Frequently asked
questions Frequently asked
questions

Cloth diapers are diapers you can wash and reuse. They have a waterproof outer lining and absorbent padding or inserts. Cloth diapers come in many varieties; in "all-in-one" diapers the absorbent padding is attached to the diaper, while other cloth diapers have a system with a separate diaper shell and absorbent padding.

Charlie Banana is a versatile pocket-style diaper that allows you to use either washable or disposable inserts — or both!

A pocket diaper has an opening between the waterproof outer fabric and the fabric lining that touches the skin, where you  place the absorbent insert into.  Compared to an all-in-one diaper, a pocket diaper has several benefits:  the absorbent insert is not directly touching the skin when inside the pocket, you can separate the absorbent insert from the diaper before laundry,  the pocket keeps the insert in place, and you can use any type of reusable  insert (or 2!) in the pocket.  The Charlie Banana pocket is made from super-soft fleece that is selected to be dry-to-the-touch, and has a wide opening located at the front end of the diaper, so it is easy to access the reusable insert - even during a diaper change.

Charlie Banana is a one-size pocket diaper with a waterproof outer fabric and a soft lining. The diaper size can be adjusted to fit babies of any shape between 0 and 36 months (or 8 to 36 lbs), by using the snaps along the waist and adjusting the size of the leg elastic for a snug fit around the waist and legs to help prevent leaks. An absorbent insert is stuffed into the pocket, which is made from a super-soft fabric that lines the entire diaper so baby's skin is only in contact with the soft lining fabric.

Getting started with cloth might feel intimidating — but it doesn't have to be. Here is our easy guide to cloth diapering.

(And if you ever need more help, just let us know through Contact Us page)

If you want to try out cloth diapering, we recommend buying 1-3 Charlie Banana® reusable diapers and a pack of Disposable Liners. Our value packs of 3 or 5 diapers are also a great way to experience the unique Charlie Banana® cloth diapering system at a lower cost.

We also offer flexible payment options with Affirm (see details here).

Once you are ready to take your cloth diapering experience one step further, we also recommend getting Disposable Inserts, Reusable Organic Cotton Wipes and a Waterproof Tote Bag.

Trust us, you're not alone in these feelings. A lot of parents are facing the same choices, and there is no right or wrong solution to this.

The truth is, very few people use cloth diapers 100% of the time. The best thing to do is to commit to whatever you can at the moment and adjust your routines as you go.

You can start with as little as one cloth diaper a day or even a week. "Switching" to cloth diapers doesn't have to go from 0 to 100, and it certainly doesn't have to happen overnight. Even if you only use one cloth diaper a day, after a year, you will save 365 disposable diapers!

If you need help figuring out the best cloth diapering routine for your family, just reach out to our Customer Care team. We love chatting about cloth and are always here to help.

Charlie Banana® cloth diapers are extremely user-friendly. They are designed to be easy to put on, take off and clean, and they can be machine washed, just like regular laundry.

Charlie Banana cloth diapers can be used with reusable (washable) inserts, disposable inserts, or a combination of both. Many parents find this hybrid approach helps make cloth diapering less intimidating, as it provides more options and flexibility.

We recommend trying our Disposable Liners, which trap poo and prevent it from reaching the diaper lining. When it's time to clean up, simply lift the liner with the mess, shake off the solids into the toilet, and throw the liner in the trash (do not flush).

Disposable Inserts could also be an option for simplifying cleanup as you are getting the hang of cloth diapering. They trap both solids and liquid waste and can be discarded after use.

If you are planning on cloth diapering full-time, we recommend building a healthy stash of 24 or more cloth diapers. In a typical day, you may go through 6 to 10 diapers, and many parents do their laundry every other day, to collect enough dirties to fill a machine.

However, you can always start with just 3 or 6, as most parents will use a combination of cloth diapers and disposables, at least at first. Once you get the hang of cloth diapering, you can grow your stash as needed.

