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Which Cloth Diaper Inserts Are The Best
I often get questions about how to choose the best cloth diaper inserts. Many times as babies grow you'll need more absorbency to pair with inserts and boosters are great for this, however there are times when you need to choose inserts too. Some pocket diaper brands don't come with inserts included. If you have diaper covers, you'll have to decide on absorbent inserts for them too or if you have lower quality diapers with inadequate inserts, you'll want to replace lower quality inserts with better performing ones. But how do you choose?
Which cloth diaper inserts are the best?
Well, if 'best' means 'most absorbent' then hemp is the answer hands down. BUT, there's more to it than that.
Hemp is fantastic and can hold the most liquid without compression leaks, however it takes the longest to absorb. That means that if you have a toddler that holds their bladder and then floods all at once, hemp won't absorb fast enough to get the job done. Speed is of the essence when we're dealing with liquid and diapers right?
So then what material absorbs the quickest? Well that's microfiber. When you're looking for leak-free cloth diaper inserts, you need a combination of features to achieve the best performance specific to your situation.
If you've purchased cheaper quality pocket cloth diapers that came with flimsy microfiber inserts (from Amazon, TEMU, AliExpress, Wish, Alva etc.) your baby will quickly out-wet and oversaturate them leading to leaks. When it comes to inserts, you want quality materials for the best outcome and leak containment. Microfiber inserts CAN and DO work for many families, BUT you need high quality microfiber and many layers of it. If your microfiber inserts aren't at least 3 layers of the thickest best quality microfibre, then skip them.
So what are the insert options? Let's break it down:
Microfiber Inserts
- Absorb quickly
- Inexpensive and budget friendly (made from polyester and nylon fused together)
- Synthetic (man-made fabric not derived from natural materials)
- Easy to find, lots available
- Lose absorbency over time; often best to replace them for a second child
- Can be bulky
- Cannot be placed next to the skin
- Prone to compression leaking when saturated
- Can be harder to wash clean and be prone to buildup/smells without thorough wash routine
- Performs best when paired with hemp or bamboo
Charcoal Bamboo Inserts
- Don't be fooled, these are not bamboo. I don't know why they call them that, it's misleading advertising and I won't carry them here at Cloth Diaper Kids. They are microfiber inside (see above). The only difference is they are covered in an outer layer of charcoal colored (grey) microfleece which gives them the ability to safely touch the skin (whereas microfiber cannot be against the skin).
Bamboo Inserts
So then on to real bamboo, what's it like? Bamboo is lovely, thin and trim, flexible and also lightweight. When you compare it by weight, bamboo absorbs more than cotton. But note that 'bamboo' fabric is not actually made from the bamboo plant the way cotton is. The bamboo is chemically processed into rayon fabric, so not as environmentally friendly as some make it out to be and it's technically more accurate to say 'rayon from bamboo'.
- Absorbs well
- Absorbs quickly
- Is comfortable, cool to the touch and soft against baby's skin
- Less bulky
- Can go against the skin
- More towards the expensive side for high GSM (high quality) bamboo fabric
Cotton Inserts
Cotton is truly versatile, it's the ultimate textile and can do so many things even taking on different properties depending on its thickness and how it's weaved. There's a reason that basic flat and prefold diapers are usually made of good old cotton.
- Absorbs well
- Absorbs quickly
- Easy to wash
- Can go against the skin
- Relatively inexpensive (but do go with organic if you can to minimize pesticide use)
- Can be prone to wearing out over time with lots of use.
- Can be bulky depending on how much you need (with heavy wetters etc.)
- Not as flexible as other fabrics and 100% cotton can get a little firm feeling when wet.
Hemp Inserts
Hemp is a long lasting, gets-better-with-age kinda fabric. It has some quirks (it does need pre-washing before use and is a little slower with speed of absorbency), but it really holds a lot and is a great choice when you need to bring out the big guns with a heavy wetter or toddler. Note that you won't find 100% hemp fabrics, it is generally blended with some amount of cotton. Something like 45% hemp/55% cotton is common.
