Fleece Diaper Covers

Fleece diaper covers are one of the few diaper covers that offer great breathability. Fleece diaper covers are also unbelievably soft and offer unsurpassed wetness protection. Fleece diapers covers are great because they are super quick to dry, keep the wetness in the diaper where it belongs and can withstand laundry abuse! A great advantage of fleece in a diaper cover is that you can put them in the wash with your diapers, unlike the more sensible wool or PUL covers.

Fleece is basically a synthetic, 100% polyester fabric with an altered 'structure.' This altered 'structure' facilitates moisture transfer through the fabric - some will say 'absorb' through the fabric. Polyester fabric, in and of itself, does not absorb moisture at all. Instead fleece wicks moisture away from the skin to its outer surface where it can do one of two things:

    Spread out and evaporate if exposed to air.
    Absorb into another fabric-usually a cotton 'soaker' of some sort.

The Micro Fibers in Fleece allow for the cooling process by 'wicking' the baby's urine away from his/her skin.

Advantages of fleece:

    Highly breathable.
    Lightweight (though it can be purchased in mid weight)
    Pill-resistant.
    Hardy and can withstand industrial washing/drying
    Virtually stain-proof.
    Easy to care for and clean.
    Great for color retention.
    A fast drying fabric.
    Chlorine-resistant.
    Very soft and comfortable!

Comparing to cotton:

Cotton absorbs moisture and holds water. It has no wicking properties. So, this means that once cotton becomes wet or saturated it will stay wet and keeps baby's skin wet and clammy as well. Because cotton gets wet and stays wet, it sticks to baby's skin and this hinders the evaporation process of moisture transfer. Evaporation of moisture is important to keep baby's temperature at an appropriate level - keeping them cool. In the winter, it will make baby cold. In the summer, it will make baby hot.

Comparing to wool:

First, it is heavier in weight than fleece and therefore, takes longer to dry. And it absorbs the moisture, instead of wicking the moisture to the exterior surface or to an inner 'soaker' (as fleece does), so the moisture does not get as much opportunity to evaporate dry. Fleece functions much like wool, in that it is breathable and it wicks, but it does not have the added bulk, weightiness, is easier to care for and clean and is much more soft and comfy for baby. And wool is much more expensive than fleece.

Fleece quality:

All fleece is not the same. A good fleece is called Polar Fleece. Polar Fleece is a high quality performance fabric first developed by Malden Mills in the 1970s. 200 weight Malden Mills fleece - a no pill, tightly woven fabric. Several companies make Polar Fleece now, but to be sure to get a good quality fleece covers you have to choose a reliable brand. There are many lesser quality varieties that won't work as well for diaper covers or liners.

Fleece disadvantages:

Fleece diaper covers are a great choice for heavy wetters, particularly when paired with hemp diapers or  fitted diapers for overnight protection. They great for all day playing in the house, hot summer days outside. But note if your baby has something pressed up against him/her such as a seatbelt, the wetness may begin to come through with very wet diaper. Thats a common problem especially by older babies. Another disadvantage of fleece covers are that they need washing more often because they get smelly more easily.