Most parents will change a reusable diaper 6 to 10 times a day, so you should have at least 12 diapers and 12-24 inserts in your stash, or ideally, 18-24 sets of diapers + inserts, so you don't have to do the diaper laundry every day.

Our reusable diapers always include at least 1 insert, and most packs come with 2 inserts. Because the inserts take longer to dry than the diaper cover, it is wise to buy a few additional inserts, especially if you live in a humid climate area or if you have no dryer. That way you will have enough dry inserts at hand for changes and can double-up on inserts for extra absorbency for naptime or overnight.

You can use 1 or 2 reusable inserts at a time. For daytime, you can either stuff 1 insert inside the diaper pocket, or lay it on top of the diaper lining, label side down. For nighttime, we recommend using 2 reusable inserts, or 1 reusable + 1 disposable insert for maximum absorption.

When using two reusable inserts, you can either stuff both inside the pocket or lay one on top of the diaper lining with the label facing down, so that only the soft fleece or hemp/cotton fabric touches baby's skin. A disposable insert always goes on top of the diaper lining.

Definitely! Some parents opt for reusable diapers at home and use disposables for daycare or when they are out and about. Others use cloth diapers during the day and disposables at night. Some only use cloth on the weekends.

With Charlie Banana, you also have an option to use disposable inserts with your cloth diapers, so that you have even more flexibility with your choices.

There is no right or wrong way of doing this. You just need to figure out a routine that works best for you and your family. Give yourself grace when you need it and remember that using even one cloth diaper a day saves 365 disposable diapers a year.

A disposable liner is a very thin sheet of bamboo rayon that goes on top of the diaper’s inner lining and catches the poop. Liners are not absorbent, so the liquid waste will pass through, but the solids will stay on top of the liner. When baby does #2, simply lift the liner with the mess, shake off the solids into the toilet, and throw the liner in the trash (do not flush).

Disposable inserts not only trap solids, but also absorb liquids. You can use them together with or instead of reusable inserts. Disposable inserts are laid on top of the fleece of the diaper shell and need to be discarded after use. They come in handy when traveling, at certain daycares, when applying ointments etc.

It really depends on your personal preference and your lifestyle. You can certainly cloth diaper with only reusable diapers and inserts, but disposable inserts and liners can make life way easier.

Disposable liners are great for simplifying cleanup. These thin non-woven rayon viscose sheets made with bamboo-derived fibers allow you to easily separate solids from the diaper lining. Simply lay a thin disposable liner on top of the diaper to catch solids, then lift the soiled sheet, so you can shake the solids into the toilet and dispose of the liner in the trash. Do not flush disposable liners.

Disposable inserts come in handy when traveling, at certain daycares, for applying ointments, or getting a cheat day on laundry (hey, we all need one once in a while). Disposable inserts contain absorbent padding and go on top of the diaper lining. You can use them instead of a washable insert (this often helps reuse the diaper cover), or in addition to a reusable insert for extra absorbency (stuff a washable insert inside the pocket and lay a disposable insert on the the diaper lining).

Our Disposable Liners and Disposable Inserts are not flushable. When it's time to discard them, simply shake off the solids into the toilet and throw the used disposable insert or liner into the trash.

It depends on your preference. With reusable inserts, you can stuff 1 or 2 inserts inside the diaper pocket, or lay one reusable insert on top of the diaper lining (always label side down).

A disposable insert always goes on top of the diaper lining. You can pair it with a reusable insert inside the pocket for ultimate absorbency.

If you use are using washable inserts inside the pocket, you need to change the entire diaper every time it gets soiled or wet.

If you are placing a washable or a disposable insert on top of the diaper lining, you can reuse the shell if it's not soiled.

While blowouts and leaks are possible with any type of diaper, finding the right diaper fit will prevent most leaks. Charlie Banana® diapers are equipped with a waterproof outer layer, wide back elastics, and adjustable leg elastics to help contain the mess.

To create a gap-free fit, make sure to adjust the length of the leg elastic as your baby grows. Our patented leg elastic sizing system enables you to find the perfect fit around your baby's thighs — no matter how skinny or chubby they might be.

