Cloth diapers are reusable diapers that work from the newborn period all the way to potty training. The size is adjusted with snaps at the front, so you don't need to buy new ones as your child grows — and the same diapers can be used for several children. Whether you're curious whether cloth diapers would suit your family — or you've already started and want to understand more — you'll find everything here.
This guide covers what cloth diapers are, which models we have, how to adjust the fit, how to wash them and what you actually save. Read from the beginning or jump straight to what you're wondering about.
What is a cloth diaper?
A cloth diaper works just like a disposable — you put it on, change it when it's time, and put the diaper in the wash instead of the bin. That's the whole difference in practice.
What makes cloth diapers a little different is that they're adjustable. Instead of buying a new size as the child grows, you adjust the diaper with snaps at the front. The same diaper fits a child from about 3–5 kg all the way to potty-training age — that's what we mean by "one size".
The materials are carefully chosen: the absorbent insert is made of bamboo (a natural material that breathes and keeps a comfortable temperature), and the outer cover has a thin waterproof TPU layer — the same technology as in performance clothing, free from BPA and phthalates. All materials are OEKO-Tex Standard 100-certified.
Cloth diapers — which model suits you?
There are a few different types of cloth diapers, and they suit different families depending on what works best in your everyday life. Here are the most common:
Cover / All-in-One Diaper
The cover (or "all-in-one") is the most flexible option. It comes in two sizes — Comfort (5–17 kg) and Slim (3–15 kg, for the smallest) — and works in two ways:
- As a cover diaper: you just change the insert at each diaper change and reuse the cover if it's clean. Perfect for reducing laundry.
- As a whole diaper: the whole diaper is washed after each change — smooth if you prefer it that way.
The inserts for the Cover / All-in-One Diaper have two surfaces — bamboo on one side and stay-dry on the other. You choose which side faces your child's skin:
- Bamboo — when you want your child to feel a little wetness against the skin. Helpful for the child to understand their own signals, especially as potty training approaches.
- Stay-dry — when the diaper will stay on longer and you want your child to feel dry even as it fills up. The material wicks moisture away from the skin (a bit like a sports t-shirt).
Same insert, two possibilities through the day — you simply flip it depending on the situation. It's a popular detail many parents appreciate — one more thing that makes our Cover / All-in-One Diaper system easy to use in everyday life.
Pocket Diaper
The pocket diaper has a pocket inside where the absorbent insert is placed. When it gets soiled you take out the insert and wash everything. Because the insert is already inside the diaper, it becomes a ready-to-use solution without loose parts — popular for preschool or babysitters where changes need to be quick. It's handled just like a disposable: open, change, close.
Our main variant is the Pocket Diaper – Comfort (5–17 kg) — part of our main range (more on materials and certifications further down).
For those looking for an entry at a lower price, we also have the Pocket Diaper – Basic with hook-and-loop closure (4–16 kg).
Newborn Diaper — for the very smallest
For the very smallest we have the Newborn Diaper (2–6 kg) — designed for a perfect fit from birth. It has a sewn-in insert with an extra insert included, and fits snugly from 2 kg.
If you want to start with cloth diapers right from birth, there are two paths:
- The Newborn Diaper if you want optimal fit from day one. It has shorter usage time though, since the child grows out of it at around 6 kg — which for most children corresponds to somewhere between 2–4 months.
- Cover / All-in-One Diaper – Slim (3–15 kg) — many use it straight from birth, others wait a week or two until the baby has grown into shape. A good option for those who want longer use of the same diaper, all the way to the end of the diaper period.
Both work brilliantly at the start. More on choices for newborns in our guide to cloth diapers for newborns.
Materials — what touches your baby's skin
What sits closest to the skin matters. Cloth diapers don't have the same plastic-against-skin feel as disposables — the material breathes in a different way.
The insert (the absorbent part) is bamboo blended with polyester. Bamboo is a natural material that holds moisture in, breathes and keeps an even temperature. The material blend is deliberately chosen to combine absorption with durability — the inserts withstand many washes and last across several children. It's not just about economy: if inserts wear out too fast, more products are consumed, and cloth diapers lose both the savings and the resource gain. They're gentle on sensitive skin and a natural choice for parents who opt out of unnecessary chemicals.
