Unless you have been living under a rock for the past week, you have seen that many cloth diaper brands have been releasing new prints recently. And there are more coming! The ABC Kids Expo begins this weekend. Lots of cloth diaper manufacturers will be there to show off their newest products. This means we are going to be hearing even more announcements very soon! I went last year and had a blast, but I am a little (ok, a lot) pregnant this year and can’t be there!
Here are the ones we know so far, let me know if I have missed any!
bumGenius! unveiled their new Tiny Socialite Collection, designed my Chelsea Perry. This is the first in their “Artist Series.” I think we can safely say this has been the most controversial and polarizing release. Responses have ranged from love to disgust. The fact is, if you don’t like it, don’t buy it! You can see my son modeling the entire collection in a previous post.
The Tiny Socialite Collection
Rumparooz was an earlier release, with two new prints. Rumparooz has so far been the leader in the print world. They often have limited prints and they come out with new ones fairly often!
Robotronics
Eco Owl
Gro Via just showed off their new prints that will be available in December. These prints will grace the AI2/Hybrids and the All-in-One. Many retailers are open for pre-orders.
Gro Via Prints
Bummis has been busy over the past couple of weeks. First they released the new prints for the Tots Bots Easy Fits, and most recently, let us in on 2 new prints for their Bummis Super Whisper Wraps. I have a feeling we will be seeing even more fun stuff soon!
The 6 New Tots Bots Prints!
Rocket
Ladybugs
Thirsties had a low key release of a new print in 2 colors. Pictured is Baby Bird Blue. Also comes in lavender.
Baby Bird Blue
*Just added
Happy Heinys has a few new prints. They have been releasing them on their facebook page, which is where I found the photo! There are even more new prints on their facebook page. Ooga Boogas, Circles, and more.
Puppies on tan
Glow in the Dark Skulls on Grey, Owls on White
I am still waiting to see the new prints from Softbums that they released at ABC, and a few others. I did not add the adorable Weehuggers prints because they are a cotton knit over PUL, not a true PUL print.
Which print is your favorite?!
Do you need to own any (or all) of these?!? You can always place a pre-order using my affiliate link for Kelly’s Closet! You can support my blog and your fluff addiction, all at the same time!
I was asked to be part of Team bumGenius! to help show off their new Artist Series prints. I feel truly honored to have been asked. Being a part of Team bumGenius! meant that I received a special Fluffy Mail package containing 5 bumGenius! 4.0′s in the new print series. Yes. I was shocked and in awe.
My next task was to prep them and begin a fabulous photo shoot with my handsome son. I am extremely pleased with the results. Now that the cat is out of the bag and bumGenius! has debuted the prints on their YouTube channel(if you haven’t seen the video then go watch it now!) I can share my photos with the world. All of the information regarding the artist and the future of the series is in the video!
After seeing the prints in person I expected nothing less of bumGenius! The brand has always had a clear identity and style. To customers, it may be frustrating to wait for new colors and prints, however, the brand works very hard to keep quality and style at the highest standards. Like their other color series, the Artist Series carries a theme within all of the colors. You will see new colors never before seen on the brand (black, red) and old favorites sneaking in.
From bumGenius!
This is the Tiny Socialite Collection by Chelsea Perry, the first in the bumGenius Artist Series.
Designed exclusively for Cotton Babies by artist Chelsea Perry, the collection includes five color combinations: ConcreteJungle (red/pale green), Jet Setter (purple/blue), Free Spirit (clementine/pale yellow), Retail Therapy (teal/lavender) and Eiffel Tower (black/white). The diapers are cut from the fabric in a way that no two diapers are exactly alike.
These designs will be available in bumGenius 4.0 cloth diapers in both hook & loop and snap closures. bumGenius 4.0 Artist Series diapers retail for $19.95. A limited number will also be available in bumGenius Elemental cloth diapers. Artist Series Elemental diapers will retail for $24.95.
Diapers are available for pre-order (immediately after release) from Cotton Babies. All authorized retailers, including our international retailers, also have the option to pre-order this collection beginning tomorrow (Oct. 5). Orders will ship, in the order they are received, beginning on November 16, 2010.
