There are many mysterious abbreviations to puzzle the newbie cloth-diapering parent. Once your membership into an online cloth-diapering Facebook group is approved, you will scroll through posts that seem like top-secret code. For months, I thought that “PPD” stood for “PayPal Dollars,” a form of currency I believed to be used exclusively for online purchases. I wondered what the exchange rate was like and how one acquired PayPal Dollars. Turns out that PPD—in the context of buy/sell/trade groups—stands for “postage paid.” In case it’s not already obvious, I would prefer to assume something incorrect than just ask someone and admit ignorance. So this brings me to two other puzzling abbreviations I spotted in those early days: sbish and OBF. Whether or not anyone calls sustainablebabyish “ess-bish” out loud, I do not know. However, it is an accepted online short-form for this Texas-based brand of fitted diapers and wool covers. Their full brand name is sustainablebabyish|sloomb, and I tend to see both sbish and sloomb used interchangeably (much to the confusion of many newbies, I am sure). As for OBF, that stands for “organic bamboo fleece.” OBF is widely regarded as one of the most absorbent options for fitted diapers. As a point of interest, although “organic” figures heavily in its name, OBF is actually 70% viscose from bamboo (not organic) and 30% organic cotton.
Sloomb’s Tonal BFF (with BFF standing not for “Best Friend Forever,” but “Bamboo Fleece Fitted”) is a sized, fitted diaper with a lay-in 3-ply OBF soaker. The outside of the diaper features a two-tone dye, while the inner is undyed (hence the “tonal” moniker). These fitteds match sloomb’s Tonal Knit Wool Covers. With five size options, from XS to XL, these diapers do not have rise snaps making them a lot trimmer than one-size fitted diapers. The crotch of this diaper is surprisingly narrow compared to other fitteds we’ve tried, so if chunky overnight diapers make your baby look bowlegged, the cut of the sloomb BFF will please you! (Side note: cloth diapers will not make your baby bowlegged.)
We have been using a matching “Cake” sloomb Tonal Knit Wool Cover on top to test the sloomb BFF overnight. Because Little Miss sleeps next to me and nurses multiple times a night, at almost eighteen months old she needs a substantial overnight diaper to make it through without leaks. I typically find the BFF thoroughly soaked when I change her after twelve to fourteen hours in bed, and the outside of the wool cover is beginning to feel damp. I would not consider the sloomb BFF the most absorbent overnight fitted we’ve tried. I suspect that if she slept through the night with no midnight milk snacks, we’d be fine. However, if you consider your child to be an extreme super soaker, I’m not convinced the sloomb BFF is the solution. I also should point out that as a sized diaper, the cost of using sloomb is considerably higher than one-size options. That said, there’s a reason why sustainablebabyish|sloomb products are well-loved by cloth-diapering parents. When paired with their OEKO-TEX certified knit wool covers, sloomb makes cloth diapering with 100% natural fibres possible. That’s right—cloth diapering without polyester or polyurethane! Not only that, for every sloomb diaper purchased, a tree is planted in partnership with Trees for the Future. Sloomb’s fitteds are ethically made in Denver, and their wool products are made in “a socially and environmentally responsible knit house in China.”
While I can’t say the sloomb BFF is outstanding as an overnight diaper for us, I can definitely rave about our knit cover. Made with 93% wool and 7% Lycra, the cover has just that little bit of stretch and flexibility that is lacking in the 100% wool covers I’ve tried. The cover is easy to pull on over big fitted diapers, and it is comfortable enough for pre-bedtime play. The high rise ensures perfect coverage of even the biggest of diapers, and the double-layer knit is super soft. I know wool can bring to mind itchy sweaters and overheating, but sloomb covers are the exact opposite of that. According to sloomb’s website, their knits “are the softest machine knit wool in the industry,” and wool is breathable making it suitable in any temperature. As counterintuitive as it may seem, wool covers do not need to be washed after each use. Even if the cover comes into contact with urine, just let it air-dry and reuse the following night. I spend a lot of time sniffing our wool covers in disbelief. When I do start noticing a smell, it’s time to wash and re-lanolize.
Things I love about our sloomb BFF & knit wool cover:
- They are available in beautifully coloured, luxurious fabrics and are made with eco-friendly, safety-tested dyes.
- Sloomb’s wool is silky soft and Lycra gives it a nice bit of stretch for ease of movement and a perfect fit.
- Available in five sizes, sloomb fitteds are a lot less bulky than similar one-size diapers and the crotch is especially narrow.
- Wool is a wonder fibre for heavy wetters, and I’d recommend sloomb wool on top of whatever your favourite overnight diaper may be.
- Sloomb prioritizes the sustainability of its products, from biodegradable hang tags to its one diaper-one tree™ initiative.
Things I like less about our sloomb BFF & knit wool cover:
- The BFF is not the bulletproof nighttime solution I’d been hoping for; if it came with a booster, it would likely do the trick.
- The soaker is very narrow compared to anything we’ve tried. A bit more width would go a long way to getting us through the night.
- The sized design, while trim, significantly increases cost.
Shop & Connect
Shop for sloomb products at Calgary Cloth Diaper Depot!
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