The cover (the outside) in our main range is made of recycled polyester (r-PET) — material that was previously PET bottles, given new life as a cloth diaper. It's coated with TPU, a thin waterproof layer that prevents leakage without trapping air. TPU is free from harmful substances and is included in the OEKO-Tex certification.
All materials in the main range (Cover / All-in-One Diaper, Pocket Diaper – Comfort, Night Diaper, and our inserts) are OEKO-Tex Standard 100-certified — one of the textile industry's strictest standards for safety regarding chemicals and dyes.
The Basic range (Pocket Diaper – Basic, Insert Basic, Wet bag Basic) comes from a different supplier and has SGS-certified materials — internationally tested and verified to a recognised standard. That's why Basic can be offered at a lower price.
Fit — how to adjust the cloth diaper correctly
The most common question from parents who've just started is: how should the diaper fit? The answer is simpler than you might think.
Cloth diapers are adjusted with snaps — along the waist and in height. You never need to change size, you just snap differently as the child grows.
Height adjustment (size in height): the row of snaps at the front determines how high the diaper sits. Newborn → snap at the lowest setting. Older child → build up step by step.
The two-finger rule (applies to both waist and legs): A simple rule of thumb that works for all ages. You should easily be able to fit two fingers between the diaper and the child's skin — both along the waist and at the leg openings. Not tight, and not so loose that it gaps.
We've written a whole guide on fit with step-by-step pictures: How should the cloth diaper fit?
Washing and care
Washing cloth diapers is simpler than the rumours suggest — once the routine is in place it becomes part of everyday life.
The essentials in short:
- Solid waste goes in the toilet. Breastfeeding poo (before the child has started solid food) is water-soluble and disappears in the wash — you don't need to do anything there.
- Store used diapers with airflow in a wet bag or an open bucket with a towel over. Not tightly sealed — the air needs to reach them. Don't soak them.
- Wash at 60 °C with a fragrance-free detergent. No fabric softener, no bleach.
- Air-dry if you can.
Need to wait longer than 4–5 days before washing? Hang the diapers up to dry first — they'll handle the storage better. For longer intervals, diaper covers with extra inserts are often easiest: you just change the insert and let the cover air between uses.
If you want the full routine — what to do with different types of poo, which detergent works best, how to adapt to different wash intervals — we have a separate guide that covers everything:
→ Washing cloth diapers — how simple it really is
How many cloth diapers do you need?
The most common answer: 20–25 diapers if you want to cover full time and wash about every third day.
The newborn period is an exception — newborns change more often (8–12 times a day), so plan for a 2-day interval at the start unless you want a huge stash.
| Diaper type | For full time (wash every 3rd day) |
|---|---|
| Cover diaper (Comfort) | 6–8 covers + 20–25 inserts |
| Pocket diaper | 20–25 diapers |
| Combination | Adapt to how you prefer it |
With a cover diaper you often just change the insert — the cover is reused if it's clean. That's why you need fewer covers but more inserts. With a pocket diaper the whole diaper is always changed, so you need more in total.
Want to get started without buying a full stash right away? A starter kit is built exactly for that — you get the right number of diapers, inserts and a wet bag in one package. See all starter kits here.
What do you save with cloth diapers?
For many, economy is a reason to start with cloth diapers — and it's an honest reason. Here's what the numbers say.
Disposables over a diaper period (about 3 years): a child uses about 5,700 disposables from birth to potty training. With standard-priced disposables that lands at about 15,000 kr for one child. Premium disposables can push towards 20,000 kr.
Cloth diapers over the same period: a basic complete set (8 covers, 24 inserts, wet bags, wash cloths) costs around 4,000–5,000 kr to buy in. Add the washing — about 7 kr per wash (electricity, water, detergent included) — and you land at around 8,000 kr in total over the whole diaper period. Sell the diapers on afterwards and you'll get some of that back.
