W-434 · ProCool
The workhorse, easiest to sewDirectional wicking, lightweight jersey mesh, CPSIA certified.
Forever chemicals-freeMade in USACPSIA certifiedHypoallergenicPFOA/PFOS/BPA freeForever chemicals-freeMade in USACPSIA certifiedHypoallergenicPFOA/PFOS/BPA free
Three in the Morning, Again
3:14 AM
The pajamas are wet. The sheet is wet. The pad under the sheet is wet. And you’re asking if it’s too much to want it trim, too.
A parent tried microfiber, hemp, flour-sack towels, and terry cloth before finding the same fabric diaper brands sew with, sold by the yard. The overnights started holding. This page is how you get there faster.
Made in USA
Chemical-free
Hypoallergenic
Baby Safe
Reusable & Sustainable
CPSIA Certified
The care you’re already giving
You already choose carefully. Your fabric should too.
Infant skin is about 30% thinner than adult skin, so it’s more permeable and more sensitive to whatever sits against it all day.
What many diapers don’t tell you
- Sodium polyacrylate crystals doing the absorbing, right against their skin.
- Dioxins left behind by chlorine bleaching.
- Fragrances and dyes that can quietly irritate.
- Pesticide-treated import bales with no paper trail home.
What you’re choosing instead
- Zero PFAS, PFOS, PFOA or PTFE. Ever.
- No BPA, no phthalates.
- Absorbency that comes from fiber structure, not chemical polymers.
- Made in the USA, by people you could call on the phone.
All in one fabric
Prefer one fabric that does it all?
- Zorb® 4D Stay Dry Dimple CORE ECO-PUL — the fastest route to a finished build
- Zorb® 4D Organic Cotton Dimple CORE ECO-PUL — the organic-all-the-way-through option
CORE PUL joins the absorbent core and waterproof barrier into one cloth, not three layers, two. For diapers, we still recommend a separate wicking layer on top: fusing the absorbent and waterproof layers together traps moisture against the skin instead of letting it drain away, and slightly reduces total absorbency. Two CORE PUL panels plus a wicking layer means 3 fabric cuts, just fewer pieces to source than sewing three separate fabrics from scratch.
Layer One · Against their skin
The stay-dry wicking layer
The layer that touches baby. It doesn't absorb, it moves moisture through, in one direction, in seconds, so skin stays dry until the change. One rule every maker learns first: mesh side faces the skin.
W-602 · ProCool
The highest wicking tier we make, Supima cotton comfort face, CPSIA certified.
W-440 · ProCool
The beginner's entryButtery to handle, edges don't curl while you sew, a good first wicking layer.
W-615 · ProCool
4-way stretch for fitted and pull-on styles that need to move.
W-262 · ProTEC
Hydrophobic stay-dry fleece, soft brushed face, CPSIA certified.
Layer Two · The heart of the diaper
The absorbent core, Zorb
The layer that does the holding. Zorb absorbs in under 2 seconds and the 3D fabrics hold up to 10 times their weight. Ready from the moment it arrives, no activation washes needed, with performance that keeps improving over the first several cycles.
W-229 · Zorb
3D dimple construction with an integrated stay-dry face, absorbs in under 2 seconds.
W-231 · Zorb
550 GSM, maximum-capacity core, holds up to 10x its weight.
“Most absorbent Zorb I have tried for diaper inserts. Works well and is very absorbent, without compression leaks.”
W-234 · Zorb
Softest, customer favorite3D bamboo-blend dimple, soft hand, high capacity, CPSIA certified.
W-202 · Zorb
The one that started it, our main recommendationAbsorbs in under 2 seconds, thinnest and most budget-friendly.
W-516 · Zorb
Diamond-quilted construction so absorbency stays put, wash after wash, without bunching.
Layer Three · The outside world
The waterproof barrier, ProSoft PUL
The layer that keeps clothes, laps, and bedsheets dry. ProSoft ECO-PUL is a fabric-backed waterproof laminate, independently tested well beyond any normal-use pressure, with a soft drape that never rustles like plastic. Two rules: one waterproof layer only, doubling traps heat, not leaks, and seam tape on every PUL seam.
W-375 · ProSoft
The most versatile starting pointSoft drape waterproof laminate, CPSIA certified, Forever Chemicals-Free.
“I love this company and this product. I appreciate the care they take in the manufacturing process, and it's tested to 300+ washings. Every phone call is answered courteously, and shipping is fast.”
