It’s exciting to see the iconic Gerber logo on a cloth diaper, isn’t it? Their recent unveiling of an All-in-One (AIO) on social media, sporting the popular #makeclothmainstream hashtag, caused quite a stir. I purchased one for Ingrid to try out so you can see how the AIO looks, fits and functions. Ingrid is 10 months old and about 17 pounds so I chose medium.
Gerber Childrenswear (referred to as Gerber hereafter, for the sake of brevity) also sent a complimentary (yellow) tester diaper in size large for my toddler, Erik, who is about 27 pounds.
Here are the size ranges. Each diaper retails for $12.99, the 4 colors available right now are Blue, Orange, Pink and Sage (Light Green).
Small (8 to 18 lbs)
Medium (16 to 28 lbs)
Large (22 to 37 lbs)
A quick look at the outside front and back:
Each AIO is made up of a waterproof outer shell with a sewn-in absorbent core. One extra insert is also included. The insert can be laid in the diaper or tucked under the sewn-in liner.
Comparing it to other AIO diapers we have tried, there is more exposed PUL on the inside of the Gerber diaper, which you can see from the picture below. This may or may not bother you (or your baby’s skin).
The inner lining is open at the front and the back. The absorbent layers inside are sewn into an elasticized channel which basically functions as a second or “double” gusset.
The Gerber AIO is made in El Salvador. Here are the fabric components:
Outer waterproof shell: 100% poly interlock with PUL backing
Inner core: 65% poly/35% rayon with a 100% cotton TransDRY top
Extra insert: 100% cotton with a TransDRY (cotton) top layer
What is TRANSDry? This is a cotton fabric which is specially treated to make it water-repellent. It is often used in athletic wear and is designed to pull moisture away from the body and thus keep the cotton fibers from becoming saturated.
One side of the cotton insert is beige-colored and is very smooth; this is the side which goes up against your baby’s skin. The underside is white and feels a bit rough and fleecy.
Fit: One of the greatest things the Gerber AIO has going for it is the cute and trim fit. Sized diapers definitely have the edge in that regard because there is no snap-down rise to add bulk. If you were planning to use AIO diapers from birth until potty training, you’d spend a lot going from size to size. However, if you just want a few for certain ages or stages, $12.99 is a very reasonable price. For instance, you might purchase just mediums or larges for an older baby and be able to use just that size until you’re at or near the potty training stage.
To keep costs down for their debut diaper, Gerber opted to begin with a sized system.
The medium fits great on Ingrid, but with just a little room to spare in the rise, which tells me it runs small (Ingrid is 17 pounds and short and is supposed to be able to wear this until about 28 pounds). So I would recommend sizing up if you’re uncertain. I think Gerber will probably need to add an extra-large diaper at some point.
Here is the Gerber size medium next to a one-size diaper on the medium setting. They are close, with the one-size being slightly larger overall. The Gerber AIO is narrower through the crotch.
Here are the medium and large side by side. The extra inserts are the same size but the inner lining is longer as you go up in sizes and the crotch is slightly wider.
This side view helps to illustrate the slim profile of the diaper:
Performance: This is a true AIO diaper that can be worn as is. I tested it with the extra soaker pad in place. Ingrid wore it during a 3 hour nap the first day. It was completely soaked, but no leaks escaped, so it passed the absorbency test. The double gussets are good at keeping the wetness inside the elasticized channels; after Ingrid had worn the diaper for several hours the outer gussets were completely dry to the touch.
The hook and loop closure at the waist holds but is not strong enough. The tabs at the waistband curl back at the ends, so the entire area doesn’t stay closed. Oddly enough, the laundry tabs are very sticky and stayed fastened while washing and drying.
I was curious to see if the TransDRY cotton fabric would wick moisture away and have a “stay dry” effect similar to microfleece, but it didn’t. The cotton top was wet to the touch, and Ingrid’s skin was a bit damp. This is not a concern for me personally since we use a lot of cotton flats and prefolds which aren’t “stay dry”, but if your baby needs that feature or a fabric that quickly wicks away moisture, the TransDRY may not function as effectively as a true stay-dry synthetic fabric.
I did not test the diaper overnight since it’s an AIO, but since it’s easy to add absorbency under the sewn-in liner, that’s certainly something you could try.
