Figuring out Fabrics
Absorbent Fabrics
The inside of the pads is usually made from something absorbent, to soak up the flow. This can be a sewn in "core" (As with an AIO), or can be removable insert (Such as with a pocket pad). You will need to use the right absorbency for your flow, so some fabrics will be better suited to you than others. Generally this is a natural fibre, but there are some synthetic options.
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. For example - one layer of a bamboo fleece is probably about the same thickness of 3 layers of flannel, but the bamboo would probably be up to 3 times more absorbent. Plus if you are using several layers of something thinner, you're cutting out all those extra layers, and adding up all those extra costs - sometimes it can be quicker and cheaper to buy a more absorbent fabric you need less of.
When looking at the absorbency of different fibres, it is important to realise that while hemp is reportedly 3 times more absorbent than cotton, the "hemp" fabric used is usually a 45% cotton blend, which makes it less absorbent than a 100% hemp fabric would be. Also different fabrics have different thicknesses, so for example cotton terry is much more absorbent than cotton flannel, as it is much thicker. You don't have to have the whole winged shape being in a thick absorbent fabric. 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.
While these fabrics can be used as the core of a pad, they can also be used as a top fabric too. Particularly in the case of "overlocked'/"serged" pads, where fabrics such as hemp and bamboo can be dyed and used as both the top and hidden internal layers.
- 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 compared to a cotton terry, so this can make for a more absorbent core for less bulk than cotton terry. It's also said to be antibacterial (though this is apparently in the oils and looses it over time as the oils wash out)
- Terry - A thin looped fabric, not like the cotton towelling you find in towels, the hemp terry loops are shorter and its generally only on one side (the other is smooth) - Called a "French terry".
- 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. It often feels thicker than hemp terry (because of the fluffiness), even if they are the same weight.
- Cotton - This is easy to find, and inexpensive - which makes it a popular choice. However it is less absorbent than some other fabrics, which means you may need to use more layers - which may end up more expensive in the end, and can lead to a bulkier pad than if other more absorbent fabrics were used.
- 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.
- Burley 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"). It isn't often used.
- 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. Not often used as an internal core, more often it is used as a top, but it can be used as a core because it is absorbent.
- 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. Lunapads uses this.
- "batting" - The cotton variety (I think you can now get bamboo batting too). I don't know much about the use of this, but I have seen people using it - probably because it's easier to get in fabric stores. I assume it absorbs like a natural fibre (since it's cotton), but might be a little bulky, and I'm not sure if it offers better absorbency than a terry or not.
"Terry Towelling" can also refer to the polyester loopy thin fabric you might find made into tracksuits or baby clothes (think 70s era). This would very rarely be made into pads however and would be a top layer....but I wanted to mention it, as that is what I think of as "terry towelling" so it confused me when I saw people calling cotton towelling that.
- Bamboo - This is a fairly new fabric on the market. It comes as terry or fleece (most commonly, fleece), generally with a small component of cotton (Anywhere from 15% to 25%). The terry can come as a single or double sided loop. Bamboo as a fabric is 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 very absorbent on its own, but when you use several layers together you increase the absorbency. Generally used in pantyliners where much absorbency isn't needed. 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 2-3 layers might not be as absorbent as one layer of something else, so adding more layers of flannel instead of fewer layers of something more absorbent might not end up being good economy. "Flannel" in the US is the same as "Flannelette" in Aus & UK. (In Aus/UK "Flannel" refers to a wool product, not a cotton one).
- Microfibre/Microterry - This is a synthetic fabric, commonly used in household cleaning cloths. It reportedly holds around 7 times its weight in liquid, making it a very absorbent fabric while being quite thin. It can however take a long time to fully dry if made into a core of several layers. Sometimes this is used with a natural fibre to increase the absorbency.
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