Common Cloth Diapering Terms

OS: One-size. An adjustable diaper made to fit a wide range of shapes and sizes.

AIO: All-in-one. A one-step diaper system that has the soaker layers and waterproof cover all in one step.

AI2: All-in-2. A diaper that has 2 pieces. Most commonly a waterproof shell with a separate soaker that snaps in or is sewn in on only one edge.

Soaker: The layers within the diaper that soak up moisture.

Doubler: Extra layers added to make the diaper more absorbent. This differs from a soaker because it does not stand alone, but is added along with the soaker to "double" the absorbency of a diaper.

Liner: A single layer laid on top of the soaker between the baby and the diaper. Can be disposable and used to make poop clean-up easier or a re-usable fabric such as fleece to help wick moisture away from baby's skin.

Boingo: BoingoBaby™ cloth diaper fasteners.

Snappi: Snappi^™ Brand cloth diaper fastener.

PUL: Polyurethane laminate. A compound fabric made by laminating a cloth fabric to a thin film of polyurethane with a chemical process, thus making it waterproof.

TPU: Thermoplastic polyurethane. Basically the same as PUL, but the laminate is heat-bonded to the fabric rather than chemically-bonded.

Lanolin: A yellow waxy substance secreted by wool-bearing animals. Wool soakers need to be treated with lanolin periodically to maintain their water-resistant traits.

Hook and Loop: A type of closure also commonly known by the brand names Aplix™ and Velcro^™.

Stripping: A process by which your diapers and inserts are treated and “stripped” of mineral build-up, ammonia and/or soap residue.

Wicking: Wicking is the transfer of moisture from one place to another.  It is good when moisture is wicked away from baby’s skin through a stay-dry fabric. Wicking is a bad thing when moisture finds a weak spot or exposed area to leak out of. 


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