When looking into options for cloth diaper covers, you will come across many different types of materials. Vinyl, plastic, rubber, nylon, PUL, wool. How can you possibly decide?
I posed that question to a couple of diaper companies. The answer? They all work equally well, so it’s a personal choice….
Well, that narrows it down a bit.
Moms who cloth diaper their babies have no idea how easy they have it when 99.9% of baby diapers use PUL or TPU for the waterproof layer.
This is because many of the textiles used to make adult covers do not pass the rigorous standards required by baby products. Yet you may want to know what fabric is best to use for adult diaper covers?
There are a lot of options when choosing adult diaper covers, so we will address the following questions:
– What’s the difference?
– Does it matter?
– Does one work better than the others?
– Are they safe?
Vinyl and Plastic
Vinyl is a type of plastic.
In fact, when I emailed Adult Cloth Diapers about the difference, they wrote back and stated that they use vinyl and plastic interchangeable on their website
These are the most common adult cloth diaper covers.
Vinyl/plastic pants can take many forms. PVC and PEVA are the most common. They range from being thick and stiff to the super flexible see through covers.
Toxicity
Yay for scientific innovations that we find out decades (or a century) later that discover which has made life better, cause negative health effects…. Ugh.
Phthalates are additives used to make PVC resins, which are hard, into flexible, soft plastics, according to this study. It’s the use of these phthalates during the manufacturing process that causes the most environmental harm.
While many studies have shown that the exposure to phthalates from PVC in the air can cause asthma and respiratory illness (especially during production), much is still unknown about its effect in day to day life.
For a more in depth look into the vinyl debate, read this article from Mother Earth News.
PEVA (Polyethylene vinyl acetate) is a chlorine free alternative to PVC and thought to be better, but some studies have found it to be toxic.
Should I Use Plastic Pants?
Your choice to use or not to use plastic pants ultimately comes down to these questions:
1. How much do I care about the environment and chemicals in my home?
Some people care about the environment and some people don’t. Let’s just keep that can of worms unopened please.
This is about you finding what works for you.
Plastic pants being, well plastic, are completely waterproof.
When you buy a fish from the pet store, they put that baby in a plastic baggie and tie the top. All that water and the little fish swimming around oblivious while that plastic keeps all the water in and everything outside nice and dry.
Just like a plastic pant, only minus the fish. And the plastic’s a little different… but you get the point. The moisture stays in and the outside stays dry.
2. Are there healthier alternatives?
As for healthier alternatives, PUL and TPU are on top of the list. These fabrics are used in baby cloth diapers and must pass rigorous tests in order to meet the health standards for being used against baby’s skin.
These fabrics are completely waterproof as long as there is enough absorption inside. Once they’re oversaturated, moisture can wick from the leg openings.
3. Am I willing to spend more on said healthier alternatives?
Plastic pants run the gamut between $7 and $15. PUL, on the other hand, goes for around $25. That said, PUL will last longer than vinyl because it is more durable.
Maybe it’s in your budget, maybe not.
Maybe you choose to have mostly plastic pants and a couple pairs of other fabrics. This is not an all or nothing type deal.
4. Do I, or the person I’m caring for, have sensitive skin?
Since vinyl pants are completely waterproof and air proof (see above fish example), they are a recipe for rash, especially if you have sensitive skin.
The plastic prevents any airflow around the nether regions and that along with moisture sitting against the skin for prolonged periods irritates the skin and causes rash. If you struggle with rash, plastic pants may not be the best choice for you.
Ultimately, plastic pants are cheap, very waterproof, and come in either pull up or side fastening options.
Nylon
I’ve had a hard time nailing down this one, as the adult diaper companies I emailed don’t seem to know much about this. All I got back from Adult Cloth Diapers is that they don’t offer nylon and Babykins only said that their nylon pants are their lightest weight pants.
What is nylon?
These days, nylon fibers are in everything. Toothbrush, check. Swimwear, check. Umbrellas, double check. Oh, and remember pantyhose? Nylon crushed that market in 1940 when it first came out.
But then came World War II and the military used it to make nylon ropes and parachutes.
Man’s first, well, man-made (aka synthetic) fabric, nylon is a polymer derived from crude oil. Basically, it is a type of plastic, which is where it gets it waterproof quality.
Should you use nylon covers?
Let’s see.
- Nylon will outlast rubber and vinyl covers. Vinyl/plastic and rubber get brittle and break down, especially if they get exposed to heat.
- Nylon covers make noise. If you remember the windbreaker track suit fashion trend of the 90s, you also probably remember the familiar shhh, shh, shhh sound of someone walking by.
Some say you can decrease the sound by wearing snug fitting pants over them. Others find that the noise is irrelevant. They just like the lightweight feel of the covers.
- Nylon covers are more breathable than plastic pants.
- Oh, and you can actually machine wash and dry these babies too! Though, of course, low heat only.
So if you don’t care about using petroleum products or rustling noises, but want something more lightweight and breathable than vinyl pants, nylon has a lot to offer.
PUL
Ah PUL, the beloved waterproof fabric used in baby diapers.
PUL is a laminate fabric, meaning that manufacturers take a polyester knit and thermal bond a polyurethane laminate to the back.
And it’s supposed to last up to 300 washings!
Take that, plastic pants!