At this point, I can’t comment on durability. However, because of the weak hook and loop closure at the waistband, I’m concerned about how long that particular feature will perform.
Something else I would change is the placement of the laundry tabs. When fastening the diaper onto her, the receiver rubbed up against Ingrid’s hip.
Care: You really do only need to wash this diaper once before using, as recommended by Gerber, even though it does contain cotton and rayon. It took a full cycle to dry after washing with our HE machine.
Here are a couple of pictures to show how the medium fits on 10-month-old Ingrid, who has a short and chubby build:
Here is the large on both Erik and Ingrid. He is a very skinny and short toddler, and the large fits him fine. However, Ingrid can wear it, too, and she’s short for her age as well (which illustrates once again how the diaper runs small). The leg openings of the size larger are looser on her, however.
Quality: Overall, the quality of Gerber’s new AIO is ok, but could be much better. The hook and loop is already starting to weaken and curl back. I’ve also noticed pilling on the “fleecy” side of the insert. There were some loose threads at the back opening, but nothing has come apart. Also, in the photo above you can see the uneven sewing on the wings of the yellow diaper. These are all signs that improvements in quality and consistency are needed. Thankfully, Gerber appears to be listening to customers and taking all comments and feedback into consideration to help improve their AIO.
Final Thoughts: I think it’s great to have an easy-to-use, absorbent and affordable cloth diaper available at mainstream stores like Wal-Mart, Target and BabiesRUs. While I’m a huge supporter of small businesses (and regularly shop online at my favorite boutiques) there is nothing local to me and I know a lot of cloth diapering mothers are in the same boat. It’s nice to be able to actually see and feel the diapers at the store where you shop; offering the Gerber AIO (and other brands) at “big box” stores allows more families to be exposed to cloth diapering. That’s a win-win for everyone, because most mothers don’t limit themselves to just one brand or style.
You can also buy the new Gerber AIO online now on Amazon (aff).
In summary, Gerber has done a fair job with its starter diaper. I am looking forward to more features and improvements, namely:
- Strong/better hook and loop closure
- Snap option
- One-size option
- No-pill fabric
I’m glad that Gerber has something else besides their prefolds for those interested in cloth diapering. I personally would love to see Gerber release an affordable snapping diaper cover and some cotton, bamboo or hemp flats to replace their cotton/poly prefolds.
Gerber is such a household name that this new diaper will help bring some greatly-needed attention to the money-saving and waste-reducing benefits of cloth diapering. Families who may not be interested in other cloth brands they’ve seen at big box stores may try this AIO simply because Gerber is a name they love and trust.
When the new AIO arrives at your local store is largely up to the store. The Gerber AIO is not available in Canada at this time, but that may change.
What are your impressions of Gerber’s newest cloth diaper? Have you tried this style yet?
These do love great and trim. If they come out with a one size with snaps, I think I would give it a try.
I am looking forward to seeing that too!
When I heard about this diaper I was excited. So many big box retailers don’t carry cloth, but with a name like Gerber they are bound to do so. I may pick up a few of them to keep at grandparents’ houses so they have a couple changes worth at their house. The velcro is a great start to help usher in new to cloth families who may be overwhelmed by snaps. I also like that extra absorbency can be added.
Alicia, that is a very good observation about snaps. Many caregivers really are intimidated by them, whereas aplix closely resembles a disposable.
I was pretty excited to see Gerber come out with a cloth diaper like this, even if it just means getting cloth more exposure! It’s great that they’re taking customer comments into consideration… I might buy one of these if they had a snap option. Thanks for the thorough review!
I agree that it is exciting to see a mainstream brand introducing a new diaper!
I was very curious about hese, and when I started reading your review I was a little nervous about the fact that the inside is poly/rayon–didn’t have high hopes for absorbancy, so it’s pleasantly surprising to see that Ingrid lasted through a whole nap in it!