Fans may submit their favorite artists for future Artist Series collections. That information will be published on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/bumgenius.
To view a photo just click it!
What are my thoughts?
First, I am happy bumGenius! has waited until they could release such gorgeous and unique prints. While other cloth diaper companies have their own prints, some cute, some not so much, bumGenius! has been able to acheive a higher standard in design and aesthetics. Free Spirit (the yellow diaper) is my favorite of them all. It reminds me very much of a beautiful stained glass window that I saw in a video game (Wind Waker).
When you see these prints in person you won’t be dissapointed. I am on the edge of my seat to see what the next series has in store!
*edited to add:
I think this print is going to receive (and has already) a “love it” or “hate it” response. Mainly because it is not in the mainstream among diaper prints. First, before hating it, you need to consider that diaper prints must look good from all angles. Second, if you have seen the video, the artist seems a little nervous and her explanations are… how do I put it nicely………. odd. Don’t let that ruin the series for you. And remember, if you hate these, you may love the next batch!
What do you think? Which is your favorite? Is there an artist you have in mind that bumGenius! should use for the next series?
A special thank you to bumGenius! for asking me to be apart of this monumental cloth diaper launch! Again, I am very honored and extremely grateful for the opportunity! 5 free bumGenius! 4.0′s were received for me to try on my son as well as a bumGenius tshirt for myself!
If you have been reading my blog for a while you probably know that I am a “fan” of bumGenius! products. I have been using their 3.0′s since my son fit into them (around 12-14 pounds, leak free) and their Elementals (Organic AIO‘s) since I bought a few when he was a couple of months old. I have reviewed the 3.0 (BG 3.0 Review) and Elemental (Elemental- FMA BG Organic AIO- review) already. I won’t say I was disappointed when they announced that the 3.0 was being discontinued since I knew the next diaper (I correctly predicted would be called 4.0) would be very similar with a few improvements. The most obvious improvement they needed to make, improving the hook and loop closure and adding snaps, were both realized. Bonus improvements: the ability to easily replace elastic and a higher rise.
They also added new colors, which I am not a huge fan of. I will specifically say I am not a fan of their names. Why must color names be so confusing? Case in point: I ordered 2 bumGenius! 4.0′s to review, one with hook and loop and one in snaps. I ordered 2 of the new colors: Noodle and Bubble. I didn’t double check what the colors were. Bubble= lavender. Let me ask you, when you think of a bubble, do you think of purple or blue? Water=blue. Bubbles=blue. Also, the color Sweet reminds me of lavender or pink. That is pale green. Noodle is the light yellow, which does make sense. Noodles are yellow, or pale yellow, and this is an accurate description of that color. I do not like that I need to research the colors, which not all stores have listed with a description or photo (and photos don’t help since the colors are so pale, they all look the same) before I buy. My son has a purple diaper. So what? Wanna fight about it?
New Color Guide:
Bubble= Light Lavender
Noodle= Light Yellow
Sweet= Light Green
Update: bumGenius has re-released their beloved “Brights” colors and has released a series of prints. You can view all of the new prints by heading to my blog post about theChelsea Perry Tiny Socialite Collection, it includes action shots of them all.
My Review
Ease of Use ✫✫✫✫✫ The 4.0 doesn’t differ from the 3.0 in this regard. I tell anyone who asks me about a good intro cloth diaper that they should try the 3.0 (now I say 4.0). It is affordable, durable, easy to use with the hook and loop (and snaps), simple to find the right fit, and easy to take off. You still need to affix the laundry tabs before washing, and you need to remove the insert. You will need to restuff the diaper before baby wears it. Is it easy? Yes. Is it as easy as an AIO? No. Is it worth the extra steps? Pretty much. Pockets dry faster than most AIO‘s and are generally cheaper. I do wish the laundry tabs were closer to the actual tab, so that when I change the baby I could just pinch it closed rather than seek out the tab farther in. I have to look for it. Some diapers you don’t need to do this.
