I’ve cloth diapered for 4 years and love natural fabrics and yet I’ve never tried wool until now. Why is that? Probably for the same reasons that lots of other mothers have resisted, namely:
- Wool is more expensive
- Wool requires special care
- Wool requires special detergent
- Wool takes a really long time to dry
So if you are one who is hesitating, I completely understand! However, thanks to Little Spruce Organics, I am now the proud owner of a beautiful Disana wool cover in size large. I will share my experience as a newcomer to wool below, but first let me introduce our sponsor.
Little Spruce Organics is strongly committed to selling natural products so that what touches baby’s skin is pure and safe. They are very particular about what is sold in the store, so you can be sure that what you buy is superior quality and always organic. Little Spruce is a family-owned business that hails from the beautiful state of Colorado. Bethany Grosser, founder and owner, created her store after doing lots of research to find out what would be safest and best for her own baby.
Bethany has a great page at the Little Spruce website that explains why choosing organic for your family is so important. And you can interact with Little Spruce Organics any time at their Facebook page.
Now, here’s what my Disana cover looks like: It’s very different from the PUL covers I’m used to. There were a lot of colors to choose from (blue, red, orange, plum, green, etc.) but I ended up just picking “natural,” because it looked so pure and simple.
When I first pulled it out of the package, the softness and pliability of the wool really surprised me. I assumed it would be somewhat scratchy, but that wasn’t true at all. It felt like a finely knitted sweater.
But why the odd shape? Well, the Disana cover is made of very soft, merino wool and it’s designed to hug baby comfortably yet snugly. That way, it helps to keep leaks and blowouts at bay. The waistband, which might look huge at first glance, can be folded over for a better fit.
I was impressed by the product description for the Disana. Things that stood out to me:
- Once it is prepped and ready for use, you will have no leaks at all – even overnight!
- Wool soakers are naturally antibacterial.
- Wool does not soil easily and does not retain odors, so it does not need to be washed very frequently.
Sounds like something worth trying, right? Even my absolute favorite PUL cover (the Flip) has leaked on random occasions. And PUL, being a man-made textile, is not naturally antibacterial. Plus, PUL and other synthetic fabrics have a greater tendency to hold on to stink and require stripping from time to time.
So how did my first try with wool turn out? Well, first of all, let’s see the cover on Samuel. He’s 2 years old and weighs 27 pounds. Under the Disana cover is a fitted diaper. You can also use pinned or Snappied prefolds under the Disana cover.
I think the Disana soaker has a really cute fit! And because the soaker doubles as a pair of “shorties,” your little one can wear it around the house on a warm day with no top.
And now to the results!
My first order of business was to wash and lanolize my new wool cover. This was super easy, so my assumption that wool is complicated to take care of was completely wrong.
I used CJ’s Wool Wash in the warm vanilla sugar scent because it lanolizes wool while you’re washing it. Little Spruce Organics also sells Eucalan Wool Wash which is enriched with lanolin and comes in four varieties: eucalyptus, grapefruit, lavender and unscented.
I filled my kitchen sink full of warm water, squeezed a nickel-sized amount of CJ’s onto the soaker and gently worked it into the fabric. I swished it in the water and left it to soak for 30 minutes. After very gently squeezing out the excess water, I laid it out on a bath towel and rolled it up to soak up more water. And then I left it flat to dry. That was all!
Wool takes about 2 days to fully dry, on average. That was true for our Disana soaker. I turned it once during the drying process. I don’t have a drying rack, but I’m sure that would have sped up the drying time.
Because wool does take longer to dry, it makes sense to have more than one cover on hand. The payoff is that wool is so incredibly absorbent. Many mothers have found it’s only fabric that will keep their heavy wetters dry all night.
My Disana wool cover made it through night time with flying colors. Absolutely no leaks at all. Even better, it was not saturated and stinky like my PUL covers are after a long night. It is incredible to me that we can use this soaker over and over again without having to wash it, even after night time.
We used the Disana cover for about 3 weeks on Samuel before it needed laundering. Talk about a time-saver and a money-saver!
Although my Disana was a little large for Susanna who is just 10 months old and 17 pounds, it still kept her dry because of the way the knit fabric hugs the body.
Let’s just say that after using the Disana soaker for a month, I now know why it consistently gets 5 star ratings from online reviewers!
Things we love most about our Disana cover:
- It’s absolutely bulletproof overnight, and that’s even when we really pushed the limits, going 12 hours or more without a change.
- Being able to go weeks without laundering saves this busy mother of 5 (with one on the way) a lot of time and hassle.
- Having a cover that becomes more absorbent over time, rather than breaking down and “delaminating” with time, will also save us money in the long run.
- The soft knitted leg bindings mean no red marks are ever left on baby’s skin, even if he/she is very chunky!
I don’t have any complaints about the Disana soaker. It performed perfectly and actually exceeded all my expectations.
I have a newfound respect for wool and I hope my review will be helpful to those mothers who’ve been curious about this amazing natural fabric, but afraid to take the plunge.
Fortunately, the Disana wool soaker is very reasonably priced! You can purchase the Disana wool soaker at Little Spruce Organics today starting at just $27.35 and get an additional 20% off with my exclusive coupon code ZH20. No minimum purchase is required.
While you are at Little Spruce Organics, be sure to check out their fabulous selection of organic and natural products, including diapers, toys, bath & body, clothing, bedding and breastfeeding accessories.
And you can enter to win a Disana soaker in your choice of size and color! Enter using the Rafflecopter form below.
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