Materials used

A run down of materials used in MCN's and inserts:

MERINO AND HANDKNITTED WOOLS:

Merino Fabric:

Merino is a super absorber, it can absorb up to 30% its own weight in moisture before feeling damp.
Merino is lightweight and doesn't give the wearer that "clammy" feeling.
Merino has natural odour resistant properties.
Merino naturally resists soiling as well, so you have a chance to wipe up any spills.
Merino is also a natural, renewable fibre making it an important choice in these times where we are all trying to reduce our footprints on this earth for our children.

Handknitted wools:

Wool is a fantastic fibre to use for a overnap product.

Naturally warm when wet,

Stretchy,

Absorbant,

Naturally deodourising
 

Soft

PUL:

Polyurethane Laminate - a layer of polyurethane laminated onto fabric. Waterproof material.  Available in a large range of colours and prints. Not a crackly feeling plastic like you will find in old fasioned pilchers. Soft and stretchy.

MICROFLEECE:

Is not a natural product (ie cotton) so does not absorb fluid. Making it the preferred choice for the stay dry lining in most MCN's. Fluid passes through the microfleece into the inserts keeping babies bottom dry.  Microfleece is also sometimes used as a liner in fitted nappies and prefolds.

BAMBOO:

Bamboo material is a highly absorbant material. It will add mutiply layers of absorbacy without weight or bulk. Bamboo is a slightly longer drying fabric. Bamboo also has natural anitfungal and antibacterial properties making it a great choice in nappy products.

HEMP:

Hemp again is a highly absorbant fabric. Hemp absorbs moisture slowly and locks it away. This makes hemp great to use as a booster or in combination with other insert fabrics. Hemp reaches it's full absorbancy after several washes as it looses it's natural oils.

100% hemp has up four times the durability and absorption of cotton. Making it ideal for the use in nappies is it naturally occuring anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

Hemp is also an environmentally friendly choice too - the growth of hemp has a low impact on our environment, uses less water to grow than cotton, requires less labor, and hemp can be made in a shorter time than cotton.

MICROFIBRE:

Microfiber is very lightweight, thin and a very absorbent fabric. With microfibre being so lightweight it means you can have inserts consisiting of several layers and it will still dry incredibly fast.

Microfibre is so absorbent, it is not recommended to be used in direct contact with baby's skin, as it will also absorb the skin's natural oils and so be TOO drying. Because of this it is ideal as an insert for a pocket nappy, or  hidden layer in a fitted nappy, or use with a microfleece/suedecloth liner on top to prevent the direct skin contact.

Microfibre absorbs very quickly but can become "squidgy" when it is soaked with fluid, so it is better used with another fabric as a combo.