When it comes to making something like cloth nappies that need an absorbent layer, then hemp, bamboo or microfibre are all good options.  But what exactly are the differences between the different types of fabric, and how do you decide which one (or ones) you should use.  Which is better? Hemp, bamboo or microfleece?

Hemp

People often use hemp and bamboo interchangeably, and although they do have some similar properties and characteristics, to answer the question of hemp, bamboo or microfibre properly, it helps to fully understand what these differences are.  Hemp is mechanically processed, although this is helped along with the use of enzymes and chemicals.  It makes a very absorbent fabric.  The down side to this is that it can be a little stiff, and as it is so absorbent, it will hold onto smells for longer and take longer to dry.  If you are using hemp for it’s absorbency, remember that it can take five or six washes to get it to full absorbency level, due to the natural oils in the fabric. Hemp is generally considered better for the environment than most other nappy fabrics.

Bamboo

The bamboo fabric that we sell, and that is used for cloth nappies is actually bamboo rayon.  When thinking of hemp, bamboo or microfibre, you may think that it’s a case of comparing two natural fabrics and a man made fabric, what you actually have though is one natural fabric, one man made fabric from natural materials and one totally man made fabric.  The process to make bamboo rayon is quite labour and time intensive.  The soft fibres are pulped up, dried, aged cooked and burned before being extruded, washed in sulphuric acid, dried and washed.  It is then ready to be woven or knit into soft and silky bamboo fabric.  The great thing about bamboo rayon is that it is very soft and silky to touch, which is great for baby items.  It is also very absorbent, although not as absorbent as hemp, and can take a long while to dry.  It only takes one wash to get it up to full absorbency, and there are no ‘natural’ oils left to wash away in order to reach this full absorbency level.

Microfibre

Microfibre is a polyester fabric, polyester is generally not absorbent, but microfibre is different, which is why we can use it as a nappy fabric and is worth including when considering hemp, bamboo or microfibre.  Rather than absorb the liquid the way that a natural fabric would do, microfibre holds the liquid between the fibres.  Due to the micro nature of these fibres, it is able to hold a large amount of liquid that it absorbs rapidly, even more important for nappy use, it dries quickly.  These properties also mean that it doesn’t hold on well to liquid and in many ways works like a sponge, the liquid coming out of the fabric when you squeeze it, this means that it can cause leaks when a baby sits on the microfibre insert.  If you touch microfibre, it feels very cold, this is simply because it is absorbing liquid from your skin.  For this reason it’s not a good idea to put it directly against your babies skin as it will dry it out and can cause a reaction or rash.

Hemp, bamboo or microfibre?

So which fabric is the best to use? Hemp, bamboo or microfibre? Really this depends on your needs, if you need something that dries quickly, then microfibre is worth considering.  If you are looking for something that is very soft and absorbent then consider bamboo, and if you want highly absorbent and good for the environment, then hemp should be your choice.  In most cases you might want to consider a combination of fabrics so that you can get a nappy that holds onto the liquid well, but doesn’t take too long to dry.

We currently sell bamboo and hemp, microfibre will be arriving in the next week.  You can find them in our nappy making fabrics category. There are advantages and disadvantages to using hemp bamboo or microfibre, which do you prefer?

Related posts:

Which absorbent fabric? Hemp or bamboo which is better? Are microfibre and microfleece the same? Bamboo fleece