The Cloth Diaper that may be my NEW #1

Can I have a two-way tie? I feel like it would be a sin to demote my beloved Bum Genius Organic AIO.

I just said something dealing with cloth diapers would be a sin…this coming from someone who just accepted that cloth diapers are just cloth diapers.  (Pink diaper incident)

Back to my new love.

Many, many months ago when I first joined Facebook while searching for cloth diaper groups, I came across Grasshopper diapers. On “paper” they looked fantastic. I remember stepping out of my comfort zone and asking the owner if she’d like me to review her diaper. No response. No big deal.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I received an email from Lisa, owner of Grasshopper diapers and you can imagine my excitement. Turns out Lisa’s not a FB junkie and never knew of a message from me. But, I am very glad she heard about me.

Lisa graciously sent me 3 Grasshopper All In Ones to put to the test. The first evaluation of a cloth diaper begins from the moment you open the package.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: clean lines, straight seams, even snap placement, high quality fabric, tight package- you’ve got me.  I may not be that great of a seamstress but I have a high standard when it comes to product quality.

Grasshopper diapers met all of those criteria upon initial inspection.  I was so impressed that I called in my husband to check them out…he might have been a little impressed

Grasshopper diaper features include:

Soft, unbleached, naturally absorbent Oeko-Tex certified bamboo/ organic cotton inner layer and snap-in soaker. Oeko-Tex certified fabric has been thoroughly tested and found to be free from all known harmful substances; it is suitable for use in products intended for babies and young children. Fabrics made with bamboo are softer, more absorbent, less bulky and quicker to dry than 100% cotton fabrics. Bamboo grows quickly without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides and withstands both droughts and floods.

Snaps are “hidden” so that only soft fabric touches baby, never snaps. Elastics are gentle and move with baby. Separate rows of snaps ensure a comfortable, custom fit at both waist and thigh.

Snap-in tri-fold soaker design provides plenty of absorbency yet unfolds in the wash to ensure thorough cleaning and quick drying in the dryer or on the line.

Whether you’re away from home with nowhere to stash a soiled diaper or just looking for the most compact way to pack a diaper in your tote, our roll-up snap makes it easy to roll and go!

If a diaper doesn’t have hidden snaps I’m not likely to use it. And THANK YOU, Lisa, for adding a roll-up snap! This is something I’ve always wanted on a diaper.  I tend to roll up my cloth diapers and lay them by the door, in the car or by the washer.  I’m always changing a diaper on the fly and don’t take the time to toss it in the pail right away, having it securely rolled up is a nice perk.

As far as the absorbency and trimness (which is what we really care about!): I put one on Sterling today before we went to the park at about 12pm and didn’t change him until about 4pm. It was definitely wet but there was no wicking or leaking.  I did have a bamboo doubler in the diaper. Grasshopper diapers are trimmer than the Bum Genius organic aios because of their lack of front snaps (both waist and rise).

$22.95 is a bit high for a sized cloth diaper.  However, if your budget allows I would not hesitate to get a handful of these for your stash.

Lisa, is making it easier for you to get one of these amazing diapers by offering 20% off each item you purchase.  Until February 14th, Grasshopper Bamboo AIOs are only $19.16! (this is the price of a medium)

How is the sizing of Grasshopper diapers?  Sterling is 20lbs and really long and skinny.  I got him a Medium and he wears it on the tightest waist snap and 2nd tightest thigh snap.  He’ll probably wear this size through potty training.

I live in south Texas and shipping was surprisingly quick!

When reviewing cloth diapers it is a priviledge to get to know the WAHMs personally.  I asked Lisa a few questions so that you too could know her.

Children?

We were blessed with one daughter who is now 4 years old.  Getting pregnant with her was easy, and her natural delivery was quite smooth.  I assumed that we’d easily have another child, but that hasn’t been the case.  Over time we’ve realized just how lucky we are to have her and have come to accept that she may be our only child.

How many cloth diapers do you have in your stash?

Well, I still have all of my daughter’s diapers (you never know!) – they probably number around 100+, but it’s easy to end up with a lot when you’re sewing prototypes and testing them at home.

What is your wash routine?
We washed diapers alternate days and stored them with used cloth wipes in a dry pail.  We were diaper sprayer devotees.  We had rash problems with some detergents and ended up finally settling on Nellie’s All-Natural Laundry Soda: about 1/3 tbsp in a cold rinse cycle, 1/2 tbsp in a long, hot wash cycle followed by 2 cold rinses.  We have always had a HE washer.  I loved to hang diapers outside on the line to dry (this influenced my tri-fold soaker design and played a part in my love of bamboo fabrics since they’re softer off the line).  When the weather was too cold or damp for drying outside, the diapers went into the dryer.  I liked to start the diaper wash after our daughter’s bedtime and have them in the dryer before I went to bed (or on the line – I have no trouble hanging laundry in the dark!).  It’s nice to wake up to a clean pile of diapers.  There were other detergents that I wanted to try as well, but they just weren’t easy to find in Canada (things like Country Save, All Free & Clear, Allens and that mysterious “blue Dawn” for stripping)

Are you satisfied with your current diaper design or are there changes in the future?

I am very satisfied with my current diaper design and have no plans to change it.  I do plan, however, to add different types of diapers to my line.

Where can we purchase Grasshopper diapers?

Online at http://www.grasshopperdiapers.com/ or, if you happen to live in the Toronto area, at The Cuddly Bunny in Port Perry, Ontario (it’s a lovely town to visit for lunch and shopping, and there’s a nice new playground and splash pad in the park by the lake).

What is your favorite “mommy escape”? When you go to bed at night what do you look forward to most? Coffee lover?

I love coffee and magazines (lifestyle, parenting, renovation, cooking and home decorating).  My favourite quick escape is a hot cup of coffee and a new never-been-opened decorating magazine.  For a real treat, about twice a year I meet a girlfriend in the city to chat, browse in shops and go out for lunch (Indian or Thai, ideally!).  When I’m not sewing diapers I enjoy sewing stuffed animals for our daughter and like making quilts (with my sewing machine, I’d never have the patience for hand-quilting), though I haven’t worked on a quilt in quite a while.  I also enjoy photography, cooking and entertaining.

Tagged as: All-In-Ones (AIO), favorite all-in-ones, grasshopper cloth diapers