Making your own Cloth Pads - Fabrics

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There are lots of different fabrics you can use to make your cloth pads....  You'll probably be using different fabrics for different parts of the pad.  So I'll give a rundown on some of the fabrics you might want to use, and where you might be able to find some used fabrics to use.

There is a lot to think about.

Top Fabrics | Core Fabrics | Waterproofing fabrics | Backing fabrics

Think about:
Which points do you consider most important.

• Softness (feeling nice against your skin)
• Absorbency (how absorbent is it)
• Colour (solid colours, dark colours to hide stains, light colours so you can see how much you flow)
• Pattern (Do you want patterns for hiding stains and being fun)
• Durability (How easily will it wear)
• Stainability (Will it stain, or can it hide stains)
• Dryness (Some fabrics wick moisture away)

Synthetics (Polar fleece, suedecloth, Minkee etc.)
These generally don't hold moisture, so  they tend to allow the blood to wick through into the core, and stay relatively dry on top. Synthetics can feel
hot and sweaty if you are prone to getting sweaty in that region. Usually less likely to stain.  Can feel very soft.

Some popular fabric choices for pad topping

• Cotton Flannel/Flannelette -  This fabric is a common choice because it is easy to find, comes in a wide range of colours/prints, is relatively inexpensive, feels soft and is a little absorbent itself.  It tends to fade and look worn after a short while.  Quilter's versions are generally thicker and better quality (though more expensive).
• Buy new or look at old flannel shirts, sheets & pillow cases, Pjs and night gowns.
• Plain Cotton - Basically any cotton fabric, such as you would buy for quilting or other sewing projects may be used.  Not as soft or absorbent as flannel, but is available in lots of prints.  Some find this cooler as it doesn't have the fluffiness of fabrics like Flannel.  Can look less 'ratty' than Flannel over time as there is not as much wear showing without the fluffiness.
• Buy new or look for any sources of cotton - sheets, shirts and clothing, table cloths etc.
• Velour - This is a very soft fabric that can feel lovely against the skin.  Generally dyed plain colours or mottled. Available in natural (bamboo, cotton, hemp) or synthetic.  The natural versions generally have a synthetic component - where the backing is polyester to give strength and durability (the pile being natural).  Can feel drier than flannel because of the "pile" of the fibres allows more airflow and space between the skin and the wetness.  The natural velours are harder to find (usually only available online), but has the advantages that natural fibres give.  Synthetic velour has the advantages of synthetic fleece as well as being cheaper and easier to find.  Velveteen is a similar fabric, with a lower pile (non-stetch) and generally made of 100% cotton.
• Synthetic Fleece -  Such as polarfleece and microfleece.  Generally quite stain resistant and feels drier than flannel, but can feel hot and sweaty in hot weather, during exercise or if you are prone to being sweaty in the crotch..  Polarfleece is a thick version and microfleece is thinner and more dense in composition.  Allows moisture to flow though to the core of the pad, but on light days may not work as effectively as on heavier days.  Its is usually easy to find and inexpensive, in prints or plain colours.
• "Sweatshirt" or "windcheater" fabric is a similar thing to polar fleece but is generally flat one side and fleecy on the other.  This can be used.
• Jersey - (comes in 100% cotton, organic cotton, hemp and bamboo and synthetic and natural blends) This is a thin t-shirt material.  Hemp is highly absorbent and grown with less pesticides than cotton, bamboo is likewise and also very soft.  Mostly in plain colours, but cotton jersey can be bought in prints.
• Buy new or look at old t-shirts for cotton jersey (look at the tags to get 100% cotton)
• Organic Cotton - This is a cotton grown organically and processed without the use of harsh chemicals like ordinary cottons.  Its generally a creamy colour and quite soft.  It generally comes as a jersey fabric or a thicker terry.  Can be expensive and difficult to find however.
• Terry (towelling) or natural fleece - Fabrics such as hemp, cotton or bamboo - these are thick, and add absorbency - the fleeces (particularly bamboo fleece) is very soft against the skin.  In a "turned and topstitched" pad these can be a bit bulky to sew with, but work well in an overlocked/serged/zigzagged pad that is not turned.  You can make a pad by simply using layers of these together and sewing around the edges.  The terry fabric can feel dryer on top than a flatter fabric, as the "pile" of the fibres allows more airflow and space between the skin and the wetness.

Other topping options - Silk, Poly Cottons, Polyester fabrics. etc.  - Pretty much anything can be used.

