The weather has been really gorgeous lately, so we’ve been spending more and more time outside. My husband has managed to bump half a dozen woodworking projects to the top of his list so he can work in the backyard and enjoy the day, and we even picked up some fresh plants to add to our raised beds in the driveway. I’m looking forward to planting them later this week. It’s amazing how good I feel after spending a few hours outside, and Harper loves it, too. There’s just so much to see and do, and it makes me so grateful to have a home with a yard after many years of apartment living. 
Today I’m reviewing a luxe flat from Sweet Iris, it is called the Snug Bug bamboo viscose stretch terry flat. {Learn more about why flats are awesome with this video and infographic}
[typography font=”Crafty Girls” size=”24″ size_format=”px”]Ease of Use✩✩✩✩[/typography] Flats are a wonderful choice for cloth diapering, they tend to be what most people think of when they are not familiar with modern cloth options, but they are still around with good reason. Flats can be folded in a variety of ways to accommodate any size/shape baby and any situation, yet they can be washed and dried faster than any other diaper. The learning curve can be a bit higher if you have never experimented with different flat folds before, but once you find a fold you love it becomes second nature. Some parents will prep the flats after removing them from the line/dryer by folding them and tucking them into a diaper cover or stacking them in a basket so they are ready to be placed on the baby without extra prep work while the baby is wiggling and waiting. Many parents will just use a simple pad fold which is certainly as easy as using a regular insert, it just requires that moment of folding which is negligible. {Editor’s note: In the video the folding is shown on their flat with rounded corners, but it seems they have updated to square corners which can make folding easier}

[typography font=”Crafty Girls” size=”24″ size_format=”px”]Bang for the Buck ✩✩✩[/typography] At 13.95 for the style I am reviewing here, this flat will cost more than the flour sack towels you might buy at a local big box store or the cotton flats you can find on cloth diaper websites. The cost is for quality, however, in material as well as construction. Bamboo is very strong and absorbent, and it naturally prevents the growth of bacteria (any mom who has rescued a cloth diaper that went missing for a few days before being washed knows how terrible mildew and mold can be, and using bamboo is a great way to guard against the inevitable). It is also very breathable and doesn’t get too warm like some fabrics can, which is ideal for our Florida heat, and Harper’s sensitive skin.
[typography font=”Crafty Girls” size=”24″ size_format=”px”]Performance ✩✩✩✩✩[/typography] The most noticeable difference between this flat and others I’ve tried is the absorbency. This flat can easily hold at least three times as much as our cotton flats, and yet Harper’s skin does not appear irritated after an extended time between changes as it would with our other flats. This is the only flat I like to use if I have a few errands to run and don’t know how long it will be before I can change her. I wish I had a second to keep in my purse since it is so lightweight and compact, it would be easy to keep on hand for emergencies (while doubling as a bib/towel/blanket if needed).
[typography font=”Crafty Girls” size=”24″ size_format=”px”]Fit ✩✩✩✩✩[/typography] These flats are very trim and soft, so it’s easy to get a good fit (even when Harper would rather do anything else but have her diaper changed, and is being very wiggly). The bamboo viscose is extraordinarily soft and squishable even after many washes in our wretched hard water and line drying, and it has a nice bit of stretch to ensure a comfortable fit on Harper. If we’re playing in the yard or at home I love putting her in her Sweet Iris flat without a cover, it’s a great chance to let her skin breathe while still protecting her.
[typography font=”Crafty Girls” size=”24″ size_format=”px”]Overall:[/typography] I love how luxurious this flat feels. I’ve heard some parents make comments about diapering with flats, because they have only ever used all in ones and haven’t experienced how absorbent and versatile flats are. They also tend to think of them as the economical option (and they are, comparatively) but flats like these are so nice I can easily imagine them being used by royalty (didn’t I hear a rumor Kate Middleton is cloth diapering?) {editor’s note: YES! And they only use terry nappies} and celebrities since they are so well made and tactilely pleasing. If I were putting together a baby shower gift for someone I really really loved, I’d buy a half dozen of these (you can choose which color thread you would like the edges serged with, it’s a non-wicking thread so the absorbency isn’t channeled to the edges like with some other brands) along with a beautiful wool cover and tuck them in a sweet little basket.
[typography font=”Crafty Girls” size=”24″ size_format=”px”]Where to Buy:[/typography] SweetIrisDesigns on Etsy