The difference: You can save up to 10,000 kr on one child compared with disposables. That's not a marketing figure — that's what the calculation shows with actual 2026 prices.
And siblings then? Here it gets really interesting. The same diapers can be used for the next child — you only need a new wash budget and perhaps to top up a little. For two children, the saving lands at around 15,000 kr compared with disposables.
Resale value: Cloth diapers have an active resale market — mainly on online second-hand marketplaces and buy-and-sell groups (Facebook, Vinted, eBay and similar, depending on where you live). How much you get back varies with condition: typically around a quarter of the original price, and up to half if the diapers are in very good condition. A bit of luck plays in — but the active market means the products keep a value. Our diapers are designed in a slow fashion spirit — we don't constantly release new collections that make older patterns dated, which means they retain a lasting value over time.
The investment then? It's more honest than an even monthly cost: you pay a few thousand up front, and then the largest ongoing cost is just the washing. Break-even against disposables comes after roughly 8–10 months — after that you save every month going forward.
A starter kit is built to make the entry easier — you get a basic set with diapers and matching inserts to start and see how cloth diapers suit your everyday life, without immediately investing in a full stash. Once you know the routine works, you can top up as needed.
→ See the starter kits — packaged to get you off to the right start
What's in a starter kit — and what do you need?
The easiest way to get going is with one of our starter kits. They contain diapers, inserts and a wet bag — everything you need to start. We have starter kits for different situations across our entire main range — from the Newborn Diaper (2–6 kg) for the very smallest, via Slim (3–15 kg) and Comfort (5–17 kg) through the whole diaper period, to Night Diaper & Diaper Cover for night use.
You also choose patterns — all in our main range have specially designed Nordic-inspired patterns: Skogsvrå, Dalablomster, Ängsving, Skogssvamp, Dalaräv and several others.
Pocket Diaper – Basic is available at a lower price — a separate collection, for those who want to try cloth diapers without a bigger investment.
→ See all starter kits
→ See all cloth diapers and accessories
Frequently asked questions about cloth diapers
Are cloth diapers difficult to use?
No — most parents who start describe it as the routine settling in within a week. It's mostly about learning the wash rhythm.
Can you combine cloth diapers with disposables?
Absolutely. Many families use cloth at home and disposables on outings or with a childminder. The combination works well and is a good way to start without changing everything at once.
Do cloth diapers leak more than disposables?
If the fit is right, no. On the contrary — loose baby poo (often called "back blowouts") actually tends to stay in better in a cloth diaper, thanks to the adjustable fit that follows the child's body more closely than a disposable does. If it does leak wetness — check the fit with the two-finger rule, both at the waist and at the leg openings. Adjust the height snaps or width snaps as needed.
Tip for the 6–8 month age: When the child starts eating solid food they often drink larger quantities of liquid through the food, and some children pee more than usual during a period. Then an extra insert may be needed for a while — fold a thin insert lengthwise and place it where the wetness lands first.
Do cloth diapers work at night?
It depends on the child. Many children sleep well in a cloth diaper. If it leaks you need extra absorbent inserts — see our night diaper guide for concrete tips.
Can you start with cloth diapers when the child is older?
Yes. You can start at any point during the diaper period. The earlier the more you save, but there are no downsides to starting at 6 months.
What do you do with the cloth diapers afterwards?
Sell them on, give them to the next child or donate. Cloth diapers in good condition are sought-after on the second-hand market.
How long do cloth diapers last?
With the right care they last for the whole diaper period and often for 2–3 children. Avoid fabric softener and tumble drying.
Can children with sensitive skin use cloth diapers?
Yes, cloth diapers can be a good option for sensitive skin and diaper rash — the natural materials breathe and are free from fragrance and additives. Choose bamboo closest to the skin for extra softness. For medical concerns regarding your child, always consult a healthcare professional.
Ready to start?
It should be easy to make a good choice. Have a look at the starter kits — they're built to give you exactly what you need to get going, without guesswork.
→ See starter kits for newborn and older
→ Explore the whole range
If you have questions, you're always welcome to get in touch.