I was too, although you do have to use the extra insert
Initially I thought if Gerber prefolds and I was all hmm, then my next thought was that I bet it would be similar so the fabric would be iffy and production questionable. I certainly don’t buy their products… But then I realized I’m me. In that tiny percentage of people who investigates everything I buy down to the last fiber. Its always no matter what it is got to meet a ton of criteria. That said… Most people don’t do that. They buy disposables because they’re what people use , easy & seem cheap. So I looked again and saw this as a product that is likely very functional that will reach all those people who aren’t obsessive & ultra picky . All the parents walking through big stores looking for something to save a few bucks. And you know what I think a name like Gerber can sell them. And if they can people might see that cloth is an option on a bigger scale and that’s awesome so good for them I guess . Thanks for the review I was interested.
I had a lot of the same questions you did. We owned their prefolds in the past and weren’t happy with absorbent. Thankfully this is a completely different product and can be evaluated in its own right. You are right that those new to cloth won’t be as picky when it comes to options and features.
I think that Gerber making AIOs is very exciting.. I can’t wait to try them out. I love the orange color.
I love their effort and the fact that they are taking suggestions from people who are already CDing! thanks for a great review!
Kaitlin, I also like how responsive Gerber has been, especially on their Facebook page. All suggestions for improvement and ideas for future products are being welcomed. ~Anne
Would love to give this a try! For some reason it fascinates me!
It’s neat, huh? A mainstream brand that is not really known for diapers introducing a brand new diaper!
I so want to try these for my new squish! They look aw some. Ty
I am excited to try these and see if they measure up to our other AIO favorites. I am hopeful others who are skeptical about cloth may give if a second look with a known name brand on the cover. I’d love to win the chance to try these!
I have never tried an All in One diaper before, I might just give it a whirl!
I would love to try this. I would pick a pink one in size medium
I feel like Gerber had an opportunity to really help make strides towards normalizing cloth diapering and they fell flat with this, especially considering resources available to them over small beans competition. It’s a decent option but the size ranges are a bit of a stretch… My guy should be in a medium but we’ve tried them and he definitely needs a large in orange or blue.
As noted in the review, they do run small. I’m thinking that an extra-large option will need to be added. ~Anne
I would choose the orange one in a size medium. is the pocket/sleeve large enough to stuff an extra insert in for possibly overnight?
It would depend on the size of the insert, Aimee. I wouldn’t recommend something bulky like a prefold or pad-folded flat, but a trim hemp, cotton or bamboo insert will fit (if it corresponds lengthwise with the size of the Gerber diaper that your baby is wearing). ~Anne
I’m willing to give them a try. I’m hoping this is a success for Gerber and that it pushes more people to try cloth! I’d pick a large pink for my daughter. 🙂
I am really excited to try these! I appreciate the review because I was hesitant to try them due to the prefolds being better suited as burp rags. I’m glad such a well known company is selling easy to use cloth!
I will admit, when I first saw the Gerber advertisement online, I was worried that they’d give the brands we all know & love a bad name for cloth diapering in general. I don’t even know why. It looks like they are durable and a good price, so I’d definitely give them a try. I liked sized diapers because my daughter is so skinny, one-size do not fit her correctly.
You’re right about sized diapers working well for skinny children. You can get a really custom fit; having hook and loop makes that even easier (even though it’s not my first choice for closure). ~Anne
I’m really excited to try these! I’m one of those few people that used and loved the Gerber prefolds for our newborn. We’re expecting number 2 now and I would love these AIO for on the road instead of prefolds, snappis, and covers.
I want to try one so bad! I just spent my diaper funds and would love to win a small pink or sage one 🙂
Excited to see if they have good absorbancy
I bet these would make a really nice newborn diaper. Would love size small in blue!
I would like to see how well they work and review on fit and absorbancy from other moms that can describe if they have a slender or chubby baby and how well the aplix does through washing.
I’ll be updating my review with the fit on a toddler (size large). He’s skinny so that will be a different body type to test on. LOL ~Anne
I think they are pretty cool looking and am excited to try them. I personally love Velcro for my 14 lb 3 month old, especially for outings and night changes.
I would go with orange. It’s cool that it has sewn in gusset. What a great option, hope to try one soon.
I think I would choose the orange in size 2.
I’ve love to have a dark blue in a size small. I’m expecting a baby boy in September!
This sound like a great diaper, the size if i win is medium and color pink
I like the price, and that it is decently similar to other diaper brands in function.
