Talk to me about your prefolds

[Adsullata]

I've developed a love/hate relationship with my prefolds. I use mostly Indian cotton unbleached prefolds and love the absorbency. Nothing else I've used beats them in that respect. But they've never really softened up the way my mom's prefolds did that she used on us. I thought, maybe just the unbleached? Maybe wrong wash routine? Maybe dryer overheating? Of course, first I thought it had to be something I was doing wrong.

So, a few weeks ago, I'm at a local baby shop that sells some cloth. They have some unbleached prefolds and they have a sample of one that's already been washed. I reach down and touch it and OMG it's sooo soft and pliable. Mine have never, never, ever felt like that. Never. Ever. Of course, I didn't remember to ask them about their pf's and haven't made it back there yet... but anyhoo

Now I'm thinking, I gotta find out what's out there. I may sell off some of mine and buy some others. Is there a prefold that has the absorbency I love but also is soft enough you wouldn't mind cuddling it? Ok not that I want to cuddle the diapers, but you know?

Tell me prefold-ers, what do you use and how do you like them? Indian cotton vs. Chinese? Unbleached vs. bleached? Organic? What makes a difference?

[Chamomile Girl]

A lot of prefold texture has to do with the water you have. At my house they stay rough, but we visited my MIL for a week recently (and yes, schleped all the diapers) and they got beautifuly soft just in the few washes there. (She does not use fabric softener so it was not that.)

Anyway, that is my experience.

Folks will probably tell you that bamboo is softer, but that is because it is rayon. Blehh IMO.

[Adsullata]

Yeah, but mine have been the same no matter where they're washed (I hear ya on the schleppin', BTDT). And we don't have really hard water here or anything.

Do you have Indian or Chinese cotton?

I'm also wondering where folks bought their prefolds. You know, like make and model. I always hear a lot about Green Mountain- are they softer??

[Galatea]

Most diaper stores carry the All Together Diapers/OsoCozy prefolds. The unbleached indian are the softest in my opinion.

Do you use dryer balls?

[sunshynbaby]

I use Chinese and Indian unbleached prefolds. They are pretty soft. I use vinegar in the rinse cycle (with a Downy ball so I don't have to wait around for the rinse cycle) and the plastic dryer balls in the dryer.

[lifeguard]

My prefolds I made myself & are flannel. They are pretty soft imo.

[Adsullata]

I use dryer balls, the plastic ones, but am thinking maybe I should try wool/felted dryer balls. From time to time I use vinegar in the rinse (after removing my pul stuff), but it's never made any noticeable difference.

Thanks Galatea, I'm going to check out those prefolds. I tell ya, the prefolds I felt in that store were so soft, they were as they say, like buttah. Seriously, they were so buttery soft. I'm wondering if it's more of a thread count thing, you know, like sheets? Because the weave of the cotton in my prefolds is farther apart, more gauzy if that makes sense? They're thick and super absorbent, but the surface of the fabric is just not real smooth.

I love the idea of making my own out of flannel or something, but that's not realistic for me now as we're too busy restoring/remodeling our old house and my art/craft room is presently, and for the foreseeable future, nonexistent.

Any other thoughts or ideas greatly appreciated.

[luv-my-boys]

I think the quality of the cotton can make a difference as well. A longer stapled cotton thread (usually more expensive) tends to be smoother and softer than say a cotton thread/weave that is made up of shorter ones. Therefore the "weave" of the cloth is different. Kinda like sheets. I used unbleached chinese prefolds and they were immediately soft after 1 washing many many many moons ago and continue to be soft. I was pretty much "diaper dumb" with our first and washed them horribly but the cloth took the beating.

[Adsullata]

luv-my-boys, that's what I was wondering- the like sheets thing. I think that's the difference with mine. How did yours do in absorbency? I think I'm just going to order a few prefolds here and there from different retailers and do a little compare and contrast experiment...

I'm curious, what do you mean by "washed them horribly"?

[Erinjvrn]

I dont love my pfs for the same reason. I have both unbleached indian and bleached chinese. I do have about 6 obv (organic bamboo velour) pfs that I adore and are super absorbant and super soft. They run about 10 bucks each though as opposed to 2 bucks for a reg pf lol.

I have heard that GMD (Green mountain diapers) pfs kick butt. I bought a dz for the new baby, but I also have 8 Peanut Butter & Ellie itty bitties, which are NB obv pfs.

[cristeen]

I have several GMD bleached preemie pfs, some UTN pfs, Bummis organic pfs, a WillowSprouts Hemp PF, and a random bamboo pf. They are all nice and soft. I was also just gifted almost 2 doz random bleached pfs - I don't know any of the details, but they're about 10 years old, and are unwashed. After a single wash, they're pretty soft already, and we have uber-hard water.