What should I buy?  -  Cloth Pad Suggestions

When you are new to the concept of cloth menstrual pads, it can be a bit daunting.....where do you begin... what should you buy?

All cloth pads aren't the same, you'll find differences in absorbency (the number of layers in the pad and what those layers are made of), different shapes and styles and different fabrics.  But if you've never used them before, how can you know what you need?  I usually recommend women think of these points:

When buying pads I don't suggest going out and buying a stack from the one place, or lots of pads in the same style or length.  Trust me on this!  (I'm a pad maker and even recommend my customers don't buy lots of my pads to start their stash...so I am serious about this!)  Buy one or two to test out to see if that style fits your body, your lifestyle and your preferences.  We are all different, and what one person finds good in a pad may not work for you.  Also you might find different pads sit different days of your cycle.  If you like it, by all means, go back and buy up big, but its better to be safe than sorry, than to end up wth a room full of products that aren't quite right and you end up not using.

When you make the decision to go cloth it can be exciting and expensive, so buying packs where you save a few dollars is appealing (and combined postage is cheaper than buying one pad from several sellers), but again, I don't recommend this, as pads you don't like, or don't suit you, don't work out to be economical in the end.  There are a couple of freebies you can get (See the US buying pads page) which can start you off.  The GladRags one can help you decide if pocket pads are right for you (They don't ship Internationally though).  The free Lunapad will be small, so maybe best as a pantyliner, but can tell you if a base + insert type is your thing.  The larger brands can be more expensive, so if you are on a really tight budget, then perhaps stick with some of the smaller WAHM options, as they tend to be a little cheaper.  There is even the option to buy second hand if that doesn't bother you.

If you are not happy with the concept of staining, I'd suggest against anything light coloured, and perhaps a synthetic.

If you see pad styles you like but don't like the fabrics, or would like it made slightly differently, don't be afraid to ask (The worst they can say is no!).  Some pad makers are happy to customise the pads.

If you don't want to buy Post Partum pads, you can use nappy boosters, folded face washers or even 2 pads together to extend the length of your coverage.  Or look for night/long pads you can use as night pads.  But if you'd normally not wear long pads, then you might find the expense of these longer specialty pads to be a waste.

Working out what you need/want
First look at the disposables you have been using:

• Are you using the super absorbent kind, or the light ones?  - This might tell you what sort of absorbency you need in a cloth pad - a heavy absorbency or a lighter "liner" type.
• How often do you change them?  - This will again help you work out what absorbency you need.  If you need to change them every few hours because they are full, then you'll need a more absorbent pad.  If you can go all day on the one pad, then you'll probably be fine with a lighter absorbency pad.  If you like to have a fresh pad on all the time, you can probably go for a lighter absorbency, and you'll need a lot more pads.
• How are they for length? - Do you find you need night ones for the extra length or you leak off the front and/or back or are regular fine?  This will help you work out what length pad you like.
• Do you find you need the wings? - Do you even like wings on pads?  If you regularly see blood on the wings of your disposable winged pads, then you might need them, if not, then you may not.  Most cloth pads have wings, but some don't.  If you horse or bike ride you might need to find wingless pads, or ones that secure with a flatter closure.  Wingless pads do generally stay in place without needing wings - as your body and your underpants hold them to  you, but you will have to remember to hold them or take them out when pulling your underpants down togo to the toilet, as they don't stick to the underpants, and can fall out.
• If you've ever leaked off the pad, where has that happened? - This might tell you what sort of shape you need.  If you leak off the centre crotch area, then you'll want a winged pad.  If you leak off the front or back, then you'll need a long pad.  If you leak off the sides towards the back you may like a pad with a wider back section.

