When it comes to choosing which absorbent fabric, there are a few things that you need to consider. Here’s our guide to picking the right one for you.

Things to consider

Absorbent fabrics might soak up water, but they also  all have different properties. This can mean that they are all good for different jobs. If you are trying to decide which one to choose, there are a few things to consider:

• Do you need something fast drying?
• Would you prefer a natural fibre?
• Will the item touch the skin?
• Does it need to be trim?
• Do you need a cheap fabric?
• Are you sewing lots of layers?
• Do you need to pre-shrink the item?

Different items

There are a number of things to consider for different items that you might be making.

Cloth nappies:

• Fast drying is always a good option, but you also need a fabric that will hold liquid well.
• Something not too thick is often also preferred.
• You will need to have a fabric that can touch the skin, or that will be covered by a fabric that can.

Menstrual pads

• These need to be fairly trim
• They need to wash easily
• Some people prefer natural fibres
• They are usually covered by another fabric that goes against the skin

Breast pads

• Need to be fairly trim.
• Need to hold onto liquid well.
• May need to be a natural fibre.
• Should stay soft when washed.

Which absorbent fabric to choose?

The absorbent fabrics that we stock have different properties. Here’s a very brief guide to each one of them.

Bamboo fleece

• Bamboo stays lovely and soft, even after many washes and uses.
• It is highly absorbent.
• It is a man-made fabric but uses natural materials.
• This is not a fast drying fabric.
• Compared to other fabrics, it is fairly trim.

Hemp fleece

• Hemp fleece is highly absorbent.
• It is a natural fibre.
• When washed it can go a little stiff.
• It takes quite a while to dry.

Zorb

• Our zorb dimples and diamond fabrics do not touch the skin, as they have an outer layer of bamboo or cotton fabrics.
• They are highly absorbent.
• When washed for the first time, they thicken up and shrink
• For the level of absorbency, they are trim compared to other fabrics.
• Zorb is a man-made fabric.

Microfibre

• Microfibre is highly absorbent.
• It dries very rapidly.
• The fabric can act like a sponge and doesn’t hold onto liquid well.
• It is man-made.
• Microfibre should not be directly against the skin.

I hope that this helps you to choose your fabric, please check out our full range here.

Related posts:

Hemp, bamboo or microfibre Are microfibre and microfleece the same? Bamboo fleece Making cloth menstrual pads