W-273 · ProSoft
Heavy-duty laminate, built for 300+ wash cycles, CPSIA certified.
W-637 · ProSoft
20% by 15% stretch waterproof laminate, for trim covers and pull-on styles that fit close without pinching.
W-579 · ProSoft
Minimum bulk, for summer covers, trim all-in-ones, and anywhere the diaper should disappear under clothes.
The first step, before you buy a single yard
Hold the whole system in your hands.
The Cloth Diapers System Swatch Kit puts a real, labeled swatch of every diaper fabric in front of you, every wicking option, every absorbent core, every waterproof barrier, plus the all-in-one fabrics. Touch, compare, and decide. Then buy the yard.
Order the Cloth Diaper System Swatch Kit$25 · 16 labeled swatches
Four ways to build it
Same three layers, four ways to sew them. And one for the family dog.
All-in-one
Every layer sewn together, ready the moment you unfold it. Easy for grandparents and sitters.
A soft shell with a pocket you can stuff to match the day, the nap, or the night.
Fitted
Absorbent all the way through, with a cover of your choosing over the top.
Prefold and flat
The simplest thing you can sew, and often the one that gets used the most.
Puppy & Pet Diapers
Same fabrics, sized for the four-legged member of the family.
Getting started
Four choices, and you’re ready to sew.
Pick your style
Decide which diaper you're making: all-in-one, pocket, fitted, or prefold. Each one calls for a slightly different fabric combination.
Choose your absorbent core
This is what holds it all. Bamboo Dimple is the softest and most popular choice, Diamond gives you a dual-sided fabric you can orient either way, and Original is the thinnest, most budget-friendly option.
Choose your waterproof shell
This seals everything in. Standard ECO-PUL works for most wrap-style covers, Stretch-FIT is built for fitted covers that need to stretch and recover, and Bamboo Fleece ECO-PUL adds a second layer of absorbency if you want extra insurance.
Add a stay-dry top layer, or skip it
A wicking layer keeps things feeling dry against the skin, and we still recommend it for diapers. Prefer one fabric that does most of it? Our all-in-one CORE PUL combines the absorbent core and waterproof barrier into a single piece, so you only need a separate wicking layer on top.
The classic build
Not sure where to begin? Start here.
Made with love, by people like you
Real makers, real diapers.
- 10x
- So leaks don't wake anyone up
- 300+
- Wash days, still feels new
- 100%
- MADE CLOSE TO HOME By people who care
absorption
washes
Better for your baby. Better for what comes after.
Environmental
Less left behind
One handmade stash keeps thousands of disposables out of the landfill before they're even out of diapers.
Economic
Passed down, not thrown out
The set you sew this year can carry a second and third child, and then a friend's.
Health
Gentler on their skin
Nothing added that they'd have to sit against — which is often all a sensitive little one needs.
Certified, not just claimed
You can verify every claim we make.
CPSIA Certified
Meets U.S. federal safety standards for children's products, covering lead, phthalates, and flammability.
California Prop 65 Compliant
Meets California's strict safe-harbor levels for regulated chemicals.
EU REACH & RoHS Compliant
Meets European regulatory standards for hazardous substances, if you're sewing for someone abroad.
Made in USA
Manufactured by AKAS Tex in EPA and OSHA compliant facilities, not imported from unregulated overseas mills.
Forever Chemicals-Free
Independently verified free of PFAS, PFOS, PFOA, and PTFE.
No Super Absorbent Polymers
Absorbency comes from fiber engineering, not chemical polymer additives.
Two things a certification badge won't tell you: certifying the fabric doesn't automatically certify the finished diaper you sew, depending on how you construct and market it, your finished product may need its own CPSIA testing. And we don't hold OEKO-TEX or GOTS, deliberately: those exist to substitute for overseas supply-chain transparency we don't need, since our fabrics are made under direct U.S. federal oversight instead.
Read the full certification guideReady-AbZORB™ · Made close to home
Absorbent from the moment it arrives at your door.
Every Zorb absorbent ships fully processed, full absorption capacity from the very first use. No activation washes, no conditioning cycles, that's a quiet advantage of fabric milled a drive away instead of an ocean away. A hygiene wash before baby wears it, and you're sewing.
Zero activation washes required.The sewing basket
Fabric is three-quarters of a diaper.
The last quarter is what holds it together and holds it on.
Elastics
Cotton braided, plush fold-over, or clear Mobilon, all latex-free. What makes a diaper actually fit at the legs and back.