• Ease of use? - Do you want something you just pop into your underpants like a disposable.  Or something where you can adjust the level of absorbency by adding more or less inserts into a cover, or other system that involves folding or doing something to the pad before use. (See type of pads)
• Quick Drying? - Is speed of drying important to you?  Most pads shouldn't take more than a day to dry (on the line or hanging inside - using a dryer is of course quicker), however this may be a factor for you.  There are some styles that are faster drying than the kind you simply use like a disposable.
• Fabrics? - Do you want a particular fabric?  Do you not want a particular fabric?  Is organic or natural important to you, or do you focus more on softness or look?  Or is stain resistance more important to you?  See below for more on fabrics.
• Shape? - Working from the last question on disposables... what sort of shape do you think would provide coverage in the areas you need.  If you don't leak off a normal shaped disposable, then that shape would be fine.  If you leak off parts of a pad, then you might want a more shaped pad to cover those areas.
• Waterproofing? - This usually depends on how heavy your flow is.  A pad of just absorbent layers is all natural, but not leak-proof.  Generally these need many more layers to achieve enough absorbency for a medium-heavy flow, which can result in a bulkier thick pad.  With waterproofing, you are less likely to bleed straight through the one spot, as the blood can spread out more through the rest of the core of the pad - this is more effective with something "waterproof", rather than "water-resistant".  If your blood spreads out over the surface of the pad and you have a light flow, you are more likely to be able to use a non-waterproofed pad.  If you flow mostly in one place , then you will probably find that without waterproofing you will leak though the pad in that place.  If you have a heavy flow, you will probably find waterproofing essential.  Your needs can also change through your period, so on heavy days you may need waterproofing but on lighter days you should be fine without it.  Generally waterproofed pads are thinner than non-waterproofed pads.  See below for more on fabrics.
• Lifestyle - Consider your lifestlye (how often you want to be washing) as well as your budget (and how often you would like to, and need to change the pads) when deciding how big or small your stash will be.  If you want to wash less often (or perhaps only at the end of your cycle) then you will need a bigger stash than if you want to wash frequently.  (The more pads you have will also help reduce the wear on each pad if its used only once per cycle rather than 3 or 4 times).

Figuring out fabrics
This can be another confusing aspect of cloth pads.... some talk about hemp, terry, BKT, fleece, velour, bamboo, flannel.....  what are these and what is best?  Here is a little rundown...

Absorbent Fabrics - Generally used inside the pad for absorbency, but may be used without a top layer (so it becomes the top layer).

Hemp - This is generally a hemp cotton blend (50% hemp, 45% cotton).  Hemp is reportedly about 2-3 times more absorbent than cotton, yet the hemp fleece/terry most commonly used is quite a compact weave, so this can make for a more absorbent core for less bulk than cotton.

Terry - A thin looped fabric, not like the cotton towelling you find in towels, the hemp terry loops are shorter and its only on one side (the other is smooth).
Fleece - A fabric with one smooth side and the other is fluffy - almost like polar fleece, but not as fluffy.  Apparently it is made from hemp terry that has been brushed to make the loops break up and become fluffy.

Cotton

Terry- This term is usually used to refer to the cotton "towelling' (like you would find towels made from).   Cotton towelling ("terry") is quite absorbent, but less absorbent than hemp, and usually more bulky than hemp.
Burkey knit terry (BKT) - To be honest, I don't know much about this.  It is apparently much like Terry, but with thicker loops and is stretchy (so perhaps more like a lush "Terry towelling").  Its generally used as internal absorbent layers.
Sherpa - This is hard to describe but if you cross sheepskin and polar fleece... its sort of like that!  The fluffy fibres clump together more like a sheepskin does.
Fleece - A fabric with one smooth side and the other is fluffy - almost like polar fleece, but not as fluffy.  Thinner than Hemp fleece.  Not often used, if it is used, its more likely to be as a top layer.  Lunapads uses this.

Bamboo - This is a fairly new fabric on the market.  It comes as the Hemp does (Terry or fleece), but made from bamboo (generally with a small component of cotton).  The terry can come as a single or double sided loop, unlike the hemp which only comes in one side loopy.  More absorbent than cotton or hemp and much softer... it also has a slightly shiny look.

Flannel/Flannelette - This is a really thin fabric - what you find fluffy sheets or PJs made of.  Not overly absorbent, but when you use several layers together you increase the absorbency.  Generally used in pantyliners where much absorbency isn't needed and also commonly used to top the pads because it comes in great prints.  Some people make pads from several layers of this instead of other fabrics, as it easy to get and can be thinner than cotton terry - however it might not be as absorbent as one layer of something else.  "Flannel" in the US is the same as "Flannelette" in Aus and UK. (In Aus and UK "Flannel" refers to a wool product, not a cotton one).

Waterproof/resistant Fabrics - Used inside the pad, or as the backing for the pad to provide a waterproof or water-resistant layer to help stop leaking through.