I want to try the diaper. I hope to like it. It is about time a big company tried to break into the cd market. But, I would still rather buy from WAHM and small businesses.
I’m glad that they decided to use cotton as the lining, sticking with their prefold traditions. It’s always challenging to find affordable AIO’s that are made out of cotton. Hopefully they come out with more colors eventually, but the blue one you reviewed it nice.
I would choose blue size small.
It seems like it’s worth trying, although I’m not sure about the TransDry treatment. I agree with you about the laundry tab placement, and I wish there was a snap option!
I would pick a small blue Gerber diaper. They actually look pretty nice. I am going to buy a couple….the price is really nice. Thanks for this review. Hope my Walmart will eventually get these in the stores….they never carry anything I want.
I like how thorough this review was. For someone new to cloth diapering, this was extremely helpful.
I am a skeptical of gerber since their pre folds are not so great. These do look like a good design however. I would go with a large in pink for my almost 2 year old daughter that is 22 lbs ,sounds like a med might not cut it 🙂
Jenn, I also had Gerber prefolds years ago, but that’s a completely different product (and different materials) and so to be fair should be judged separately. Absorbency was an issue with our Gerber prefolds, but not with this new Gerber AIO. My daughter is an average wetter. And yes, you’re right about needing to go a size up! ~Anne
I would love to try the medium pink. I personally wish it was snaps, but I understand that there are many who prefer aplix especially for daddy and other caregivers because of the ease of using it. I usually use mostly one size diapers so I would love to see that option as well.
I am expecting twins (my first children) and am determined to see if cloth diapering will work for us. However, other people (like my mother) have said they don’t want to mess with cloth diapers while helping out with the babies because it is too complicated. I bet having a few diapers like this around for when other people are helping change diapers would make the situation easier and more manageable for them, even if we normally decide to go with a one-size, snap pocket-style diaper. And the price is good for keeping some of them on hand!
Caroline, I absolutely agree! Depending on the style, cloth diapers can really be quite simple to use. ~Anne
It’s great that they are putting out a cloth diaper. I have converted many friends and most had never seen a cloth diaper! I think these will be great to get more people exposed and I like the trim fit.
I am so excited for these! I’m due in 3 months and need affordable cloth for a newborn. We use BG and Flip one size for our toddler and don’t want to spend a ton on newborn cloth. If I win I will choose orange size small.
I love that Gerber came out with a modern cloth diaper option. #makeclothmainstream 🙂
I love that they are double gusset. Thanks for sharing this review. I would like the medium sized blue one please.
Thanks for the review! I wasn’t sure what to expect from these and I was apprehensive but it seems like they are definitely worth trying. I would get a large size in blue or sage if I’m able to get one!
Curious but skeptical. I love to see cloth in the mainstream, but if it’s poor quality it’s likely to turn more people OFF of cloth than not. If o were to win one, I’d choose medium in blue.
I just love the look of the fit for this diaper. I hope they sell these in stores because that would be great.
If I won, I’d like to get the medium size in blue.
I’m hoping this helps new moms dipping their toes in the CD world instead of scaring them away (like their prefolds). you can do this, Gerber!
It’s nice to see such a big well known brand like Gerber doing this. If I won I’d choose a small sage colored diaper.
I’m really curious about this new Gerber diaper. I like that it has double gussets and am intrigued by the TransDRY cotton fabric! The price is great!
Looks awfully fluffy; would be interested to try it out. Love the price point!
I would choose medium in the Orange.
I would get medium size pink if I won this one.
I’m so excited to see a big name in the baby world come out with a cloth diaper. It even seems like it’s relatively user friendly and within most people’s budget (considering that almost all AIOs I’ve heard of — and I’m pretty new to cloth — are at least 1.5-2x that price) to at least TRY them! I hope they come out with more options, I would love to see them ditch the poly/rayon in favor of cotton and snaps, eventually.
I like your ideas, Kristine! ~Anne
This diaper looks very interesting to me. You usually hear bad things about Gerber as far as diapers go, so having the chance to try one myself would be awesome. If I got to pick one, it would be size Small in Pink for our daughter due any moment. 🙂
I like the large dip inside, I feel like it might help control leaks. I would probably pick pink large.
