What is the allure of "cloth-backed" diapers/pullups?

[XyXy]

As someone who has been incontinent for over 12 years, I have watched with amazement at the rise of cloth-backed diapers, and the decline of plastic backed ones. I too was excited initially with the prospect of having a silent diaper that performed as well as the plastic backed, but as many others have experienced, I was let down when it actually came time to perform. I write this in frustration, as I am sitting in a saggy Abena M2 "air plus".

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

Cloth is consdered "grownup". When Kanga developed their waterproof cloth panties, they were lauded for not being plastic or rubber and therefore "grown up" and not "babyish" or "little"

[XyXy]

Well, I'm not really into the AB side, but if grown-up means wearing an inferior diaper, then count me as babyish!

[kevindhca]

Simple matter of economics. Plastic is expensive, less plastic = lower cost for the manufacturer.

Using good quality plastic pants will greatly increase the capacity of a cloth backed diaper.

I use Babykins over Kendall Lille maxi for overnight, rarely get leaks.

[BabyFoxDK]

Simple matter of economics. Plastic is expensive, less plastic = lower cost for the manufacturer.

Using good quality plastic pants will greatly increase the capacity of a cloth backed diaper.

I use Babykins over Kendall Lille maxi for overnight, rarely get leaks.

[XyXy]

But it's still plastic. They're not using natural fibres for the cloth material.

In fact, they're using MORE plastic to produce the cloth backed type, than the regular old plastic foil type.

I agree. At least with Abena's, if you compare the plastic backed to the "cloth" backed, the plastic version feels thinner and folds much easier. Cloth-backed are more expensive in general, both to produce, and to purchase. If producers can convince the people to pay for a higher priced version, they can increase their profits slightly.

[kevindhca]

But it's still plastic. They're not using natural fibres for the cloth material.

In fact, they're using MORE plastic to produce the cloth backed type, than the regular old plastic foil type.

The cloth like fabric is not plastic. It's a non- woven fiber mat.

The plastic sheet is also thinner in a cloth covered diaper resulting in more than a 50% reduction in plastic use.

[XyXy]

The cloth like fabric is not plastic. It's a non- woven fiber mat.

The plastic sheet is also thinner in a cloth covered diaper resulting in more than a 50% reduction in plastic use.

Actually, the vast majority of modern "cloth-backed" use polypropylene as the outer shell. Polypropylene is a plastic resin.

[XyXy]

I did a little experiment to compare cloth-backed to plastic backed diapers. The results are interesting, but not conclusive. I took two unopened bags of Abena M2 diapers. One was a plastic backed, the other "premium" cloth-backed. I measured and weighed each.

[Baby Brian]

As someone who has been incontinent for over 12 years, I have watched with amazement at the rise of cloth-backed diapers, and the decline of plastic backed ones. I too was excited initially with the prospect of having a silent diaper that performed as well as the plastic backed, but as many others have experienced, I was let down when it actually came time to perform. I write this in frustration, as I am sitting in a saggy Abena M2 "air plus".

[Walesiswet]

I too was reading about the manufacturing of backsheets last night and they are designed to be breathable to air and not to liquid. The problem is only a couple of brands get it close to being pee proof. Abena are terrible IMHO! Whats the point!! I wonder who they test these products on, I mean anybody who doesn't get frustrated that you've paid good money for a, let's say tena flex maxi, an after two wettings it's not half used the padding but your damp between the legs because the backsheet seeps pee.

Euron and molicare have pretty good breathable backsheets but for goodness sake, a diaper is a diaper, it's poor sole purpose in life is to contain poo and wee. I don't want to smell it or feel it, neither do I want to change my clothes because of dampness. I've never heard of breathable catheter bags, or breathable fecal collectors.

Come on companies, get real!

[XyXy]

I too was reading about the manufacturing of backsheets last night and they are designed to be breathable to air and not to liquid. The problem is only a couple of brands get it close to being pee proof. Abena are terrible IMHO! Whats the point!! I wonder who they test these products on, I mean anybody who doesn't get frustrated that you've paid good money for a, let's say tena flex maxi, an after two wettings it's not half used the padding but your damp between the legs because the backsheet seeps pee.

Euron and molicare have pretty good breathable backsheets but for goodness sake, a diaper is a diaper, it's poor sole purpose in life is to contain poo and wee. I don't want to smell it or feel it, neither do I want to change my clothes because of dampness. I've never heard of breathable catheter bags, or breathable fecal collectors.

Come on companies, get real!

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

Using good quality plastic pants will greatly increase the capacity of a cloth backed diaper.

I use Babykins over Kendall Lille maxi for overnight, rarely get leaks.

I think that is what the whole "cloth-backed" fiasco is about avoiding and what it makes worse by needing the panties

[Wet Knight]

Because 'cloth-backed' weep, to be on the safe side, wearers change more often.

[Dill_Pickle]

For what it's worth, one of my grandmothers *would not* wear a diaper, in spite of getting pee all over the place.

[Bettypooh]

The 'allure' to some is the promise of security against wetness with discretion, and if the promise was kept then it might be a good idea. But with it being only a promise it becomes a failure. Perhaps the low capacity has something to do with this, but I find the Depends cloth-like backing to be totally reliable, so if they can do this why can't the orther manufacturers get it right? I plastic-backed diapers but if there were no more of them I could be happy with cloth-like backing so long as it worked just as effectively. So far that doesn't seem to be happening and the manufacturers don't mind having the extra sales. I wonder who is going to develop a truly waterproof cloth-like backing first and whether they will begin taking the market from the rest who will then have to follow along or go broke Todays concept of marketing is not to produce newer and better, but to sell the consumer on what you want to produce and to follow along with your competitors no matter what so that the market gets only the worst ansd least possible instead of the best With a mindset like that what else do you expect from cloth-like backing?

[Walesiswet]

Maybe in time this will go full a full circle, where are the manufacturers going to go with their products next.

I have a vision of some tena adverts saying 'now with new leakproof backsheet!!!'

'100% external dryness and less skin irritation from our new super smooth silky poly backsheet'

Greed, a word that seems to describe most companies and governments. An attitude that creates shitty products or services that don't help the end users.

I wouldn't mind if the manufacturers gave people choice. But I can't imagine.....your a poor incontinent person and supplied some shitty diaper through your healthcare, and woooosh, it's as good as pissing on a sieve!

Agree with bettypooh, why are the manufacturers producing brands that leak and others get it right.

How hard can it be to sit down in a meeting and agree that pee will leak through this one sir!!

Or "these tapes just don't stick, put stickier glue on them!"

I wonder if these companies actually test their products on otherwise fit and healthy people, and not just old nursing home patients that are unable to communicate the fact that the inside of their thighs are wet. Or maybe they really do just poor blue dye water on each new product, pat each other's backs and say "good job!"

[Bettypooh]

[Dubious]

I can only see downsides with cloth-like, clearly most in this thread do too

[Nat]

People need to start writing to the companies to tell them how they feel about their cloth like products or call them.

[Dubious]

People need to start writing to the companies to tell them how they feel about their cloth like products or call them.

Well, the day there is only cloth-like diapers is the day I save money, so TBFH, I dun really care

[Baby Brian]

People need to start writing to the companies to tell them how they feel about their cloth like products or call them.

[Dubious]

Maybe if you tell them to show their cloth-like up their ass, cause they might work well as tampons..

[babyleanna75]

People need to start writing to the companies to tell them how they feel about their cloth like products or call them.

The problem with abena is there is no web site address or numbers to call with complaints listed on their packagine

[Nat]

The problem with abena is there is no web site address or numbers to call with complaints listed on their packagine

I wonder if you can find it online.