Bang for the Buck: ✫✫✫✫ The 4.0 is the same price as the 3.0 was: 17.95. bumGenius! keeps their prices consistent among retailers. It is hard to find a “sale” on them. However, they are worth the investment. My 3.0′s have lasted for almost 2 years. I am hopeful that the improved hook and loop will last on the 4.0, and replaceable elastic will also contribute to their life span. You will see that a few hundred dollars for a stash of 4.0′s will still be far less than the thousands of dollars you would have spent on disposables.
Performance ✫✫✫✫✫I am going to say that I have had no leaks, no fit issues, nothing with the 4.0. I was new to cloth when I started with the 3.0 and did experience leaks due to my repelling issues. I have used these overnight with both inserts and I also had no leaks. I do prefer fitteds overnight but I was happy to report dry sheets!
Fit ✫✫✫✫ I can at this time only speak to the fit on my toddler. He is still on the middle rise snap (has been for a very long time) so he has growing room. In the video you can see a comparison to the 3.0 in terms of the change in rise. While it isn’t a massive jump I figure it will help increase the time babies can wear these. He doesn’t get red marks from elastic. The diapers aren’t terribly bulky with one insert.
Overall- I am very happy with the 4.0, as I was with the 3.0. Like I said, these are really great for any parents first starting out. They don’t have bells and whistles like some diapers, and they don’t want to. You need to start somewhere and learn how to cloth diaper. These are simple enough to do that. Not everyone loves microfiber inserts because they can build up the stinkies. Microfiber is a more affordable insert option, but if you want you can always upgrade to a hemp/cotton/bamboo/zorb insert at a later time.
Where to buy: Pretty much any cloth diaper store. But, if you want, you can support my blog by buying yours at Kelly’s Closet.
Lately I have had this nagging thought in my head: One day we are going to run out of cute cloth diaper names. The good news is that this will be due to the growth of cloth diapers as an industry and the many brands that are out there and those that have yet to be made and named. The bad news is we will not have enough cute names to go around.
The pioneers of cloth diapers had it easy. Every synonym for “rear end” was available.
The first modern pocket diaper chose the name “Fuzzibunz”
Then the next pocket diapers came along. bumGenius!, Happy Heineys, Rumparooz, and Smartipants.
Don’t get me wrong, not all cloth diapers reference the booty. Some are just cute. Kissaluvs, Lollidoo, BabyKicks, Kiwi Pie.
Then there are the just plain weird, like Krap Katchers.
I suppose there will always be room for cute names, but only so many ways you can say “butt” in a funny and adorable way.
So what do you think? Am I underestimating the creativity of future entrepreneurs? Or are we doomed? And, I want to hear your favorite cloth diaper name! Leave it in the comments!
Instead of the usual video review, I am taking a week off. I only have 3 diapers I am reviewing and need an extra week before I am ready to publish.
So….. since many YouTube commenters and blog readers alike have asked, I took a short video to show my most used diapers. We are definitely a pocket family. I still have my original bumGenius! 3.0′s that I bought while pregnant. Those make up a large percentage of what I use daily. They are also great for my husband who gets tired of using a different diaper each change. That is my job!
So if you didn’t see this already on Facebook, take a look! Expect a video on how I do my cloth wipes in the future as well.
KAM Snap pliers got in touch with me to see if I could do a review of their snap pliers while doing a bumGenius! 3.0 snap conversion. Honestly, I was going to say no. I don’t have a ton of time to spare, and I haven’t done any crafts in quite a while. I was also unsure if I could do it. You know, do it and not ruin one of my beloved 3.0′s. I decided to look around their website to view how it was done. To my surprise, it looked fairly simple. So simple, even I could do it. And, I also remembered that the Hushamok Hammock I purchased used for baby boy number 2 had a broken snap. That made the decision for me!
I chose to get snaps in Ribbit to match one of my 3.0′s that could use snaps. I already had the majority of my BG‘s converted to snaps many months ago. All I had left were 3 white BG‘s and one in Ribbit with the original velcro. I also got the Ooga Booga engraved snaps which are super cute and add some fun to your diaper. Having the snaps match is very important. If you ever want to resell them, you will get more if the snaps are BG color and not white or random.
I took my time on getting things done. One evening I watched the video tutorial portion on taking off the velcro. I did have a seam ripper, and I carefully removed both the velcro strip and the tabs. The tabs were harder to undo than the strip. But overall it was less time consuming than I thought. I just watched TV and ripped.
