Elastics are a very important component of cloth diapers. They’re necessary for getting the right fit. So if you’re making cloth diapers for your baby, you’ll want to ensure that you use the right elastic.
What elastic, though, is best for making cloth diapers? There are advantages and disadvantages to all elastics; however, polybraid elastic is often used for sewing cloth diapers due to its unique advantages. Lastin elastics are also often used in diapers.
Let’s learn a little more about the various types of elastics and how they differ. Then, we’ll look at some of the best elastic products you can purchase today for making cloth diapers.
Types of Elastic For Cloth Diapers
Elastics can be categorized into three major types based on how they’re put together. These are: braided, woven, and knitted.
Braided Elastic
Braided elastic features lengthwise, parallel ridges. This kind of elastic has a good amount of grip, thanks to the ridges. However, it also tends to narrow when stretched.
Braided elastic tends to lose its stretch when sewn through. As a result, it’s often used in casings such as neck and wrist casings rather than for sewing directly to fabric. It also rolls more easily than other knitted or woven elastics, and thus, isn’t ideal for waist casings.
Polybraid elastic, which is a type of braided elastic, has a stronger return than knitted elastic, however. It’s often used for diapers because it holds up well to frequent washing and drying. Polybraid is easy to sew and easy to find locally.
Knitted Elastic
Knitted elastic, as the name implies, is made by knitting fibers together. Knitted elastic is softer than the other types of elastic. Thus, it won’t leave marks on your baby’s thighs. It also retains its width when stretched, unlike braided elastics.
Knitted elastics also roll less than braided elastics and don’t lose their stretch when sewn through. Due to their soft nature, however, they’re not suitable for diapers made with thicker fabrics or multiple layers. Knitted elastic also holds up well to frequent washing.
Woven Elastic
Woven elastic is the firmest of the three types. It retains its width when it is stretched, can be sewn through without issues, and is suitable for heavier fabrics.
Other special types of elastic include lace lingerie elastic, button hole elastic, fold over elastic, clear elastic, and swimwear elastic.
The Best Elastic For Cloth Diapers
Whether you’re designing your own or following a pattern, whichever diaper you make is almost certainly going to need elastic. So here are some nice products to consider if you’re looking for a good elastic to make cloth diapers:
| Rank | Product | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | eBoot Elastic Spool | Black, 1.5" x 11yd |
| 2. | Kasmena Braided Elastic Cord | White, 1/4" x 70yd |
| 3. | MYUREN Elastic Spool Bands | White, 3/4" x 10yd |
| 4. | Trim Joyce Elastic Band | White, 1/4" x 5yd |
| 5. | HLJgift Braided Elastic | White, 1/4" x 144yd |
| 6. | DDN Braided Elastic Cord | White, 1/4" x 70yd |
| 7. | I-MART Knit Elastic Spool | White, 1/4" x 70yd |
But we have more information on each so check them out in more detail below!
1. eBoot Elastic Spool
The eBoot elastic band is an excellent, high-quality elastic product that’s made from polyester fiber.
It has very good elasticity and can easily return to its original shape. The elastic is also durable and breathable.
The eBoot elastic band comes in either black or white. It is sold in a variety of sizes ranging from 1-inch x 11 yards to 6-inch x 3 yards. The product is cost-effective and easy to work with.
2. Kasmena White Braided Elastic Cord
This braided elastic product is made from polyester fiber. It has a width of ¼ inches and a length of 70 yards per reel.
The elastic is durable, breathable, and can be applied to a wide variety of crafts and projects.
This elastic product also offers excellent value for money. It also comes with a free tape measure in the box. It’s a nice product to use when making cloth diapers.
3. MYUREN Elastic Spool Bands
This elastic band is made from Polyester and Natural Latex Rubber. It’s strong, flexible, and very stretchy.
The elastic is sold in rolls of 10 yards long elastic. The elastic comes in white and black and is available in a variety of sizes.
The elastic is suitable for different types of projects and crafts. It offers good value for money and has a lot of positive customer reviews.
