Happy Family. Healthy Planet.®

Happy Family. Healthy Planet.®
Denver's Green Store for Cloth Diapers and More!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

All In Three!

Last week we covered All-In-Twos, which are basically just a cover and a cloth insert that you can swap out for a clean cloth insert. All-In-Threes (or AI3s, a.k.a. "hybrid" diapers) are still a cover-system, except you can use a cloth insert or a disposable insert making travel, errands, baby sitting, etc. a little bit easier. Who doesn't like easier?!

Let's start with the very popular gDiaper!

Their adorable covers are called "Little gPants" and come in small, medium, and large sizes. They are soft cotton on the outside and have a snap-in waterproof shell that snugs up around the absorbent insert.
gDiapers recommends having at least six gPants so you always have a clean one ready to go. You can also buy extra shells to expand your stash. As long as the gPants aren't dirty, you can just snap in a new shell and you're good to go!


The cute little g goes in the back. gDiapers only come in velcro, which closes in the back to keep curious toddlers from undoing their diapers! They come in a wide array of beautiful colors, too.
As an AI3, they have a cloth insert and a disposable insert. The best thing about their disposable inserts are that they are actually biodegradable! Both cloth and biodegradable insert come in two sizes and both are very slim and not bulky at all. The cloth inserts are hemp (which is more absorbent than cotton) topped with fleece. The fleece wicks the moisture away from baby's bottom, preventing rashes and keeping baby feeling dry.

The biodegradable inserts are great for travel, babysitters, or when you'll be out of the house for a long time. They are so compact that you can stash a couple in your diaper bag for emergencies and you won't even know they are there until you really need 'em! They really do absorb quite a bit and they really do biodegrade! The biodegradable inserts are flushable, and compostable. If your baby ever gets a diaper rash and you have to use a cream that's not compatible with your cloth diapers, gDiaper's biodegradable inserts can be a lifesaver. And here's a little secret, just between us: they're compatible with Thirsties and Bummis covers, too! Many new parents ease into cloth diapering with these fabulous biodegradable inserts. They put skeptics to rest with their easy to use system.
At $18 per cover, it would be $108 for each new size of Little gPants or $324 for all the Little gPants you'd need. If you did all cloth inserts, you'd need at least 24. They come in packs of six and both the small size and the large size are $30 per pack. So that would be another $120 per size, bringing the total cost from birth to potty to $564. Their biodegradable inserts cost $0.36 for the smalls and $0.45 for the large, so while they're not ideal for every day use, they are a great option to keep in mind for certain situations!


Next up is Flip! Flip is made by the same company that owns Bum Genius. Flip uses a one-size waterproof cover, so you don't have to buy different sizes. They also have microfiber inserts, organic cotton inserts and disposable inserts.


Flip diapers securely snap shut and adjust in size by adjusting the snaps on the front of the diaper. This orange diaper is set to the smallest setting and should begin fitting by eight pounds all the way up to 35+ pounds.
Their microfiber insert is easy to fold to make it fit in a cover set to the small or medium settings. They even say "small," "medium," and "large" on them!

Their microfiber inserts cost $5 each or $12 for a pack of three. Their disposable (unfortunately not biodegradable) inserts are $0.28 each. Each individual Flip cover comes with one microfiber insert. If you wanted to use this system, we would recommend at least five covers (for $85) and 24 inserts which means you would still need to pick up 7 insert three-packs for an additional $84. This brings the total to only $169! If you're curious about Flip but not ready to take the plunge, you can also try their day pack: two covers and six inserts for only $50! In the day pack, you basically get the inserts for half-off their individually sold price. This is a fantastic deal for this super easy to use system!



Lastly, we have GroVia. GroVia diapers also have a one-size cover that adjusts for size by snapping down the front of the diaper. They should fit most babies from 10 to 35 pounds.
GroVia uses the most amazing velcro, or "hook and loop" closures. They aren't scratchy and are so strong it's hard to believe! Another nice feature is that the entire front of the cover is the "loop" part of the hook and loop fabric so you don't have to match up where the tabs go. They can just go wherever they fit best, even if they overlap. GroVias also come in snap closures.
To protect your amazing GroVia velcro, make sure you always tuck the tabs under this nifty little strap before you toss them in the laundry. That way, they won't come undone and stick to everything else! Also, note that GroVia's warranty is voided if you wash them with a detergent containing enzymes. That includes most detergents that you'd find in the grocery store, like Tide. But, don't worry, we have plenty of enzyme-free detergents from which to to choose!


Pictured above and below is GroVia's organic cotton soaker pad. They snap into place and are waterproof on the back so your covers last longer in between washes. The soaker pads are contoured and gusseted so they fit around your baby and catch everything.
It would not be possible for GroVia's to come in cuter prints, too!
If you're curious about GroVia, they also have a trial pack that contains two covers and 40 disposable (not biodegradable) inserts for $55.
GroVia covers are $18 each and their organic cotton inserts come in two-packs for $17. For five covers and twenty-four inserts, it would only be $294. Their disposable inserts cost $0.40 each and are contoured just like the cloth versions.


So there you have it! All-In-Threes, or "Hybrid" diapers are super convenient, inexpensive and so easy to use. Stay tuned because next week we're going to cover one-size pocket diapers!


Which All-In-3 is your Favorite?
gDiapers!
Flip!
GroVia!
  
pollcode.com free polls

2 comments:

  1. Great post!
    We LOVE GroVia and Flip, too. Do you think we could use the biodegradable gDiaper disposable inserts with Flip cover?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, absolutely! I've used the biodegradable gDiaper inserts in a variety of covers, they work perfectly!

    ReplyDelete