Are you researching cloth diapers and coming across lots of lingo you don't understand? There's lots of abbreviations, acronyms and funny terms when it comes to cloth diapers sometimes, so here's what all the shorthand means. Hopefully it'll make browsing forums, product info and Facebook groups easier for you.
Cloth Diaper Terms and Acronyms:
A
AC: AppleCheeks cloth diaper brand
AI2: All In Two style of cloth diaper, usually has a snap in liner
AIO: All In One style of cloth diaper
AP: Attachment Parenting
APLIX: Brand of hook and loop similar to velcro
B
BF: Breast feeding
BOV: Bamboo organic velour
BN: Brand new
Bump: Putting “bump” into a post is a way to move the thread back up to the top of a forum
BV: Bamboo velour
C
CBOS: Cotton Babies one size insert
CD: Cloth diaper
CM: Chubby medium
Colorway: The color(s) of the yarn or fabric
Contour Diaper: Contour diapers are hourglass shaped cuts of cloth with no folding necessary. They require a waterproof cover over top.
CPF: Chinese prefolds
D
DC# Delivery confirmation number
DSQ: Diaper service quality
E
EBF: Exclusively breastfed (you’ll see this in reference to how a cloth diaper or swim diaper holds EBF poo or in regards to whether a diaper will stain)
EC: Elimination communication: it is where babies don't wear diapers and the parents watch for cues that they are about to pee or poop and take them to the restroom. Lots of mamas swear by it (and it is practiced exclusively in many third world countries).
EO: Essential oil
ETA: Edited to add
EUC: Excellent used condition
F
FFS: Free for shipping
Fitted: Fitted diapers are absorbent material cut in an
hourglass shape and have elastic around the legs and waist and have either snaps or hook and loop fasteners. They look like a diaper but are not waterproof. They require a diaper cover over top to be waterproof.
FL: Front loader (washing machine)
FLAG: Fits like a glove
Flat: A diaper that is typically a 27"x27" square of absorbent material, single ply to fold. Can be secured with pins or a snappi. Requires a waterproof cover over top.
FOE: Fold over elastic
FPP: Funded PayPal
FRB: Flat Rate Box
FRE: Flat Rate Envelope
FS: For sale
FS: Front snapping
FSOT: For sale or trade
FT: For trade
FUC: Fair used condition
G
GN: Gender neutral
GUC: Good used condition
H
HC: Hyena Cart (an online store)
Hemp: Hemp is made from the inner bark of the hemp plant. It is becoming increasingly popular for use in diapers because of its durability, absorbency and natural anti-microbial properties
HFT: Have For Trade
HTF: Hard To Find
Hyena: Term for hard to get, popular diapers that are stalked by diaper hungry moms
I
IDNO: In desperate need of
IDSO: In desperate search of
IHA: I have available
IPF: Indian prefold
ISO: In search of
L
LE: Limited Edition
LN: Like new
M
M/L or ML: Medium long (size usually the same as a medium except for the rise/length is longer
MMAO: Make Me An Offer
N
NB: Newborn
O
OBO: Or best offer
OC: Organic cotton
OCV: Organic cotton velour
OBV: Organic bamboo velour
OOP: Out of print
OSFM: One size fits most
OS: One size - a diaper that usually fits a child from birth up until about 35 lbs.
OTB: On the bum
OV: Organic velour
P
PF: prefold - Rectangular diapers with a center strip of extra absorbency layers - they still need to be folded to fit the baby. Often secured with a snappi or pins. Require a waterproof diaper cover over top.
PIF: Pay It Forward
PL’ed: Potty Learned or Learning
PM: Private Message ("I PM'd you" means "I sent you a private message via Facebook")
PP: PayPal pending payment
PPD: Postage paid (you'll see this when a price listed includes shipping)
PSA: Public service announcement
PT: Potty
PUL: Polyurethane laminate, a material used to make diaper covers/wraps water resistant; the outer fabric of many pocket diapers or AIOs
PYAM: Passed you a message
Q
QD: Quick dry
R
RLR: is a laundry additive that softens the water and helps remove/prevent build up for people who have harder water.
S
SAHD: Stay at home dad
SAHM: Stay at home mom
SC: Suedecloth (stay dry inner folds)
Stalking: Is waiting around for a product to stock. People ask for stalking help to have better odds at scoring items that are limited editions or made in limited numbers.
Stripping: This is when you have detergent buildup in your diapers and you must run multiple hot rinses until the bubbles are gone to restore absorbency.
T
TBW: The BabyWearer
TDF: To die for
TPU: Thermoplastic polyurethane. A material used to make diaper covers/wraps water resistant; the outer fabric of many pocket diapers or AIOs
T&T :Turned and Topstitched - a sewing term. (some people prefer this as opposed to serged edges on fitteds)
TTO: Tea tree oil
U
UBCPF: Unbleached chinese prefolds
UBIPF: Unbleached Indian prefolds
UC: Used condition
UF: Ultimate fit
V
VGUC: Very good used condition
W
WAHM: Work at home mom
WIO: Wool in one - an AIO diaper style featuring a wool cover rather than fleece or cotton
WOHD: Work out of home dad
WOHM: Work out of home mom
Wool Soaker: A wool soaker is basically a diaper cover made exclusively of wool. Used instead of a cover made of PUL or TPU.
Y
YPA: You pick all
There you have it, now you're an expert too. Look up this handy reference guide whenever you need to decode the cloth diaper world terminology ;0)
*If you have any suggestions for terms we've missed, leave us a comment below and we'll add it in!