4. Trim Joyce Elastic Band
The Trim Joyce elastic flat band is a high-quality elastic band that comes in different colors and sizes. The product is made in Korea but shipped from the United States.
You can get this elastic band in black, white, neon pink, and neon yellow. The width size ranges from ¼ inches to 1 inch.
You can choose from different combinations of sizes, colors, and quantity. The product also holds up well to frequent washing and drying.
5. HLJgift Braided Elastic
This elastic product is also ideal for making cloth diapers. It’s a braided elastic band, which means that it holds up nicely to washing and drying. It’s very versatile and shrink resistant.
It comes in three sizes: ¼ inches wide, ½ inches wide, and ⅜ inches wide. Each size is 144 yards long. The product offers decent value for money and is a nice product to consider.
6. DDN White Braided Elastic Cord
Next up, we have a 70 yards long, ¼ inches wide braided elastic cord from DDN-elastic.
Like the other options reviewed above, this elastic product is versatile, durable, and high quality. It’s made from 73% polyester and 27% rubber.
7. I-MART Heavy Stretch Knit Elastic Spool
The I-MART elastic band is another nice option to consider.
It’s an affordable and high-quality elastic product. The I-MART elastic cord is sold in spools containing 70 yards long, ¼ inches wide braided elastic.
It’s ideal for a wide variety of uses such as for sewing waistbands, necklines, or cloth diapers. It’s durable and should withstand frequent washing and drying easily.
Why Sewing Cloth Diapers is a Great Idea
If you’re on the fence about buying diapers for your baby or sewing your own cloth diapers, here are some reasons why the latter is an excellent choice.
For one thing, when you sew your own cloth diapers, you save quite a bit of money. A baby could use upwards of 5,000 disposable diapers before getting potty trained. If you go down the cloth diaper route, however, you could use just 18 to 24 diapers for the first 18 months of your baby’s life and about 12 diapers afterward.
Thus, you’ll save a good amount of money, especially if you sew your own cloth diapers. You can then spend that money on other necessary items or save up for future expenses.
Choosing home made cloth diapers over disposables is also better for the environment and your baby, as well. In addition, sewing cloth diapers gives you an opportunity to express your creativity. You get to choose the ideal fabrics, thread, elastics, and other supplies. It can be quite an enjoyable craft.
Types of Cloth Diapers
There are different types of cloth diapers that you could sew for your baby. Some of these include flats, prefolds, fitted cloth diapers, contour diapers, hybrids, pocket diapers, sleeve diapers, all-in-ones, and all-in-twos.
Flat diapers are very simple and consist of one large square of single-layered fabric which can be folded in multiple ways. These diapers are often very affordable. They must be used with covers.
Prefolds are rectangular pieces of fabric folded into three sections. They must also be used with covers. The middle section of a prefold is usually thicker than the other sections and is the most absorbent layer.
Fitted cloth diapers are just like disposables in that they’re made to fit your baby. These diapers usually have elastics around the legs. They’re very absorbent but aren’t waterproof, and thus, require the use of covers.
Pocket diapers feature a pocket that must be stuffed with absorbent material. These diapers are lined with stay-dry materials such as fleece or suedecloth. The inserts commonly used are cotton, microfiber, bamboo, or hemp. Pocket diapers don’t require covers and are very baby-sitter friendly.
Sleeve diapers, just like pocket diapers, feature pockets but with openings on both ends. Thus, you don’t have to unstuff the diapers when they’re soiled. You can simply toss them into a washing machine and the insert will find its way out.
What Fabric Should You Use to Make Cloth Diapers?
A wide variety of materials can be used and even combined to make cloth diapers. For the absorbency layer of the diapers, materials such as bamboo, cotton, hemp, modal, and polyester are often used.
Fleece is commonly used as a stay-dry layer on the interior of a diaper. Thicker fleece material can also be used to create breathable covers. Fleece is very water-resistant yet porous and breathable. Suedecloth, microfleece, and athletic fabrics are also used as stay-dry fabrics.
Wool is another incredibly water-resistant, breathable material that is used to make diaper covers. It’s a nice option for children who are prone to rashes.
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