ever, but can take longer to dry, and be slightly less leakproof. However, with modern innovations this is fast changing, and the All-in-One is becoming the most popular real nappy. Other benefits include the fact that the fabric cloth element generally sits in the middle of the nappy, rather than going round the hip like in shaped nappies, making the fit much more slimline than a two-piece system. They are, however, generally considered slightly less absorbant than two-piece systems.
Stuffable/Pocket
A wrap element which has a layer of thin fabric sewn across the whole of the inside. This has an opening at the inside back of the nappy, which means it forms a "pocket" with the wrap element, into which boosting can be stuffed to increase the absorbancy. Highly versatile, you can boost with almost anything, and the one-size versions will fit from birth to potty meaning you will only have to buy one set of nappies.
All-in-two
Nappies like the Pop-in nappy have a system where the inner fastens into the outer wrap. So it's as easy to change as an all-in-one, but has the advantage of being separated for a more efficient wash and dry.
Two-piece system
Separate nappy and waterproof outer. Although they take slightly longer to change, these have added flexibility in the fit and are therefore generally the top performing nappies in terms of their leak-proofness.
Two-piece nappies can be shaped or flat (ie terries or prefolds) but share the fact that they have two seperate parts when changing
c. Sizing »
One-size
These all-in-ones popper down to fit from birth-to-potty - costing you less because you only have to buy one set of nappies. Although they can be a little bulky on new-borns and tiny babies, they generally fit quite well throughout.
Sized
Available in more than one-size, you need to buy the correct one as your baby grows. This makes them a little more expensive - as you buy a set of nappies for each size, but you get a great fit throughout. Also, if you are passing the nappies on from child to child, the nappies will be less worn out than one-size nappies (used and washed fewer times) and will service more children - meaning over time they can be just as cost effective.
Multisized
This refers to nappies which are sold both as a sized and a one-size nappy. So you can buy both size 1 and 2 versions of the nappy, but the size 2 usually has an adjustment feature which allows you to fasten it down to fit from birth, and is therefore also a one-size. One-size nappies can be bulky on new-borns, so using this classification means that parents can choose the sized version if the fitting is the most important factor, or the one-size if they are trying to keep costs down. Manufacturers recommend buying 1 kit of the size 2/one-size nappy if they are definitely going to be used for only one child, and a kit of each of the sizes if they are going to be used on future children - the perfect compromise between cost and getting the best fit.
d. Fasteners »
No longer does the nappy pin have any place in the modern real nappy kit! Modern nappies have built-in popper or velcro fasteners, with nippas being used for those nappies which need a separate fastener. Some one-size nappies also have elastic adjusters to increase or decrease the size of the nappy.
Aplix
Aplix fasteners are hook and loop pads which stick together - better known under the trade name velcro. These are the easiest to put on and take off - simply layer together to fasten. There is usually a block of aplix along the front of the nappy, and the side tabs fasten anywhere along this to ensure a great range of fits. However they are sometimes removed by cheeky tots, and do degrade over time - losing their stickiness slightly especially when washed; although modern innovations allow for closing the tabs during the wash cycle.
Popper
Nappies generally have a row of poppers on the front, which the side tabs fasten to. One size popper fastening nappies have one or more rows of poppers inside or outside the nappy, allowing you to fold the nappy down and fasten it, making the nappy smaller and creating the younger fit. Boosters fasten into poppers on the inside front of the nappy. Hold up well with use, and are generally easy to use, although can be slightly fiddly. Poppers are robust fasteners, clicking together to make it difficult for babies to pull their nappies off during that exhibitionist phase they all seem to go through!
Nippa
A Nappi Nippa is a separate fastener - a t-shaped gripper that is easy to attach and holds the nappy snugly and firmly in place. They are incredibly easy to use, simply stretch and grip. Great for the best range of fits - fasten the nappy as slim or loose as you like. The nippa is purchased separately, but nippa fastening nappies are generally cheaper than their aplix or popper counterparts, and the nippas themselves are very cheap at under £4.00 for three. One size nippa fastening nappies, have a front panel which can be folded down, making the nappy smaller and creating the younger fit.
Adjustable elastic
Similar to the adjustable waistbands on some children's wear, these elastic fasteners sit inside tha nappy, and you stretch them to fasten to the right size on a well-places button. As there are so many of these neat button holes, there is a wonderful range of fit. Changing the setting adjusts both the rise (height) of the nappy and leg binding too which makes for an excellently leak-proof nappy.
e. Aesthetic »
The fun bit! And one in which we can't really give you any guidance, as every person has a different favourite print, style or colour of real nappy. What we do recommend, however, is to work out which of the above factors matter to you, make a ballpark choice about which nappies will best fit the bill based on those factors, and then go mad deciding which nappy you think is the cutest.
Whether it's minimalist modern designs in white, funky prints, or soft fluffy fabrics which rock your boat, there are products to suit everyone's taste.