PUL - This is a fabric (polyester or cotton) that has been coated on one side with a thin film of waterproof plastic (polyurethene).. so PUL stands for PolyUretheneLaminate.  Its considered to be "breathable" - as the waterproof membrane lets no water through but will allow a little air through.  Pads with this on the back or as an internal layer should be basically waterproof.  Some people don't like this as they feel the pad becomes as sweaty/non-breathable as a disposable pad and others find no sweatiness and can't tell the difference with a non-waterproofed pad.  A lot of women need it to prevent leaks and make them feel secure.  As it is thin itself, and using it requires less absorbent layers, PUL waterproofed pads can generally be a lot thinner than other pads.  The polyester version is most commonly used as it is thinner/softer than the cotton version.  It can break down over time, and should not be washed with vinegar or chemicals that can break down the waterproofing.  They should also not be put in the dryer or ironed.  Examples of brands - 'procare', 'fabrite','gore-tex', 'diaper maker'

Fleece - Polyester fleeces (Microfleece or polarfleece) don't like to hold moisture, so can make a reasonably effective water-resistant layer on the bottom of the pad, as the blood tends to stay in the core rather than seeping through it.  As the fabric is a more open weave there is more "breathability" than PUL, but its waterproofing is not as effective, so may not be suitable for a heavy flow.  Some pad makers use fleece as a bottom layer for its non-slip effect, and some use fleece over the pUL for this reason.   Polarfleece cannot be ironed.

Nylon - "Ripstop" nylon or other forms of nylon fabric can be used, though these are probably less water-resistant than fleece is.  They are thin fabrics and rely on the fact that the fabric itself doesn't hold moisture and is a tight weave, so the blood is less likely to travel through.  I would not recommend this for a heavy flow though, as it is only somewhat water-resistant.

Other - Other options I have seen are:

• Waterproof table cloth type fabrics -  I've found from past experience that waterproofed tablecloths do work well, but can have a more crunchy/crackly type of feel, and in a longer pad you might be able to actually hear that as you move.  Most likely to be PVC, a non-breathable fabric.
• Waterproofed matress protectors - Not really sure how these go, might be thicker than PUL - most likely a PVC or other non-breathable fabric.

In my humble opinion if you want waterproofing, its best to stick to some type of PUL (there are several different brands of this), as these are "breathable" and generally thin and quiet in a pad.  If you are after water-resistance or refuse to use PUL, then Fleece or Nylon is probably the best bet.

Jersey - This is a thin T-Shirt type fabric.  Available in several Options, may be 100% or a blend with something like spandex.

• Hemp Jersey - A little more "coarse" and natural looking than other jerseys.  Usually 50% hemp, 45% cotton.
• Cotton Jersey - A little softer and flatter than Hemp jersey, but less absorbent.  Often dyed or printed.
• Organic Cotton Jersey - Like the cotton jersey, but this is grown organically.  Usually left natural to further its standing as an eco-friendly fabric.
• Bamboo Jersey - A Softer and smoother fabric than the Cotton - fairly new on the market.

• Hemp velour - Not commonly used, but this is a soft fabric with a non-loopy pile... like velvet.  Used on top of a pad for softness & absorbency.
• Cotton velour - A little softer than Hemp velour, often 20% polyester though (apparently the backing is poly for longer lasting) and often dyed or printed.
• Organic Cotton velour - This would be 100% cotton, perhaps a little less soft than the other cotton velour.  Normally in unbleached natural.  Not very common.
• Bamboo velour - Lush! Usually a longer pile than the others (which can leave it looking a bit messy/wavy), super soft and slightly shiny.  Usually blended with poly in 20% or down to as little as 5%, to add stability to the base fabric.  Becoming a very popular fabric!
• Synthetic velour - This would be 100% synthetic, so combines the nice feel of the velour with the stay-dry and stain-resistance of a synthetic fabric.

Synthetics - These are 100% synthetics used for stay-dry and stain resistant properties.

• Fleece - (Polar or Micro) They work as a fairly effective stay dry layer on top of a pad - as the blood wicks through into the core and doesn't stay on top (this is more effective for heavy flow, as spotting can be too light to pass through), .  It's also reasonably stain resistant, though being synthetic can feel hot and sweaty over time.
• Suedecloth - A synthetic suede like fabric.  Short pile, so flatter than fleece (and flatter than velour).  Feels soft.
• Chamois - A similar fabric to the suedecloth.

Sherpa - Sherpa is a soft fabric that feels a bit like polarfleece or a velour, but a little different (ok, I know that's not a good description).

"Flat" Cotton/ "Quilting" cotton - The "normal" cottons you can get for dress making or quilting.  Not commonly used as a top fabric as the softer fabrics are usually more popular (Often used on the back though), but these have great prints and have the advantage over flannelette that they don't look worn/faded as quickly as flannelette can.  As a top layer they let you enjoy the prints more while you are wearing the pad.  Some women prefer this over flannelette for the feeling.  When wearing it, I can't really tell much difference between the feeling of the cotton or flannelette.