Core (Absorbent) Fabrics
This is the absorbent part of your pad.  Generally this is a natural fibre, but there are some synthetic options.  Generally the synthetic options work like a sponge, where they hold the wetness but can leak under compression, so personally I find natural fibres to be much better choices.  Sometimes it is better to buy a more absorbent fabric that you will use less of, than to buy a cheaper one you will use more of.  This part will determine how thick the pad is overall, and if you like thick pads, then that's fine, but if you would like to keep your pads as thin as possible, then the absorbency needs some careful thought.  On the surface, thin fabrics like jersey and flannel/flannelette seem like a good choice because they are thin - but the absorbency in a fabric comes from the thickness and density.  Also what the fabric is made of.  Hemp is more absorbent than cotton, and bamboo is more absorbent than hemp.  For example - one layer of a bamboo fleece, that is more absorbent than 3 layers of flannel, which are both the same overall thickness.

You don't have to have the whole winged shape being in a thick absorbent fabric like hemp or bamboo, as they are expensive.  Instead you can use a smaller amount just down the centre of the pad, which is more cost effective but also makes the wings less bulky.

Think about:
Which points do you consider most important

• Thickness (how much bulk the pad will have - some fabrics are bulkier than others and some fabrics need more thickness to achieve the same level of absorbency than a thinner fabric)
• Cost & value for money (More layers of a thinner fabric might be more expensive than one of a thicker one)
• Natural Vs synthetic

• Cotton Flannel/Flannelette - May  be used in 2+ layers for a  pantyliner, more for a pad.  You need several layers to achieve a medium absorbency pad, so personally I don't see why some people use many (I've seen 7) layers of this instead of 1-2 of something like hemp or cotton terry.
• Cotton Towelling (Terry) - This is the same fabric you find in towels. Quite absorbent. It is easier to find and you could even use old towels.  The cheapest option.  Thicker than hemp or bamboo terry, and less absorbent.  But makes a good cheap core fabric.
• Hemp Fleece or Terry - Hemp is apparently about 3 times more absorbent than cotton so this fabric is a more absorbent choice than cotton fabrics.  It is also more eco friendly as a crop.  Not as bulky as cotton terry can be. Usually only available on the Internet.
• Bamboo Terry or Fleece - Similar properties to hemp, but a little more expensive, absorbent and very soft.
• Microfibre (Microterry) - This is a synthetic fabric commonly used in cleaning cloths.  It reportedly holds something like 7 times its weight in liquid, so it is very absorbent, and it is very thin. It is more likely to compression leak however - where the fabric becomes full like a sponge, pressing on the fabric will cause the liquid to pool and can then make the top of the pad feel wet again.  In multiple layers it may also take longer to dry than a pad made with a natural core - as it will also hold the moisture from being washed.  Can be used with a natural fabric to increase the absorbency without the compression problems and with fewer layers it might not be as hard to dry.
• You can buy it as fabric or as cleaning cloths to cut up.
• Cotton batting - I've never used it (or even seen it), so I don't know much about it.  If it is what I think it is, then its a thick and airy fabric (used for adding thickness to quilts or craft projects?)  So is probably largely made up of air, and when compressed to make it thinner, is possibly not as absorbent as cotton terry for a similar sized piece.
• Polar Fleece - I really wouldn't recommend this.  I've seen a few people use it.  Its largely air, so has thickness without much absorbency.  If it absorbs or not is sometimes debated.... polarfleece doesn't like to hold liquid, which is why it is used as a top and bottom/water resistant layer.  As a top layer, polarfleece lets moisture through as the liquid prefers to go through to the absorbent fabrics inside.  As a backing it prefers to keep the moisture into the absorbent core, rather than travel through (which is why it works as a water resistant layer)... and as an internal core layer, if there is nothing else to absorb, then it will hold onto it, but its compression leaking is even more than with microfibre.  It "traps" the moisture more than actually absorbing it.  If using it for absorbency, then a PUL waterproofing is recommended.  But natural fabrics are probably a better choice.

Waterproof/Water Resistant Fabrics
This is the part that is optional and gives leak protection to your pad.  A Water resistant fabric isn't completely waterproof.  Most women are concerned about the "breathability" issue of waterproofing.  Comparing a waterproofed cloth pad to a disposable isn't the same.  A waterproofed cloth pad isn't going to be as sweaty as a disposable.

The issue of letting the skin breathe is a debated one.  If you suffer from thrush or excessive sweating then you might want to avoid synthetic waterproofing, and opt for something more "breathable".... but even with "PUL" its not like having a piece plastic underpants on.  "PUL" is a fabric (usually polyester) that has been covered in a very fine film of polyurethene.  The other natural fibre layers in the pad will allow for some airflow through the pad.  In a "turned and topstitched" pad, the waterproofing only comes partly up the side giving plenty of surface for airflow, and an overlocked/serged type pad has the sides open too.  airflow doesn't have to be just from between the legs up.  Some women feel a difference in a PUL waterproofed pad over a completely natural one - others don't.  PUL is what they call a "breathable waterproof" fabric, meaning that it can allow a small amount of airflow - unlike PVC and other waterproof fabrics.  It was designed for uses such as raincoats, where the fabric is designed to allow airflow to prevent the wearer getting too sweaty inside the coat.

