Cloth Diaper Categories De-Mystified

One of the first things that terrified me about cloth diapers was the vast variety of what is available. I remember walking into that first shop and looking at the expanse of shelves and racks not knowing where to begin!
From that day until now I have asked a lot of questions and have been helped by many enthusiastic diaper sales people (all of whom use cloth diapers themselves). I even attended a cloth diapering class offered at a local shop.
What I have learned is that there are six main categories of cloth diapers available in today's modern market. These are broken down as follows:

Flat Diapers (Flats)

Brand Examples: Cloth-eez Birdseye Weave

Flat diapers are your traditional cloth diaper. These have been around for decades and if you were born in the 60's or 70's, they were probably the same diapers your mom used on you. A Flat diaper is a single piece of cloth, generally made of cotton, hemp or bamboo that is folded into a smaller, more absorbent rectangle that will fit a baby. Flat diapers must be used with a cover to keep wetness and messes in. Covers are available in a variety of styles, patterns and materials and can also be used with Prefold and fitted diapers.

Flat Diapers can be fastened with traditional diaper pins or a Snappi--a 3-pronged device constructed to safely fasten and secure diapers without the danger of a pin opening up and poking your baby.

Flat diapers are washed after each use, but covers can be re-used if not soiled with poo.

Prefold Diapers

Brand Examples: Bummis, Thirsties, Cloth-eez

Prefold diapers are Flat Diapers that have been conveniently folded and stitched to a pre-defined size that will fit babies of specific weight ranges.

Prefold diapers are good "round the clock" diapers, and when used with added absorbency liners and wool covers can be great overnight diapers.

Prefold Diapers can be fastened with traditional diaper pins or a Snappi--a 3-pronged device constructed to safely fasten and secure diapers without the danger of a pin opening up and poking your baby.

Prefold diapers are washed after each use, but covers can be re-used if not soiled with poo.
Prefold diapers are generally sized into 3 different weight categories from newborn until potty training.

Fitted Diapers

Brand Examples: Thirsties, Bummis (Bamboozle), Mother-Ease, Kissaluvs, Cloth-eez, Growing Greens, Under the Nile

Fitted Diapers are based upon the same basic principals as pre-fold diapers, but they have added convenience by eliminating the need to fold, tuck and secure by shaping them with seams and gussets and sometimes also provide enclosure materials such as snaps.

Fitted Diapers are an excellent "round the clock" diaper and excel at overnight wear, especially when used with added absorbency liners and wool covers.

Fitted Diapers can be fastened with traditional diaper pins or a Snappi--a 3-pronged device constructed to safely fasten and secure diapers without the danger of a pin opening up and poking your baby.

Fitted Diapers are washed after each use, but covers can be re-used if not soiled with poo.

Fitted Diapers come in a variety of sizes, colours, styles and materials.

Pocket Diapers

Brand Examples: FuzziBunz, Thirsties, Bum Genius, AMP

Pocket Diapers look and work like disposable diapers, except they're re-usable. They are constructed of a waterproof outer layer, and a moisture-wicking inner layer designed to "wick" moisture away from baby's skin (without drying out the skin). An opening "pocket" is generally made at the back waistline where you stuff a long rectangular shaped highly absorbent material. Most pocket diapers come with their own stuffers, but you can also use prefolds, add liners or double up on stuffers for diffrent levels of absorbency.

Because of the wicking layer, Pocket Diapers are well known for minimizing and preventing diaper rash.

Pocket Diapers are excellent daytime diapers, and not bad overnight diapers when stuffed with an added absorbent liner. I'd say they would make awesome overnight diapers, but overstuffing can cause leakage, so try this at your own risk!

When soiled, the entire Pocket Diaper (cover and stuffer) is washed by removing the insert stuffer and throwing both parts into the wash. They tend to dry faster than most All-In-One (AIO) systems but slower than prefolds or flats (because the stuffer tends to be several layers of dense fabric). If you dry the covers and stuffers together, they must be machine dried on a low heat setting, but you can choose to line dry the covers and machine dry the stuffers on high to increase drying time of the stuffers.

Pocket Diapers come in a variety of colours, styles, patterns and can come in sized or one-size varieties. The one-size varieties have adjustable elastics at the waist and leg gussets.

All-In-One Diapers (AIO)

Brand Examples: Grovia, Bum Genius, Monkey Doodlez, Sposo-Easy, Swaddlebees

All-In-One Diapers look and work like disposable diapers, except they're re-usable, and unlike pocket diapers they do not require any extra work stuffing absorbent materials into a pocket before use. As a result most do require more time drying after washing, but some parents prefer convenience and because they're so simple to use, they make for an excellent daycare diaper system. They're generally constructed of a waterproof outer layer and an inner layer with a system of of absorbent materials and moisture-wicking liners that is already fastened into place. Some systems provide snaps to adjust sizing for both the outer layer and the inside liners.

All-In-One Diapers are excellent daytime diapers, but they require frequent changing to prevent leaks. As such, they are not the greatest diaper for overnight use unless your child is toilet training (they're easy to get on and off if your child wakes you up in the middle of the night to go potty).

In addition to the overnight limitations, All-In-One Diapers tend to be the most expensive type of cloth diaper, so very few parents use this type of system exclusively.

When soiled, All-In-One diapers must be washed after each use. Because all parts are sewn together these tend to take the longest in terms of drying time. If machine drying they must be dried on the lowest setting so as not to ruin the waterproof layer.

All-In-One Diapers come in a variety of styles, colours and prints, and tend to give some of the most variety when it comes to fashion, and they come in sized and one-size varieties.

All-In-Two Diapers (AI2)

Brand Examples: Bum Genius, AMP, Best Bottom, Flip

All-In-Two (AI2) Diapers look and work like disposable diapers, except they're re-usable. They can be used either as an All-In-One diaper or as a diaper cover (without the insert) for other styles of diapers including flats, prefold and fitted diapers.
All-In-Two diapers make excellent daytime diapers, and can be used as overnight diapers, but depending on what you put inside the cover they can leak if not changed frequently.

When the insert is soiled, it must be washed after use, but the cover can be re-used with another insert if it is not soiled with poo.

All-In-Two Diapers come in a variety of styles, colours and prints and have a good amount of fashion variety. They're also very versatile in that they can be mixed with other diapering systems.