Zephyr Hill

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*New* Imagine Stretchy Bamboo Flat Diapers

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This post contains affiliate links.

Imagine Baby is constantly innovating, and the happy result of that is a brand new product for 2018 – stretchy bamboo flat diapers! You can find them right now at Nicki’s with free shipping.

These new stretchy flats are made with the same 100% bamboo viscose as the Imagine 2.0 bamboo AIO diaper. One side is smooth and the other is a fine bamboo loop terry. They are available right now in one size, which is roughly 27 inches square.

Here are some of the questions I had about the Imagine stretchy flats that we purchased, and what I learned after testing:

Do they shrink? Before washing, the Imagine flats were about 27 inches square, with one side being slightly longer. After washing and drying once, there was almost no shrinkage (maybe an 1/8 of a inch or so).

Do they work with diaper fasteners? I tested with Boingo’s and Snappi’s, and both grip just fine, but they can create tiny little snags if you’re not super careful. I want to keep mine looking as nice as possible for a long time, so I’ve been mostly padfolding.

How stretchy are they? Although the fabric does not have any spandex in it, there is some natural stretch since it is one thin layer of bamboo. Pull one way and you get a little stretch; pull another and you get a lot more (i.e. two-way stretch).

What size baby will they fit best? Most stretchy bamboo flats are available in different sizes. A typical infant size might be 24″ square, while for a toddler you would buy 28″ square. Imagine stretchy bamboo flats are available right now in one size – 27×27 (approximately) – which is a kind of middle ground. When padfolded, they are 14×5 inches, putting them in the medium to large size range. So they will work best for older infants and toddlers.

If you prefer to fold and pin your flats, the fold might be slightly off on one side since these diapers are not perfectly square. When I did Happy Anteater for Mary Kate, the wing on the left was slightly longer, but it doesn’t matter after the diaper is all pinned up and tucked under a cover.

You can fold the Imagine stretchy flats to a smaller size, but they get really bulky. Here’s a regular pad fold next to my original “Mini Pad Fold.” I would be so grateful if Imagine would make a small or newborn size stretchy flat available! Wouldn’t they be lovely pinned on a little newborn??

My Mini Pad Fold tutorial for flat diapers works great for newborns and very small infants.

Do they hold their shape? Yes! The edges stay pretty flat, too, but not as flat as a high-end luxury diaper.

Do they stain easily? Not as much as a cotton flat, so that’s good.

Are they better than regular flats? In order of absorbency, I would say first comes the 100% cotton flat. Then a bamboo/cotton flat. And then these. Imagine stretchy flats have a huge edge in absorbency compared to a plain cotton flat diaper.

Additionally, the two-way stretch gives you a better and more comfortable fit when pinning or fastening around your baby. The fabric is also much softer than cotton, or bamboo/cotton blend.

Are they a good value? As far as “stretchy flats” go, absolutely! Granted, stretchy flat diapers are a sort of cloth diapering paradox in that flats are traditionally a low-cost option, but the stretchy bamboo WAHM versions are definitely not cheap. An old school cotton flat might be just one or two dollars; luxury flat diapers may cost $10 each. However, Imagine Baby Products has bridged the gap by creating a stretchy flat diaper with some of the “luxury” features, yet with a median price tag of $6.65 each.

How do they compare to other stretchy flats? I’ve tried the “Sweet Iris type” flats before and Nicki’s share some of the same characteristics: they are one stretchy layer, they are serged at the edges, they have a smooth side and a terry side, and so on. Some additional features you might find in a “luxury” flat would be more high-end thread, the addition of organic cotton for more softness, the addition of spandex which gives 4-way stretch, corners that lie flatter, and that they are tagless.

Suggested improvements? As mentioned above, I would like for Imagine to make these tagless! If Imagine added any more luxury features (mentioned above) then the price would go up, which would sort of defeat the purpose of what they are trying to accomplish with this middle-range flat. I’d also love to see a small/newborn size in the future.

Any other thoughts? Imagine stretchy bamboo flats can also double as a soft and silky little blanket, burp cloth, or a nursing cover.

Buy a 3-pack of Imagine Stretchy Bamboo Flats at Nicki’s
for $19.95, plus FREE shipping!

New for June 2018 – stretchy COLORED flat diapers!

Diaper Rite Bamboo Flat Diapers Review & Giveaway

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After using flat diapers for many years, I decided it was time to try something a little bit different – bamboo/cotton flat diapers! My main question was, “are they worth the extra money?” While bamboo flat diapers are not even close to being expensive when compared to fitteds and AIO’s that cost $20 or more, for someone on a very strict budget, the difference between $2 for cotton and $3 for bamboo could be an issue.

I decided to buy my bamboo flats from Diaper Junction. They are the “Diaper Rite” brand and prices are as follows: 1 dozen in size small is $33.95 ($2.83 per diaper) and 1 dozen in size large is $39.95 ($3.33 per diaper).

We’ve had these for over a year now, and they are the same diapers I used in this year’s Flats and Handwashing Challenge. Diaper Rite bamboo flats are made from 55% rayon from bamboo and 45% organic cotton birdseye. Smalls measure roughly 27″ x 27″ before washing, and larges are 32″ X 32.” Because of the natural birdseye fabric, these flats are not going to be perfect squares after you prep them.