Then, I realized I needed lined notebook paper for the next step. Ummm…… really? I didn’t have a single sheet of lined paper in my house. Printing paper? Yep! I haven’t used lined paper since college. So I googled for a printable template to use and found one for 1 line conversions. I wanted two. It took me a few days to get to the store to buy some paper. (I did make my own template and scanned it but my scanner is only printing, not scanning to the computer. ARGH. If you really want it let me know and I will try to get it working.)
Making the template was the hardest part for me. I despise measuring, and numbers. I wanted to do a good job and have my snaps lined correctly so I took my time and triple checked. I still messed up a little on my alignment from the top of the diaper.
After I made my template, marked where my snaps would go, and laid all of my snaps and sockets out, I was ready to actually SNAP. I was kind of excited.
Snapping wasn’t as hard as I imagined. You need to put muscle in, and you need to align the snaps to ensure that they actually SNAP, and that is it. Snap away.
Would I want to use pliers full time if I made diaper for resell? No. Would I use pliers to convert a few diapers? Yes. KamSnaps also sells a snap press, which is better for snapping diapers you are making in large quantities.
Since I spent over 30.00 to get my diapers converted, and only had a few done, I think the price is worth it even just for conversions. By the time you figure in shipping to the WAHM and back, you have spent a good bit. These pliers are great when you have many to do. You will save so much.
And PS, in case you are wondering, I fixed the snap on my hammock too. Worked like a charm! The snap may be green but I think it gives it character, plus the baby won’t mind.
PPS, I was going to add photos of my conversions but as luck would have it they are both in the wash the day I planned to take the pics/ post them. I will update with those later.
One lucky DDL reader is going to win a 30.00 Gift Card to KAMSnaps.com!
Mandatory Entry:
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Giveaway ends on July 1. Winner will be chosen using random.org. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn. Any incorrect entries will be deleted.
I can’t believe I did my first video cloth diaper review in April 2009. Now that I have reviewed over 50 cloth diapers I have established a rating system that is used for every review. When I first started, however, things were all over the place. I wrote a lot or a little, and had no rhyme or reason to what I included, much like the videos themselves.
It has been a long time coming that I should go back and revise older reviews to include a new category: Durability. Certain reviews will be edited, when I can, to include this new category. Only diapers that I feel I have given a good run will be updated. If for some reason I did not continue to use the diaper long after the review, I simply won’t update it. For now, you can see the Durability update on 3 of my first video reviews.
In case you missed it, this morning Sara Snow, Green Living Expert, appeared on Good Morning America to talk about how to green your baby’s diapers. She broke it down into “green’ greener’ greenest” as far as diapering options go.
She discussed chlorine free disposables (the green option), which while they might be slightly better as far as the chemicals within go, are no better for the environment.
Next, the “greener” option, were hybrid systems. She highlighted G Diapers and Flip. (Here is a video comparing G Diapers to Gro Baby, and my video review of the Flip system.)
Bum Genius 3.0
The “greenest” option is of course cloth diapers. On the set she had Bum Genius, which she announced she plans to use with her baby. Unfortunately, she was cut short due to time and hardly got to talk about the cloth diapers! She was able to briefly mention a diaper sprayer and getting rid of the solid waste.
I was pretty happy with the representation of cloth diapers, and even more happy by the discussion of the chemicals contained in disposables. The host said he was shocked by how many chemicals were in them and said it was scary stuff! Bravo!
If you want to watch the segment and read the write up about how to green your baby’s diaper on ABC News, follow this link.
I just love it when cloth diapers get media attention!
At last, the day is here! After many set backs, I can now post the Flip System Video Review.
The Flip Cloth Diapering system is an innovative “create your own adventure” sort of cloth diaper. The staple of the system is the cover, a waterproof, one size cover using the same snap down 3 step rise system as the Bum Genius. The inside of the cover is laminate PUL that can be wiped clean between uses. The closure uses snaps. To absorb the messes, Flip has given you three options. A stay dry, microfiber soaker which is one size. An organic cotton soaker that can be folded to fit different sizes. And, disposable inserts which are dye and fragrance free, to make traveling with cloth diapers a little easier!