I’d love to try these out on my 1 year old. We love the Gerber brand and I’m so happy they have released a better quality diaper, since their prefolds and flats are a little one the cheap side. We think the orange and blue are great colors!
Im interested in the long term durability. That elastic looks questionable.
I will definitely be updating my review after we’ve used both diapers for a few months. ~Anne
I like the pink but I think I will choose orange if I win just because it is more gender neutral
I have read quite a few reviews,but have not been impressed,until now.we are expecting a new grandbaby any day now,and my beautiful daughter in law is going a different way than the average,so this will be very useful.thanks so much for sharing.
This look great! Thanks for the honest review! I think there will be good things resulting from mass exposure at stores like Walmart. Fantastic! I would love the large size in Sage Green please. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
I would love to try this diaper any color for our soon to be baby ♡
I was a little skeptical b/c of the poor reviews I’ve seen on Gerber prefolds but I’m glad the absorbency of these seems to be better. If Gerber can make strides in making cloth more mainstream, then i’m a supporter!
I would love to try a large in the dark blue!
I would choose the blue in large. Thank you for the great review and the chance to win one of these. I would love to try one for my son.
I am excited about this diaper! I would choose yellow in a small if I won one.
I love the wick away feature, just like work out clothing! Great idea!
I also think it’s wonderful that a big name like Gerber came out with an AIO. I think this will makes strides for cloth! Your review is so helpful, and it answered many of my questions. I like how trim the diaper looks, and the ease of velcro is a good idea for their first “go.”
I likew this style I wish they had some with snaps, same with Gdiapers! but I can put them in there!
How’s the absorbency?
Details are in my review (above)! ~Anne
I’d choose a Large Orange AIO.
I would love to try a large orange one! Hoping these work well!
Hopefully having a generations-trusted brand updating their cloth diapering system will help make cloth more mainstream again!
I am very interested in trying out the Gerber AIO, especially with how widely available it sounds like they will be. Velcro tabs can be so convenient, until your nine month old comes crawling up to you, bare butt, because she realized she can undo them herself, so hopefully snaps are not too far behind! 😀
The slimmer fit also appeals to me greatly. Gerber’s onesies have been a wonderful fit for us from day one for that very reason.
I also love the Gerber Onesies, esp. because we’ve had some smaller/slimmer babies. ~Anne
I would love to try these out and see how they I like them compared to the freetimes I use now. I’d pick a large orange one!
I would love to try a medium pink but I would also like to see it in snaps and OS.
Gerber is trustworthy company and coming up with new stuffs for babies and toddlers as new ideas is completely superhit among moms too
I would choose orange. My son is in between a medium and a large so I’m not sure!
I would love to try this diaper in large in either the pink or sage. Thanks!
I’m excited to hopefully try these soon. Love the price too! We currently use a mix of brands & styles but have been waiting to see how these rated by moms. If I win, I really like the blue in medium for our 16 lb girl 🙂
Love Gerber, can’t wait to try these out!
Great review, it looks like a great diaper for a good price! I would love to try a medium in any color!
I am looking forward to trying out this diaper. I would love the sage color.
Mediun color sage
If I would win I would choose the colors blue, orange, yellow and green in size Medium.
I’d choose the sage color in large
Hopefully this helps make cloth mainstream
I think it’s great that gerber is trying to expand what they offer in the area of cloth diapers. I think that will make cloth diapering a lot more convenient and a lot less daunting of a task for a huge amount of people that don’t have access to a local place to purchase cloth diapers. I really want to try one of these. I think I would pick the orange in a med or possibly large
I’d love to try out this diaper! I’d pick size small in the sage.
An interesting review on this exciting new product. I would’ve opted for M, but seeing your photos I would actually want to get a large as my 6mo will probably fit into it sooner. I do like the simple colours with Sage being my favourite. I’m generally not a fan of hook and loop but I like the double gussets and the narrower cut through the crotch.
I have come to love AIO diapers and am always game to try a new one. I think a feature I like is that there is a place to add more absorbency and because of that the diaper may also dry faster than some AIO that have no openings to help things dry.
I think I’d probably choose Large Blues.
I love the look of these new Gerber cloth diapers! I really hope I can win something before my baby is born. I have an injury that has kept me from working and this baby was very much a surprise (although very much loved already), and winning this would help so very much!