Find the leg elastic inside the pocket, and set it to XS, S, M or L depending on your baby's age and size (check Size & Fit section for detailed guidance). The rule of thumb is that the diaper fit should be tight, snug and secure, but not as to leave any red marks.

If your diaper is adjusted properly, but you are still experiencing leaks, this may be due to detergent residues accumulating on diapers. Please refer to Troubleshooting section for more details, or contact our Customer Care.

Our One M/L insert absorbs 225g (about 8 oz) of liquid, which is enough capacity to soak up three 75ml (2.5 fl. oz) doses of liquid, a typical amount of pee for a baby weighing over 20lbs.

The XS and S inserts have fewer terry layers, and thus absorb less liquid.

The M/L inserts for One Size Diapers contain 4 absorbent terry layers, with either a deluxe fleece top layer or a hemp/cotton top layer. These are our most absorbent inserts, each holding up to 225g/8 oz of liquid.

All our One Size Diapers come with a M/L insert, while some diaper packs include both a M/L and a S insert for each diaper. The Small insert is designed to be used with the One Size Diaper on the XS or S leg elastic setting, or as a booster with the M/L insert.

Newborn Diapers come with one XS insert which is smaller and thinner than the M/L and S inserts and has fewer absorbent terry layers. The S size inserts will fit inside the Newborn diaper pocket, but the M/L insert will be too big and bulky.

During the times when you need to apply ointment or rash cream, we recommend using a disposable liner or disposable insert on top of the diaper lining to prevent contact with the diaper fabrics, as creams and ointments can decrease the absorbency of cloth diapers. These days, there are also some "cloth diaper safe" ointments.

If you think that a rash cream or ointment may have caused build-up or affected diaper absorbency, we recommend that you strip your diapers.

We are working on creating special bundles that would make it even easier to try cloth diapering.

For now, we recommend picking up a pack of 3 or 6 cloth diapers, a pack of disposable liners and a pack of disposable inserts.

If you want to take your reusable journey one step further, we suggest that you add a pack of reusable organic cotton wipes, a handy diaper pail for storing used diapers, and a waterproof tote bag for storing and transporting used diapers on the go.

Using cloth diapers can save money compared to disposable diapers, but the actual savings will depend on your diapering & laundry habits and your local regulations. (In some states, you have to pay for generating trash, while the cost of energy also varies greatly from state to state.)

If you invest in 30 cloth diapers to last through your child's diapering years, you will likely spend less than you would buying 4,000-5,000 disposables — even if you add the cost of laundry.

According to Babylist, the savings become tangible once you get into the second year of cloth diapering, especially if you plan on having more babies. If you stick with cloth for long enough, you could be looking at saving $1,500-$2,000 per child over the course of your diapering journey!

Whether your daycare accepts cloth diapers largely depends on your state and daycare policies, so we recommend talking to your childcare provider first. While not all daycares might be familiar with cloth diapering, some of our customers have had great success educating their childcare teams on the subject.

Disposable inserts could be a great solution for helping others get used to washable diapers.

If you are looking for some basic information about cloth diapering to share with your childcare provider, try referring them to our Get Started and How to Use pages, or the current section of our FAQs.

Cloth diapering when running errands or traveling is easier than you might think. At Charlie Banana, we have products that help with the task.

Disposable Inserts were specially designed to make cleanup on the go a breeze. They are absorbent and can be discarded after use. Simply lay a disposable insert on top of the diaper lining and discard it once it get wet or soiled (do not flush).

With reusable inserts, you can simplify the diaper change with the help of our Disposable Liners. These thin sheets, made from bamboo-derived viscose rayon, are great for catching solids and allow you to quickly remove the mess. Simply lay a disposable liner inside the diaper, then pick it up to remove solids. Shake off the solids into the toilet and discard the liner in the trash (do not flush).

Finally, a Waterproof Tote Bag comes is a game changer when it comes to storing and transporting used diapers on the go.