The more open weave a fabric is, the more "breathable" it will be... but that also means less waterproof.  So it is a trade off between airflow/natural fibres and leak protection.  Because every womans flow is different this is a purely personal choice.  Some women bleed more in one day than others do over a 7 day cycle.. so needs can be very different.  If you only need leak protection for some of your cycle, you can make some of your pads waterproofed, or use a style like a pocket or boostable pad, where you can add waterproofing if you need it.

Why do I keep mentioning "crinkly" fabric?  Because its something that many women are concerned about.... I remember reading an article in a teen magazine once that was being unkind to lots of different people, and had mentioned some TV star having a plastic bum because it was heard to crinkle.  I thought instantly that she was probably wearing a pad and to leave the poor woman alone!  I've made pads with a plastic tablecloth as waterproofing, which worked very well to protect against leaks, but every time the pad moved, the plastic crinkled.  Which got worse over time, until I couldn't handle it any more, and pulled the pads apart to remake them.  So it is a factor to consider.... you don't really want noisy pads if you can avoid it.

Think about:
Which points do you consider most important

• Thickness (do you want the pad to be as thin as possible)
• Waterproof or water resistant (if you have a lighter flow you may like to use something water resistant instead of "proof")
• "Breathability" (do you have problems with thrush or want a lot of airflow)
• Natural Vs synthetic
• Comfort/worry (Do you want to stress about leaking through a pad)

• Ripstop Nylon or other forms of nylon - Only water resistant.  Usually very thin, a more "breathable" fabric than PUL, but much more likely to leak.  Found in fabric stores.  Not a particularly effective form of leakproofing unless you get a thicker nylon (which will then be less breathable, stiffer and still not completely leakproof). This can be hidden with a different layer used as the backing, or it can itself be used as the backing on the pad (the latter being the thinnest option for the overall pad thickness)
• Synthetic fleece - Water resistant.  Polarfleece or microfleece.  A more leakproof fabric than the nylons, its open weave is probably the most "breathable" option since there is a lot of air in the fabric, but is also one of the thickest options... adding up to 1/2cm (1/8inch) to the thickness of a pad.  Available in most fabric stores, so easier to get.  this would need to be the bottom most layer - so your pad will be backed in this.
• PUL -virtually completely waterproof. Very thin, though can be a little stiffer than the thin nylons.  Generally only available over the internet.  Quite expensive.  This can be hidden with a different layer used as the backing, or it can itself be used as the backing on the pad (the latter being the thinnest option for the overall pad thickness)  Cotton PUL is thicker and more "crinkly' sounding than a polyester (plain) PUL.  It has the advantage of being "breathable" unlike other waterproof options (like PVC), and can withstand washing.
• PVC - This is waterproof, but unlike PUL, it is not "breathable".  May also be thicker and more "crinkly" sounding than PUL.
• Waterproof bed protectors - Most likely to be made from PVC (see above)
• Plastic Table Cloths or Shower Curtains - Probably made from PVC.  You can buy cheap table cloths from discount stores, and they do work well, however they can sound "crinkly".
• Wool - Not commonly used as it is only water resistant (more so if lanolised, but only the backing could be lanolised, not the top or core or the pad would repel liquid).  A natural option, care would be needed for washing so that the wool was not damaged.

Backing Fabrics
This is the part that is optional and is the bottom most layer of fabric - that goes against your underpants.  This can be the waterproofing, or can be over the waterproofing, in the case of PUL, to make a prettier looking pad.  You can also combine 2 waterproof fabrics to double the protection, such as a nylon and a fleece.  Wingless pads are often made with slip resistant fabric on the back, however in winged pads this is not as essential

Commonly pads are backed with:

• PUL - a cotton print or a plain polyester PUL - for the thinnest option.  Doesn't slip around as much as you may think.
• Corduroy - a ridged fabric that can help stop the pad moving around in your underpants
• Fleece - helps water proof/resistance and also helps stop the pad moving.
• Cotton - for a pretty look to the pad, using quilting cottons or other pretty prints
• Flannel/flannelette - for a pretty and/or slip resistant backing.
• No backing - particularly for an overlocked (serged) pad, you can simply put layers of hemp/flannel etc. together and not have an actual back - just leaving the fabrics exposed.

These Cloth Pad making patterns and instructions are copyright Obsidian 2007
And may not be copied or redistributed without permission