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Cloth Diaper Lingo
By Jennifer Brock
Finding it a little overwhelming coming into the cloth diapering community?
Sometimes it can feel like people are speaking a different language.
To make it easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of the words/phrases/and abbreviations that you’ll see floating around.
AIO
An abbreviation for all-in-one diapers.
All In One
A cloth diaper is one piece. The cover and insert are all sewn together.
AI2
AI2 stands for All-in-Twos. All in twos are a cover that allows you to snap in your insert. Making it an AIO, but also can be used as a plain cover as well.
Aplix
Aplix is another word for Velcro. The form of diaper closure. Also called hook and loop.
BLW
Baby lead-weaning. A form of introducing solids to a mature baby. This process typically surpasses purees, and goes straight to soft, finger foods.
B/S/T
Buy / Sell / Trade
Boingo
A clip that closes prefolds. They are shorter than snappis, and you need two,instead of one usually. But you don’t have to worry about sizes.
CBI
Charcoal Bamboo Insert
CD
A cloth diaper
Cloth Wipes
Using cloth diapers? You might as well use cloth wipes.Usually an 8×8 square of fabric (terry, flannel, or fleece are common) used to wipe your baby’s bum clean.
Cloth Wipe Solution
You can either make your own, or purchase some. Plainwater works fine. Or you can use water, baby wash, baby oil, and make your own!
CO
Coconut Oil
Used for preventing diaper rash. Is cloth safe.
DH
Dear Husband
Diaper
The American word for nappy.
‘sposies
Disposable Diapers
Diaper Cover
Cover is the outer shell needed to make a cloth diaper water resistant.
Diaper Sprayer
An attachment for your toilet to spray off solid waste.
DG
Double Gussets. A second set of elastic slightly inside the leg elastic.
Doubler
A doubler is another liner that can be added to the diaper and that can “double” the absorbency of the diaper.
EBF
Exclusively breastfed when referring to poop. EBF poop is water-soluble and doesn’t need to be rinsed before placing in the washing machine since it will rinse clean.
EO
Essential Oil (due to the lack of research surrounding essential oils and children under the age of two, we do not recommend them and ask that you do in depth research on your own before using them.)
Fitted Diaper
A diaper made out of layers of fabric. Much like an insert, but looks like a diaper. A fitted diaper requires a cover. The absorbency of fitted cloth diapers varies based on the materials used in the construction of the diaper.
Flat
The old school type of cloth diaper. A giant square of fabric. Typically cotton. You fold them up and fold them around your baby or you can pad fold them and stuff them!
Fleece
Fleece is a common fabric used inside cloth diapers.Also used as covers or liners.
Fluff and all things Fluffy
Referring to cloth diapers.
FST
Flour Sack Towel. A cheap, 1ply cotton flat. You can purchase them at any walmart/target in the kitchen towel aisle.
FSO
For sale only.
FSOT
For sale or trade.
HE
High Efficiency (HE washing machines require HE compatible detergent)
Hybrid
Diapers in which the inner lining can be thrown away or reusable and the outer shell is washed between uses.
ISO/ I(d)SO
In search of / In (dire) search of.
Insert
An insert is a rectangular-shaped cloth that is inserted into the pocket opening of a pocket-style cloth diaper, or may be laid in a cover. The most common types of inserts are MF, bamboo, blends, CBI, Hemp, and cotton.
Liner
A liner is a cloth or disposable insert that is placed on top of the cover for easy clean up of solid waste. Also used for diaper protection when a non-safe cream is being used.
LO
Little one (baby)
MF
Microfiber (typically referring to an insert)
MIL
Mother in Law (a person who may have strong opinions about you cloth diapering)
Minky
A synthetic material that is often used on the outer or inner shell. Minky is stain resistant and very soft.
Nappy
Nappy is the European word for diaper.
Non-HE
Non-High Efficiency (a traditional top-loading washing machine, or detergent)
NWT
New with tags
NWOT
New without tags
NIP
New in Package
NOOP
New out of package
OS
A one size cloth diaper
OT
Off-topic
Pail Liner or Diaper Pail
Diaper pail and pail liners are used to hold dirty diapers. Pail liners are made from PUL and water resistant. You use them and wash them with every load.
Prefold
A flat that has been PREFOLDED and sewn together. It just cuts a few steps off for you.
Pocket Diaper
The most common cloth diaper. A pocket diaper is a cover and a fleece/or suede lining that has an opening to stuff in an insert of your choice. Pockets allow you to chose the absorbency.
PUL
PUL stands for polyurethane laminate – it’s a water-resistant material used to make outer shells of many popular brands of diapers and diaper covers. PUL was invented first for hospitals and mechanics. PUL is colorfast, so it won’t bleed, made to withstand high temperatures, and frequent washes and harsh chemicals. PUL is not a delicate fabric.
PPD
Postage paid
Snappi
Another clip that closes prefolds. It grabs on both side and in the middle to hold the prefold close and tight to the your babe.
Soaker
Also called an insert.