Ease of Use ✰✰✰ With so many options, there are a lot of different things to learn when using the Flip. The Stay Dry insert is easy enough, and is even marked with a stitched line and wording letting you know where to fold for the size. The organic cotton insert has a grid pattern. While this seems helpful, and it can be, I prefer to just fold where I see fit. You can do that, but since the stitching makes a “crease” it stays folded better where the lines are. The disposable inserts are very skinny, and there is lots of excess room on the sides. Length wise, you can fold it to fit if you need to. But, if you aren’t careful, you could have leaking because there is room for error with these. I think practice will help you get the hang of how each insert should go, and if you need to fold one way, or another way. But if you get a leak or two in the beginning, don’t despair! Just rethink how you are using the insert! Bang for the Buck ✰✰✰✰ A good economical choice with a lot of options. There aren’t many cloth diapers with the choice of a disposable insert. Even the 4.95 for a pack of disposable inserts goes a long way if you only need one per change. Because the Flip is just a cover, you also have the option of buying less expensive, or even pre-loved prefolds to use as inserts also. The cover can be purchased alone for 13.95, a great price for a stand alone cover. If you buy the kits, ranging in price, you save more money than buying separate inserts and covers. The disposable inserts can only be bought alone, they do not come with any kits. Performance ✰✰✰✰ I personally found the stay dry and organic inserts to be sufficiently absorbent. The Organic insert washed up soft, and has stayed pretty soft (I use Ecover cloth diaper safe softener on occasion to keep things soft!). Overnight use went well for us, but my son isn’t a very heavy wetter. The stay dry insert is a little slim, and can move around some. It didn’t cause a leak, but if you have a bowel movement, there is a good chance that it will make it into the cover as well. Absorbency was good for us. I was impressed that the stay dry insert looked so simple, and worked well. It seems almost too easy! I used the disposable inserts for a flight I took recently. We had him in a Flip, packed a rolled up cover (which gets tiny! Super handy for the diaper bag!) and lots of inserts. I had enough to last me for more than a day, and it took up no more space than 3-4 cloth diapers. I used 2 inserts overnight before we left and had no leaking! And over the day I used 1 insert for each change. On one occasion I knew I couldn’t change him for a couple of hours, so I used 2, one folded in front for extra protection. This worked great for us, and held all of the pee, no problems. I was nervous, they look so thin, but they held up well. Fit ✰✰✰✰ The sizing looks identical to the Bum Genius, and the method is the same. With snap closures you lose the ability to cross the tabs over, something to consider for small babies. If using the organic inserts, there is going to be some bulk. You get shelf booty in the back, like usual with trifolded prefolds in a cover. The stay dry insert is very trim, but the cover sized to a medium and a medium set insert will have some excess fabric. It will be smooshed down by pants or shorts though. The same holds true for the disposable insert. It is VERY trim, but there might be some extra fabric in the cover. The legs and waist will fit the same. The Flip is a good fit on my son’s legs and waist, same as the Bum Genius. You may find you have to adjust the cover differently if your baby is borderline sizes, depending on the insert you use. Overall- In theory, I love the idea of the Flip. You have a variety of insert choices, and having a cover capable of using disposable inserts works great for traveling. Sometimes, too much choice can be a bad thing! It makes organizing your stash harder, and you may find you don’t reach for the “different” diaper, unless of course you have a whole stash of Flips! I think if you are new to cloth diapers the Flip has a lot of potential. It is pretty easy to use once you get things down. It is affordable, and the colors it comes in are attractive.
Some of the drawbacks- the inserts can move around, the cover feels very thin and unsnapping makes me nervous that I am stretching the PUL, and all of the Bum Genius colors aren’t available at this time.
Still, it was a fun diaper to use, and I see why the makers of Bum Genius came out with the Flip. It answers a lot of need in the market. And, the Flip makes a good cover for your own fitteds and prefolds too!
If you are ready to try them, you can visit my sponsor, Kelly’s Closet (my affiliate link), who was kind enough to send the Flip for me to review! At this time all purchases over 49.00 get a free package of Flip Disposable Inserts using the code FLIP at check out.
