Tell me what you don't like about synthetic materials

[Spectrolite]

In diapers.


I don't buy synthetics for myself or for my kids. I just don't like the way they feel, and in my world, natural is always better.

So then when i just decided to splurge on the Bum Genius 3.0 buy 6 get one free deal, I stopped to think, 'Why am I buying synthetic now?"

So...what's the problem with synthetic against baby's bottom? Is there any proof that the synthetic "Stuff" (lol, i don't even know what it is...) can cause problems by seeping in through the skin or something?????

Or is it all just a matter of taste, and that's it?

Hm hm hm, what do you think?

[Juliacat]

I don't like the way they feel and I think natural is better, like you. Plus, they're more difficult to clean--I used to get stink from anything that had polyester content, but the cotton smelled fine. However, as far as skin reactions, I think it varies from baby to baby. My baby's skin did equally well in naturals and synthetics.

[Rose-Roget]

I'm probably not a person who should be responding since I am still waiting for lo to arrive to cd. Since ds was born 5 years ago, though, my views have changed. Like Juliacat, I like the way natural feels. I have to say, though, I used sposies for 3 years with ds, which obviously are anything but "natural" and he never had any reactions or diaper rash. I also know people who do have reactions to wool, which is natural. So I wouldn't say that synthetics vs. natural are necessarily responsible for skin reactions. It's just a matter of preference and may vary from baby to baby.

[SkyMomma]

Hi! We use a mix of different CD. We use BG3.0 one size pockets, BG AIO organic cotton, cotton prefolds w/covers & hemp doublers. I like the different diapers for different reasons...here they are:

BG 3.0 ~ use mostly @ night or long car rides. PROS: Love the wicking properties of the inner liner. For times when we can't (or don't) frequently change, I've found the synthetics wick better & hold better (are less likely to leak). These also dry super-fast! CONS: the smell can be a problem, you have to really stay on top of washing them - they can't sit around in the diaper pail. You have to be really careful about creams, detergent, etc. & They're synthetic - if they ever end up in a landfill, they'll be adding to our environmental problems.

BG AIO organic cotton ~ PROS: My general preference is for natural fibers, we use these diapers when we're out & about. They are really small (like the size of 'sposies), so they don't bulk up my diaper bag, & they are super easy to change (squirmy, standing up, etc.) CONS: Really really pricey! We got a good deal on these, as they are discontinuing the velcro version, but still. (FYI, the velcro isn't great, can see why they are discontinuing). Take a while to line dry. Because it's an AIO, must still launder a bit carefully.

Cotton prefold w. covers ~ what we use most of the time...PROS: can stand up to pretty much anything, are easy to strip, cheap. Feel soft, smell great after being washed (no matter how long they've been sitting around), gentle on sensitive skin. Have the option of using w/o cover for airflow/preventing rashes, etc. Are muti-purpose - when they've outlived their lives as diapers, changing cloths, burp cloths, they become luna pads, doublers, rags, etc. When they finally do hit the landfill, they will actually decompose. CONS: not at all wicking, more likely to leak, can be difficult to put on (compared to AIO or disposables), longer drying time than synthetic.

I haven't noticed a difference in terms of skin reactions to synthetic v cotton. I prefer the way cotton feels (i project that preference onto my DS, lol), but I also prefer natural fibers in terms of our overall environmental picture.

Whew! That was alot more than I expected to write...hope it's helpful.

[Spectrolite]

thanks for your responses!

nakking...

what is the problem with the velcro closures? i have one BG 3.0 and is is great!! no problems with closing. does the AIO have a diff kind?

and so for the most part the natural vs synthetic fibers seem to be just a matter of taste?

[octobermom]

After our experience wit hour DD we are 100% all about natural fabrics against the skin. My daughter reacted horribly to fleece and suade cloth open bleeding sores I also hated how they held in detergents making strippign a necessary and long process and hated how they retained odors.
I love the concept of like diapers and stay dry fabrics but found in practice natural cotton to jsut be superior.

Deanna

[octobermom]

Originally Posted by Rose-Roget

I'm probably not a person who should be responding since I am still waiting for lo to arrive to cd. Since ds was born 5 years ago, though, my views have changed. Like Juliacat, I like the way natural feels. I have to say, though, I used sposies for 3 years with ds, which obviously are anything but "natural" and he never had any reactions or diaper rash. I also know people who do have reactions to wool, which is natural. So I wouldn't say that synthetics vs. natural are necessarily responsible for skin reactions. It's just a matter of preference and may vary from baby to baby.

This is true as well. We can't fo wool because my DD is allergic to lanolin so it was out for her and will be out for the next baby since it would mean our DD not being able to hold her sibling while wearing treated wool. After our bad experience with synthetics I still had to find a "stay dry" nighttime system and we actually discovered for that time sposies worked best and we used huggies hardly natural.

Deanna

[ChetMC]

Our kids haven't reacted to synthetics, and we haven't had problems with stink and build up. However, I find that they don't wear as well. All of my cotton and hemp have tended to get softer and softer. The synthetics haven't stayed as soft and nice as they were when they were new, and stuff gets stuck in my microfiber.

We typically use a stuffable with suede cloth or fleece lining at night or if there's going to be a long car ride or something. During the day, I use cotton or hemp.

[SkyMomma]

Originally Posted by Spectrolite

what is the problem with the velcro closures? i have one BG 3.0 and is is great!! no problems with closing. does the AIO have a diff kind?

I've really only had problems with the BG organic cotton one-size AIO (not the synthetic AIO or the 3.0 pockets)...the laundry tab doesn't hold, so I end up with velcro chains in the dryer. Also, the velcro started to curl the first time I washed it. My BG3.0 pocket dipes, I just airdry the covers, so the velcro's done well. But the cotton AIOs take forever to dry unless I run them once through the dryer. I'v also had problems with the front of the diaper rolling in, leaving the hard edge of the velcro strip to rub against DS's soft belly - this could be a fit problem just for my long baby, don't know (again, only in the cotton). In general, tho, i've been really happy with my BGs.

[Llyra]

I have found in my experience that in the long haul of cloth diapering, it's a lot harder to keep synthetic diapers clean. What I've seen is that when somebody gets on here looking for advice about stink or stains or rashes, it's almost always pocket diapers or AIOs that they're using. I've seen this with table napkins, even-- the synthetic ones hold on to odors and stains and require a much fussier laundry routine to keep them fresh and clean. I tried a lot of pockets and AIOs over my five years of diapering three kiddos, and I have consistently always returned to cotton and wool.