1) How many diapers and covers do I need?

For full-time cloth diapering, you will need approximately 15-20 diapers and 4-6 diaper covers on hand. Your diaper stash could be made up of a variety of diapers, including fitted diapers, prefolds, and snap-in diapers.

2) Do I need to prewash diapers and covers?

We prewash all of our fabrics (including our wool, which we felt), so our diapers are ready for wear when you receive them. Organic diapers may increase in absorbency with subsequent washes. Our wool covers will need to be lanolized before first use, and we include instructions and a packet of lanolin with our wool covers and wool LIO's for lanolizing. For further instructions on caring for diapers and covers, please see our care instructions page.

3) Why are there so many snaps?

We put lots of snaps on our diapers and covers so that our products offer a wide size range and lots of adjustability for your little one. Here is a diagram showing how to snap our diapers and covers:

4) What are the differences between the three types of wool covers (jersey, crepe, and interlock)?

Our wool jersey covers are our most trim cover. These make an excellent daytime cover and can be used at nighttime for lighter wetters. Our wool crepe is a medium weight cover and works well for day or nighttime. Wool crepe is a more textured knit than wool jersey and also has less stretch. Our wool interlock is our heaviest weight wool cover, and works great for nightime or anytime for heavier wetters. Our organic wool jersey (O~Wool) is a little heavier than our regular wool jersey- more of a medium weight wool. It is certified organic by the Vermont Organic Fiber Company.

5) Can LIO's be used with other types of diapers?

Yes, our LIO outers are essentially the same as our diaper covers. We make them from the same pattern, but add the snaps inside so that our LIO diapers can be snapped in. You can use the LIO outer with the LIO snap-ins, as well as fitted diapers and prefolds.

6) What is the most absorbent combination for diapering?

For the heaviest wetters, we recommend an organic velour fitted diaper with a diaper doubler and a wool interlock cover. This combination will also offer the best option for babies who nurse frequently at night.

7) Which is the most trim diapering option?

The most trim combination would be our organic cotton fitted diaper with a lightweight wool jersey or wool pull-up cover.

8) Why does my wool cover seem to be getting damp more quickly?

It is likely time to relanolize when this happens. Follow our instructions for lanolizing to restore water resistance to your wool covers. If you have already lanolized and your wool cover still seems to be getting damp quickly, it may be time to add more absorbency. As your child grows, their urinating pattern may change a little and you may find that they hold their urine longer and then wet in larger amounts all at once. Adding a doubler will offer additional absorbency.

9) Help! I shrunk my cover!

We recommend hand washing for wool covers, but occasionally a wool cover gets thrown in the washer with the diaper load by mistake. To undo the shrinking, you will need a bottle of hair conditioner. Fill a basin with lukewarm water and mix in at least 1 cup of conditioner. Soak your cover for a little while, and then gently stretch it back to size. Add more conditioner if necessary. Once you have gotten your cover back into shape, wash your cover in wool wash or other gentle detergent, making sure to get out all of the leftover conditioner. Lanolize your cover and you should be all set to go!

10) How do you treat stains on wool?

The most effective strategy is to wash the cover immediately. Soak it in cool water with some wool wash or gentle detergent to lift the stain. You may need to put a little wool wash directly on the stain and rub gently to remove it. We don't recommend putting wool covers in the sun to bleach out stains, because the wool color will also fade. However, if you have an undyed wool cover, you could try this.

11) My child has a rash- what's the most breathable diapering system?

The most natural and breathable diapering option for babies with sensitive skin is an organic cotton diaper plus a wool diaper cover. Since both are made from fabric made up of only natural fibers, this combination will offer the most breathable system. However, if your baby is getting a recurring rash, your laundry detergent may be the culprit. Some types of detergent cause a build-up in the diapers, and this can irritate baby's skin. We don't recommend laundry detergents that have any dyes or fragrance. Try switching to a fragrance-free, dye-free laundry detergent. To remove any build-up in your diapers, wash on hot with vinegar and then wash through a second time with detergent. To prevent detergent build-up from developing, we recommend using a cup of vinegar in the first (cold) diaper wash at least every other time you wash a diaper load.

12)What is the difference between a budget diaper and a quick-dry fitted diaper?

We make our budget diapers with sewn-in internal soakers, whereas our quick-dry fitted diapers have a separate soaker that snaps in. Some customers prefer our budget diapers because of the lower cost and more "compact" design. On the other hand, our quick-dry fitteds will dry more quickly when washed.

13) What is sherpa made of?

Our cotton sherpa is 91% cotton and has 9% polyester in the backing of the fabric to give it stability. Sherpa is a soft, fluffy, stretchy fabric which needs that bit of poly in the backing to keep it from stretching out of shape.

14)What is organic fleece?

Organic fleece actually stands for organic cotton french terry fleece. Our organic fleece is made from 100% certified organic cotton. Many people think of fleece as being a recycled polyester fabric that jackets are made from. But the name actually refers to how the fabric is knit and finished. The french terry fabric is "fleeced"- meaning brushed on one side to make it soft. Think of a comfy sweatshirt and you'll have an idea of what organic fleece feels like. The smooth side of the fabric is like the outside of a sweatshirt. The inside of the fabric feels like that soft fleecy inside of a sweatshirt. However, we sew our diapers with the smooth side of the fabric facing out, so that fleecy fabric side is actually hidden.