- Absorbs more slowly
- Traps and holds moisture in it's core; not prone to compression leaking; holds a lot compared to it's weight.
- Does require pre-washing to reach max absorbency
- Can go against the skin
- Often does best when paired with other fabrics on top that absorb more quickly (microfibre/bamboo/cotton etc.)
- Durable over time
- More expensive than other options
Are there other cloth diaper insert options?
Yes there are. Those listed above are the big ones you'll often see, however, you might also see Zorb (a blend of cotton, bamboo and hemp) that was used more frequently several years ago. Mainstream manufacturers don't generally use it, but you can still find the fabric if you make your own diapers or purchase WAHM (work-at-home-mom) made diapers.
You can also make cloth diaper inserts out of prefolds (tri-folding a size 2 or Infant size) or pad folding flat style diapers. In a pinch, you can use other absorbent materials (as long as they are safe for baby), things like flour sack towels (which are basically cotton dish towels), terry cloth bath towels, cotton flannel baby receiving blankets or even cotton t-shirts.
What's The Best Most Absorbent Cloth Diaper Insert
At the end of the day a combination of inserts tends to be the ultimate solution. And it does make a difference how you layer them. So whatever kind of inserts you choose, put the faster absorbing ones on top, slower ones on the bottom. Here's the order you want to follow:
MICROFIBER - Fastest absorbing, always on top if you are using it (but always in a pocket diaper or with a fleece liner on top because it shouldn't touch the skin directly.
COTTON
BAMBOO
HEMP - Slowest absorbing, always on the bottom if you are using it
So, you don't have to use all of them, but follow that order. For example if you had microfiber and hemp, hemp on the bottom. If you were using microfiber and bamboo, bamboo on the bottom. If you had bamboo and cotton, bamboo on the bottom and so forth. And keep in mind that when using microfiber, even though it goes on top, it still shouldn't touch the skin, so make sure your inserts are inside the pocket of your pocket style diaper, or that you use a soft fleece liner on the very top between inserts and baby.
🧺 Find Your Best Insert: Quick Picker
Match your situation to the right absorbency layer. Most families use a combination.
Newborn or light wetter, trim fit needed
Best pick: Bamboo or cotton inserts in newborn size.
Why it works: Absorbs quickly, with a slim profile and a soft feel against tender skin.
Explore cloth diaper inserts →Heavy wetter or overnight
Best pick: Hemp beneath a faster-absorbing layer (cotton or bamboo).
Why it works: Hemp offers high holding capacity and resists compression leaks. A faster absorbing layer on top helps catch moisture while hemp collects and holds underneath.
Explore hemp insert options →Toddler who floods all at once
Best pick: Microfiber or cotton on top, with hemp on the bottom.
Why it works: The faster top layer catches the flood quickly before it escapes and transfers wetness to the hemp providing that extra holding capacity underneath.
Find inserts to pair together →Need more absorbency from an existing diaper
Best pick: An absorbency booster - think cotton or bamboo.
Why it works: Adds absorbency without extra bulk. Choose a size that fits comfortably without overstuffing the diaper.
Explore boosters →Want a versatile, budget-friendly option
Best pick: Prefolds & flats.
Why it works: Tri-fold a prefold or pad-fold a flat to fit in your pocket diaper or diaper cover. Cotton absorbs quickly and is easy to wash. Cotton prefolds and flats are also very economical and last a long time. Easily usable for multiple babies.
Browse prefolds & flats →Looking for easy poop removal or a stay dry wicking layer
Best pick: Disposable diaper liners (for the 💩) or microfleece liners for a stay-dry layer
Why it works: Disposable liners are very thin, and not absorbent. They let liquids pass through and they catch the solids for easier removal before washing. Simply toss the liner and any solids before washing the diaper. Microfleece liners can also help with removal of solids but they are washable and reusable. They pull liquids away from the skin into the absorbent core of the diaper keeping baby's skin feeling dry and comfortable.
View Liners →Layering tip: Put faster-absorbing layers like cotton, bamboo or microfiber on top and slower-absorbing ones like hemp underneath. *Bare microfiber should never touch baby's skin..
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