Thread
Professional-grade Tex 27 polyester, the thread most cloth diaper manufacturers run, plus wooly nylon for soft serged edges.
KAM Snaps
The standard closure of modern cloth diapers, in sixty colors.
Seam Sealing Tape
Every needle hole in PUL is a hole in the waterproofing. Iron-on tape seals every sewn seam.
Learned, not guessed
The knowledge that usually costs a ruined first project.
- 01
Mesh side to skin. Wicking fabrics are directional, the mesh face goes against baby.
- 02
One waterproof layer. Only one. Doubling PUL traps heat and adds bulk, not protection.
- 03
Seam tape every PUL seam. A needle hole is a leak; seam tape seals it.
- 04
Ballpoint needles, polyester thread. Cotton thread wicks moisture straight through your barrier.
- 05
A walking foot helps. Layered stretch fabrics feed evenly, cleaner seams, less fight.
- 06
No prep washes needed. Full absorbency from first use, just one hygiene wash before baby wears it.
- 07
Clips, never pins. A pin hole in PUL is a permanent leak point.
- 08
Never fabric softener. It coats fibers and quietly turns absorbency off.
- 09
Cut with shrinkage in mind. Expect roughly 2 to 5% on first wash, pattern for it.
- 10
Change inside 2 hours. Cloth works on a rhythm, the system is designed around a two-hour window.
Beyond diapers
The same care, for everything else they wear.
Honest, from the start
A few things worth knowing before your first wash.
It’ll feel stiff at first.
That’s completely normal. The fabric softens after its first wash and dry cycle.
It actually gets better with use.
Absorbency improves over the first 5 to 10 washes as the fibers open up — it’s not fully broken in straight off the bolt.
Plan for a little shrinkage.
Some fabrics shrink up to about 10%, so it’s worth washing before you cut if your measurements need to be exact.
Skip the fabric softener.
It coats the fibers and quietly reduces absorbency over time. A zero-residue detergent keeps everything working the way it should.
Why families choose cloth
The care adds up too.
DisposableWazoodle cloth
Cost per year$960–$1,200/yr1~$500 upfront (~$17/mo over 30 months)1
Landfill impact~6,000 diaper changes per child, mostly landfill-bound2A basket you keep re-washing
Decomposition~500 years to break down2Reused for years, not centuries
Chemical exposureSAP gels, dioxins, fragranceNone — certified free
Reuse across childrenNoneSecond and third child, easily
1 SoFi · 2 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Explore the family
Zorb
The absorbent heart of the diaper, and of nursing pads, bibs and mattress mats too.
ProSoft PUL
Soft, quiet waterproofing for covers, wet bags and changing pads.
ProCool
The cool, wicking layer that sits closest to their skin.
ProECO
Organic-blend knits for everything you'd want against a newborn.
And you deserve it too
The same chemical-free care, for nursing pads.
Nursing pads use the same absorbent-plus-waterproof logic as everything else on this page. And for makers who want the simplest option, an all-in-one 2-in-1 fabric exists here too — Zorb® 4D Organic Cotton Dimple CORE PUL.
Explore nursing pad fabricsWhen you’re ready for the next room
The kits are waiting.
Each of the projects above has its own swatch kit, the same touch-first, decide-second doorway as the diaper system.
Baby Bibs Swatch Kit
Every bib-worthy fabric in one labeled kit.
Nursing Pads Swatch Kit
The soft-and-absorbent shortlist for the pads you’ll make in an afternoon.
Potty Training Swatch Kit
Stretch wicking, trim cores, and stretch PUL for the big-kid pants.
Pail Liners Swatch Kit
The heavy-duty barrier shortlist for liners and wet bags.
Dog Diapers & Belly Bands Swatch Kit
The whole pet system in one labeled kit.
The longer arc
The diaper is where it starts. It isn't where it ends.
The three-layer system you just learned, wick, hold, protect, is the same system behind reusable period underwear, menstrual pads, incontinence care for aging parents, and even the family dog's washable gear. The fabrics on this page serve every one of them.
Period Underwear & Pads
Same wicking tiers, same Zorb cores, same stretch PUL.
Read the guideIncontinence Care
When the caring turns toward parents.
Read the guidePet Care
Dog diapers, cage liners, washable pads.
Read the guide
If you’re reading this at three in the morning, again, with a soaked baby you’ve already changed once tonight, you are not the first. You are not alone. The fabric has been ready for longer than you’ve been awake.