My measurements of the large after shrinkage: 25×30.

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One of the easiest ways to use a flat diaper is with the pad fold. Here’s an easy photo tutorial for you to follow. Once you’ve folded it, just lay in a cover and put on your baby. Here is a master table of additional flat diaper folds.

Once pad folded, this diaper measures about 13 inches long by 5.5 inches wide, so the dimensions are very similar to a standard bamboo or microfiber insert.

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Fit: One of the nicest thing about flat diapers is that they can be folded in many different ways. This customizes both absorbency and fit. Because of that fact, my recommendation is that unless you will be diapering a newborn, or have a very petite baby, go ahead and get size large like I did since you can fold them to fit even a younger infant. Here’s how to fold a flat super small so it will fit in a newborn cover.

These two pictures illustrate how customizable flat diapers are:

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Performance: Bamboo flats are noticeably softer than cotton flats. That’s the first benefit I noticed. They also absorb more. While the difference may not be dramatic it is definitely noticeable. For us, that means using less doublers and extra inserts – sometimes none at all. With cotton flats we would have to add absorbency or double up the diapers. But Ingrid can wear one bamboo flat alone for a nap.

Unless you are pad folding, you will need a diaper fastener or pin to secure flats to your baby. Both Snappi and Boingo fasteners work great for this.

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Care: Flat diapers are easy to wash and quick to dry because they are only one layer of fabric. Wash as usual with all your other diapers and either machine or line dry. However, keep in mind that bamboo is a bit more delicate than cotton. Diaper Junction recommends only very occasional bleaching, and only if needed. To spot clean your flats, try a stain stick like Buncha Farmers. For very stubborn stains, you can do an Oxiclean soak before washing. Hang dry the diapers in full sun to fade stains even more.

If you don’t have a washing machine or want to avoid the laundromat, here is how I hand wash flat diapers.

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Value: I think bamboo flat diapers are definitely worth the extra money, if you can swing it. As mentioned above, they are not just softer, they are also more absorbent, so they can save you money on extra inserts, or having to purchase more flats so you can double up. I think these factors justify the price of a few more dollars. I don’t know of one mother who has purchased these buttery soft and thirsty bamboo flats and regretted it!

You can purchase Diaper Rite bamboo flats at my affiliate, Diaper Junction, and get free shipping on purchases over $39. So if you pick up a dozen of the flats and a waterproof diaper cover to go along with them, you can easily qualify for the free shipping.

Giveaway: CLOSED I’m giving away 1 dozen bamboo Diaper Rite flats! Winner chooses size (small or large). This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents and ends on August 17th. Good luck!

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Kitchen Towels and Kawaii: Flat Diaper Challenge

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If you saw yesterday’s blog post, then you’ll know I’m taking the Flats and Handwashing Challenge this year. We’re diapering Ingrid in flats-only this week and laundering/drying them by hand.

Today I want to show you the stash I put together. My goal was to use the most affordable options I could find, without having to make or sew anything, or buy costly accessories. In this way, I felt that I could more strongly make a case for cloth diapering even if you have a tight budget.

Here are the supplies I chose for the Flats and Handwashing Challenge:

  • Six waterproof diaper covers – a mix of Kawaii covers from Nicki’s ($7.95 each), Diaper Safari and Imagine/Nicki’s brand covers ($9.95 each). No, Kawaii is not a favorite, but they fit decently and get the job done. They’ve also added a few new prints (like the insect one below).
  • Fourteen flat diapers – a mix of 10 flour sack towels ($5 for a 5-pack at Walmart) and 4 bamboo flat diapers (you can buy them individually at Nicki’s for $3.85 each). I sprung for bamboo to hopefully ensure nighttime success. We’ll see….
  • Eighteen assorted cloth wipes (cut up flannel receiving blankets, old wash clothes, etc.)
  • Plastic trash can ($4)
  • 5-gallon bucket ($3 at Lowe’s)
  • Plunger (already have)
  • Detergent (already have) and Calgon water softener ($5.61 from Walmart.com)

TOTAL:$98.30 to diaper a 22-month-old, and washing every other day

I’m really glad to have kept my “test stash” under $100, as I think this helps make investing cloth less formidable. The truth is, you can start for even less than this, as little as $50, if you were committed to washing every day and bought the diaper covers used.

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Initial thoughts on our experience so far:

  • The regular “flour sack” kitchen towels don’t work for overnight, even when doubled, which I anticipated. Tonight I will try the bamboo/cotton flats instead.
  • I’m planning to launder every two days, so Wednesday (tomorrow) will be washing day.
  • To make sure everything is going to be easier to wash, I’m making sure that I “shake out” the saturated flats when I remove them (padfolded) from the cover. Otherwise, all those layers aren’t going to get very clean.
  • Mild surprise that Ingrid hasn’t had any rash or redness from the saturated cotton fibers after naps and nighttime. I’m not using any type of liner.

If you’re taking the challenge, or have any questions at this stage, let me know!

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