I would love to win these in the smallest size possible and in the light green sage color.
(Fwiw, Gerber did make a cover at one time, someone gave me one but I can not find a date on it. It has Velcro closures and an animal print on it.)
Do you mean the old EZ covers? I’m hoping this time around they will make one with snaps! Congrats on your surprise baby, Amy, and good luck with the giveaway! ~Anne
They very well could be EZ covers, the tag has no name or any other identifiable information as to the type of cover it is other than Gerber, size, care, material, and where it was made. This is my first time venturing into cloth diapers so I am not familiar with the names of all of them, now show me some car seats and strollers and we have a whole other story!
Amy, you’ve definitely got an edge there! Car seats and strollers are not my forte. LOL ~Anne
I’m really looking forward to trying this diaper. Im glad you suggest sizing up. I have a 20lb 10.5 month old. So I will probably buy a large. I’ve been using pocket diapers but I don’t like taking the time to stuff all of them so an aio would be nice. I haven’t done much research, how do these compare price wise to other aios?
Most AIO diapers are $15 to $25 each. There are only a handful less than that, and the new Gerber AIO is now one of them! ~Anne
I’m so excited that Gerber has come out with something like this. Maybe more stores like Walmart and Target will start carrying cloth diapers.
I am excited to try these. I would love for them to be available in stores as locally we only have BG. I am excited to try it as an overnight option possibly.
I forgot to say I would love to try this in the pink in size small!
I love the price of $12.99. I really like the blue. Since Im due in September I would love to try the small size.
I DIG those gussets!!
I am really looking forward to trying these diapers! I agree that they look very trim compared to some of my sons diapers! I would probably get a blue in a size large for my boy.
I would choose a pink size one.
I absolutely love all Gerber products and would truly love to try their cloth diaper! 🙂 and I think your work is absolutely beautiful!!!
Thanks, Jackie! Welcome to my blog! Glad you were able to enter despite the initial snags. Good luck! ~Anne
I’ve been waiting for Gerber to jump on the modern cd train! I’d love to try these out! I see they also make diaper inserts now. Pretty neat!
These look great! I like the look of the fit especially.
Forgot to add I’d like an orange medium. 🙂
I’d love to try a large in Sage!
I want to try these so bad! I’d get a large orange one 🙂
I really like that bright blue. And I’m glad Gerber is doing something with cloth diapers other than their nonabsorbent prefolds.
I would love to try a medium in blue!
If I won this, I would choose yellow in a size large.
Would love to try a size medium for a girl. 🙂
If I won, I would choose Sage and size Large.
I am definitely curious about these! Hope to see them in a local store soon. I would choose the blue in size medium.
I think they are a good thing, I hope it makes cloth diapers more main stream!
It’s about time they got with the program and updated their cloth diapers!
I would love to try these, and they look nice and trim!
may sound silly, the diapers look like they fit wonderfully, but they’re made by Gerber in El Salvador which takes away all the good feels of buying from small, USA based companies. im sure the price reflects that, but the few extra bucks are worth it! #america
Megan, buying American is very important to a lot of families, and I think it’s wonderful that you took time to share that here. Gerber is really interested in all comments and suggestions, so yours will certainly not be unnoticed. ~Anne
I’d pick a large in pink if I won!
Blue size large if I win. Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
I would choose Blue in size Large.
These would be great for my mom to use when watching my daughter. She has arthritis and snaps are difficult for her.
I’m really looking forward to trying this diaper! Gerber is such an iconic brand that every parent has heard of, and I think it’s so great that they’re helping to make cloth mainstream. I mostly want to try the diaper so that I’m able to tell my friends who are curious about cloth how the diaper fits – I think trying a well-known brand will help those who are hesitant to step over the ledge and try cloth. And I’d like to add a few more AIOs to my stash. I like that you can add an insert for extra absorbency!
I’d love to try these! I’d choose a small in either orange or pink! 🙂
It’s always exciting to see a new diaper come out! I’m generally a fan of the OS cloth diapers and snap closures but I do think this design (which look a bit more like disposables than most cloth diapers I own) would appeal to someone used to disposables looking to give cloth a try. The price point is quite reasonable for an AIO!