Stash
Referring to ones collection of diapers.
Stripping
IS NOT A NORMAL THING. Stripping is a treatment of your diapers to remove build-up. Be it petroleum-based creams, hard water, or an incorrect wash routine. With a proper wash routine and care you should NEVER have to strip your diapers. So keep that in mind if it becomes necessary.
RLR
RLR is a laundry treatment. Used to remove minerals from hard water build up.
WAHM
“Work At Home Mom”. Usually referring to WAHM’s that make diapers and diaper accessories.
Wet Bag
A portable bag made from PUL to store dirty diapers and wet clothing.
Wicking
Wicking keeps your baby’s bum dry. The process of wicking transfers the moisture from urine and sweat through one fabric and into another. The top of the fabric will be dry, while the bottom of it will be wet.
WSS
What she said
If you have heard an abbreviation or term about cloth diapers and it wasn’t up here, please comment below and let us know!
Join the discussion at https://www.facebook.com/groups/FluffLoveCDScience/
Comments 67
Hello!
Your side was recommended to me and I’m exploring to learn more about CD! My son is 6 months old and exclusively CD. In my research, I’ve come across the term “workhorse” diapers but always seem to have a hard time finding an actual definition of this. If you are able, maybe that could be added to your terms? I would love to have a good understanding of what they actually are.
Author
Workhorse refers to a specific diaper – the Cloth-eezWorkhorse Fitted diaper. It is a great fitted choice and one of the most popular – so popular, in fact, that many people use workhorse to refer to any fitted diaper 🙂 Here’s a link to Green Mountain Diapers, who sells the popular workhorses: http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/workhorse.html
It would be great to include pictures as well
What is repelling and how can i tell if my diaper is repelling or just leaking?
Repelling will be that the insert is still dry and not absorbing the liquid. If the insert is wet then it probably is leaking.
This is amazing!! Thank you so much! I get so lost in the lingo sometimes 🙂
What does it mean for a diaper to be pilly?
pilly is when the diapers or bands are used and get little balls of fibers on them, like a sweater that gets pilly where it rubs or gets worn. I hope that makes sense.
Flats and FSTs look intersting to me. Do I put a cover over them? It seems they would be a leaking nightmare. Where can I look more into that?
Ha, yes, FSTs and flats would definitely be a nightmare without a cover. In short, yes, always use a cover with FSTs and flats.
What are flips?
“Flips” are a particular brand of diaper cover made by Bumgenius. They also have their own inserts if you choose to use them, or you could use another type of absorbable insert if you like. They have generous flaps at the inside front and back that hold in the insert (say, a prefold maybe). There are also systems like BestBottoms that has an outer waterproof cover but instead of flaps that hold in an insert, they have a snap where there own inserts can be snapped in to hold them in place.
“Flips” are a particular brand of diaper cover made by Bumgenius. They also have their own inserts if you choose to use them, or you could use another type of absorbable insert if you like. They have generous flaps at the inside front and back that hold in the insert (say, a prefold maybe). There are also systems like BestBottoms that has an outer waterproof cover but instead of flaps that hold in an insert, they have a snap where their own inserts can be snapped in to hold them in place.
What does EUC mean? I didn’t see it on here.
EUC -excellent used condition
GUC -good used condition
TPU. I seen it next to PUL. Thinking it’s a type of liner too.
PUL – polyurethane Laminate.
TPU – thermoplastic polyurethane.
Both are water *somewhat* proof material that is used in covers and pockets in order to make diapers somewhat water proof. They are also somewhat heat proof , can be dried, and are colorfast (can be bleached with appropriate dilution.
What is OTB?
On The Bum 🙂
On the bum or on the baby
What does Co-op mean?
What does bulking out mean? Something to do with the size of your wash load?
I think bulking out is when your insert or one size or prefold comes out of the cover. Sometimes when i was using prefolds the cover would move and when it got wet it would wet the clothes my son was wearing.
What does AMP stand for and mean? Thank you
Amp stands for a brand name of cloth diapers. Annie Marie Padorie.
What is “turned” and “serged”?
What about DD? See it on the fb page all the time
DD is usually Darling (or dear) Daughter, DS would be for son.
What does no stink mean?
Clean diapers should not have a smell out of the washer/dryer or after the baby soils diaper (outside of the baby’s waste of course!).
This is amazing. Thank you so much. I get so lost in the lingo sometimes. But from here i want to know what about DD?
Disposable Diapers
I most often see DD meaning dear daughter
DD = dear daughter
DS = dear son
DH = dear husband
Dear daughter 🙂
Ashley I’m pretty sure bulking is when you add things (small hand towels, etc) to the cloth diaper wash cycle to make it bigger. Many times if you don’t have enough items in the washing machine, the clothing will not was correctly. Think of it like a blender, if you have a BIG blender and try to blend a small amount, all the stuff goes to the sides and the blades spin with nothing on it. Hope that makes sense.
Hey u
What does FLU mean?
Fluff love university
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What is booster? Where should I place it for flip diaper?
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