Alas, PUL is not perfect. The polyester knit on the outside likes to wick moisture when the diaper is oversaturated on the inside.
What happens is, the liquid that doesn’t get absorbed inside, will seep out the leg openings and the polyester will snatch that up and send it migrating across the outside of the diaper, making the PUL feel like it’s leaking, even though it’s not.
Anyway, other than being kind to the earth, PUL is also the most breathable option when it comes to diaper covers.
Well actually, wool takes that trophy and we’ll talk about that in a minute.
Should you use PUL?
- Breathable. Airflow is nature’s balm for diaper rash.
- Durable. Did you see the 300 washings!? Of course, for PUL to last this long, proper washing routine must be followed. No high heat in the dryer. Line dry is best.
- Eco-friendly. PUL has to pass rigorous standards to be safe for baby and environment.
A note on this. Adult diaper companies also have covers made from “polyester.” While this sounds similar to PUL, I’m wondering if it’s because polyester diaper covers can’t claim the lovely eco friendly label and safety standards. Companies keep hedging me, so if you know the answer to this, please tell me!
- Does have wicking issues with oversaturation. Plastic pants are completely waterproof and would do a better job holding in an oversaturated diaper.
Wool
Hands down the most expensive cover options at $50+ a pop, wool has the natural ability to both absorb and repel moisture, depending on the presence of lanolin. If a wool cover becomes damp, all you have to do is let it air dry and reuse until it gets smelly.
However, wool requires special care that those who are not familiar with wool might find intimidating.
But it’s a tradeoff.
After all, you can go 2-4 weeks without washing.
Should you use wool?
- Are you willing to learn something new?
Learning new things requires effort, but can offer great rewards. Using wool covers and figuring out how to lanolize them has a steeper learning curve than any of the others.
But once you figure it out, you’ll have comfortable, waterproof diaper covers that let in lots of air and doesn’t have a plasticky smell.
- How much do you care about going al naturale?
Wool is the only natural fiber diaper cover. Well, except for rubber, but that’s not really a fiber…
All other natural fibers are naturally absorbent. They would have to be laminated in order to be waterproof.
- Is price an issue?
That said, even if you are on a very tight budget, it might be worth it to try to make it work to get a wool cover.
After all, many of the folks who come to me for diapering options need to stick to tight budgets. My products are not cheap since I use organic bamboo fleece instead of cotton and sew them myself instead of relying on mass manufacturers in China.
Still, many people choose to spend money on a higher priced quality item that will fit their needs and last in the long run.
- Do you struggle with diaper rash?
If you struggle, like nothing-is-working-really-really-struggle with diaper rash, wool is hands down the most breathable option of diaper covering.
It might be worth it to invest in a wool cover for nighttime when the skin tends to sit against moisture for longer periods. You just need to make sure the diaper underneath has enough absorbency.
Rubber
But wait! Rubber is a natural material too!
Right?
The answer to this is yes. And no. Ugh, the contradictions are killing me. Of course, we should all know by now that life is a mess of contradictions….
Anyway, yes, natural rubber is created from the latex that comes from the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. Synthetic rubber comes from petroleum.
The term latex itself does not refer to rubber. It simply refers to a polymer suspended in a water based or viscous state.
To make matters even more exciting, FDA guidelines for the use of the term “natural rubber” extends beyond real live rubber from the rubber tree and into synthetic rubber and synthetic latex that use any natural rubber in their creation.
The FDA formulated this rule to protect those who have latex allergies, so you can’t really complain about that.
What does this mean for rubber diaper cover labeling?
Basically, from what I can tell is that most companies offering adult rubber diaper covers simply use the term “rubber” for material description. This most likely means that it is created from a synthetic rubber.
Other companies use the term “100% natural rubber,” or “made from natural rubber,” in which case you can assume that at least part of that diaper cover began its life inside of a tree.
Should you use rubber pants?
Now that we used all those words to define rubber material, what about the actual qualities of rubber diaper covers?
- It really is waterproof.
Like, rivaling plastic pants, waterproof. If you need serious protection either at night or due to bowel incontinence, rubber pants may offer a great solution for you.
- Comfortable
There’s a reason rubber became fetishwear in the early 19th century. It’s comfortable and feels good against the skin.
It doesn’t pinch like plastic pants occasionally do, nor does it make noise like nylon pants can.
- It’s natural (mostly)
If you really want to go with a natural material, but aren’t up for dealing with wool, then a rubber diaper cover might be worth it. Just make sure to choose rubber pants that are labeled 100% natural rubber.
- It’s bad for diaper rash
Like plastic pants, rubber allows absolutely NO air flow. This is good for keeping smells in, but very bad for skin. If you have sensitive skin and are prone to diaper rash, then PUL is a better choice.
Conclusion
The good news is, you have many options to choose from when deciding material type for a diaper cover.
The bad news is, you have many options to choose from when deciding material type for a diaper cover.
Research has found that choice overload is real and can have negative consequences on a person’s satisfaction with their choice.
So, instead of going to google and typing in “adult diaper covers” and drowning a little in the results, knowing which type of diaper cover you’re interested in will make the navigation of choices easier.
After all, it’s much easier to compare one variable between products – aka, fit – then to have to compare multiple variables across multiple products.
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Alecia
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