When it comes to sewing cloth nappies some people prefer to use braided elastic, while others always reach for lastin. But what is the difference? What are the advantages of each one? Which should you pick? Lastin or braided elastic?
What are they?
Braided elastic is probably the type of elastic that you have come across most often, made from latex rubber, which gives it it’s stretch, then covered with fabric. This makes it easy to work with and easy to sew. Lastin on the other hand is made from 100% polyurethane. It is a clear elastic, made by Mobilon in Japan. There are plenty of other clear elastics on the market, but most do not have the qualities of lastin. Soft and long lasting, lastin has good return and withstands all kinds of washing regimes and urine, which makes it ideal for cloth nappies. Lastin will usually outlast braided elastic, keeping it’s stretch for much much longer, but it is much more difficult to get right initially.
Advantages of braided elastic
- Easy to sew onto your nappies.
- Easy to get hold of, braided elastic is readily available.
- Can be used in elastic casings or be sewn into the nappy.
- Is not damaged by being sewn.
- In the case of our braided elastic, is made in New Zealand.
Why lastin?
- Lasts a long, long time, meaning that you might not have to replace the elastic in nappies if you use lastin.
- Lastin is really soft which means that it doesn’t dig in and mark delicate legs as badly as braided elastic can.
- Lastin is much thinner than other elastics, so that it isn’t too bulky when sewn in.
- Once you get the hang of using lastin, it’s not too difficult to sew in.
- Creates a nice soft gather which is ideal for cloth nappies.
What to choose
Really the choice of whether to use lastin or braided elastic is really down to personal choice. I recently got given some cloth nappies to repair, some of them needed the elastic replacing, while others were fine. Five years ago, I replaced the elastic in these same nappies for a friend, they were used on one child and put into storage. Of these nappies, those that I used braided elastic in, were all in need of replacing, while those with lastin in, were absolutely fine, just as stretchy as they were when I last did it.
Lots of people dislike lastin though, as it’s so tricky to work with. If you don’t get it right, it can break really easily. Sew to many holes in it and it will break, forget to pre-warm (in your hands) and stretch it, it will break, but get it right and it’s fantastic. I would recommend getting both types of elastic and playing with them, to see which suits you and your items. Personally I like to use lastin on the legs, where I sew it in, and braided elastic at the back where I put it in casing. With a bit of trial and error, you will soon discover which suits you best.
You can find all of our elastic options here.
