Many of the cloth diapers I’ve tried have been “big brand” diapers. (In the grand scheme of things, they’re not huge brands, but they’re not made in someone’s house either.) A few months ago, I contacted Christine at Essential Saltes baby (esbaby) to learn about her handmade cloth diapers. She’s a work at home mom, and I was amazed at how reasonable her prices were.
Over the course of a few weeks, she walked me through her custom order process and told me a little bit about her line. (She’s recently ramped up her business after a hiatus, and I’m thrilled to see her product line increasing.)
Christine made a custom fitted bamboo velour diaper for me, as well as a diaper cover in a print I selected from her massive gallery of (adorable) fabric swatches. I chose a tattoo print fabric for the cover.
The fitted diaper is the first bamboo fitted diaper I’ve used. It is nothing like the Thirsties fitted that I’m frankly not a fan of.
What I loved:
- It’s super soft—I’m talking “I want all of my pillows to feel like this” soft.
- Thanks to a snap-in-soaker, it dries surprisingly fast.
- None of the snaps touch the baby’s skin. (I hate pulling a diaper off and seeing little circle snap marks on my son’s skin.)
- INSANELY absorbent. Though, once it is super soaked, baby will feel it.
- Fitted diapers can be covered in a fabric from the swatch gallery if you want.
The cover is adorable. The PUL faces inside, which gives it a nice, soft feel.
- A huge selection of prints to choose from.
- A great fit.
- Crossover snaps for babies with small waists. (My Moose is a chunker.)
- NOTE: Dark fabrics will probably pill a little, especially if you wash them with other diapers that have velcro/aplix. If you don’t want the pilling to e as obvious, pick light-colored prints.
Christine’s site and Etsy Shop, Essential Saltes Baby, offer the custom diapers, true AIO cloth diapers, wet bags, and several other cloth options. She also makes cloth menstrual pads. I have no idea how she keeps up with all of this herself, but the quality of her work is amazing and her prices are really great. (Especially if you buy in bulk. $10 per fitted diaper? That’s a steal.)
Keep in mind that the more options you add or the bigger sizes you need, the more the price increases. Personally, I love this, because you can scale down if necessary, but if you have the budget to go organic you can do that as well.
To top it off, Christine is great to work with and will be able to help you find the right cloth diaper solution for your family’s needs. I find the whole process pretty awesome. How often do you purchase items that are truly handmade to order?
Check out Christine’s blog here for esbaby updates, and if you sign up for her newsletter (at the bottom of the page) she’ll send out coupons and updates about her shop.
View all of the awesome fabric swatches here.
Free Stuff Alert
One lucky winner will win an esFitted diaper and esWrapping cover in the size and fabric of their choice.
- To enter you MUST visit esBaby and tell us which product you found most interesting.
For extra, optional entries you can:
- Tell us your favorite fabric option in another comment.
- Follow Esbaby on Twitter. Comment to let us know.
- Join this site via Google Friend Connect (see the sidebar.) Comment to let us know you did or already do!
- Blog or tweet about this giveaway – comment with a link.
Contest is open to US and Canada
only. One winner will be selected. Entries that do not follow the rules will be deleted! Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Contest ends August 25, 2009 at noon Eastern.
About the author: Maria is surrounded by boys. She gets all aflutter when she finds good deals, new episodes of Gossip Girl, and big bold bottles of red wine. Read more from this author.
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I love the “lights out” diaper. I’m always on the hunt for something super absorbent to use overnight, and I think calling it a “lights out” diaper is ADORABLE.
Wow, that’s a lot of prints. I love the blue toile! I’m not sure it’s my favorite, though, because there are about 20 others that I covet at the moment.
I’ve joined with Google Friend Connect!
The cloth pads are pretty cool. I’ve never thought to use those, but I may really look into that!
I am not expecting yet (although I would be in heaven if #2 was on the way!!!), but if I was, I would totally want the counting sheep fabric. It’s adorable! There are tons and tons of choices! I’m pretty sure I would need to buy more than one (or ten!) :)
I tweeted about it: http://twitter.com/LeftofLost/status/3384627126
I found the most interesting to be the Lights Out diaper!!
Love the Roy Rogers pattern!
Following esbaby on twitter!
eclairemom
Joined this site via Google Friends Connect!
Tweeted!
http://twitter.com/eclairemom/status/3384782485
I absolutely love the printed covers–the ones I have are plain! iluvmygrlz at yahoo.com
One of the fabric prints I liked was the Kleo Pink
iluvmygrlz at yahoo.com
I already follow ES Baby on twitter: TheRedheadedOne iluvmygrlz at yahoo.com
I follow:GwennS iluvmygrlz at yahoo.com
tweeted: http://twitter.com/TheRedheadedOne/status/3384922609
iluvmygrlz at yahoo.com
the lights out diaper looks fantastic. i’m always looking for new nighttime diapers.
she has some of my favorite fabrics in her shop. i’d have to go with the cowgirl pattern, though.
I think the menstrual pads are really neat. I’ve been thinking of trying them and esbaby’s design is really nice.
I like the Alexander Henry Blooming Thicket print. Flowery but doesn’t scream “girly”.
I joined!
I really want one of her large wetbags! She did a blog post about them a while ago and they look great!
I follow esbaby on twitter. I’m lucy8180
So many great prints. I love vintage children playing! or multi-rcoket!
I love the whales on dark blue cloth diaper!
I’m on google friend connect!
I am most interested in the custom fitted diapers, because I can choose a print, and because Christine has created an interesting Medium Long size. Hmm… I wonder if it would fit Kidoodle…
Thanks for the giveaway!
I follow via friend connect. :)
ooh! I love the yoko and the MM diamond eye prints. And the mocha… So many fun choices!
I think her bamboo esfitted diapers look really nice!
I love the blue victorian fabric!!
I’m a Google friend!
I like the Lights Out diaper – I’ve never before seen a cloth diaper designed specifically for nighttime.
I really like the red side snapping AIO b/c AIOs are my favorite and I recently tried a side snapping diaper and really liked it!
The jungle animals on white is my favorite fabric!
I am most intrigued by her QDAI2 options for cloth diapers!
That said, Snapdragon loVES his QDAIO that Christine made!
Fentonslee at gmail dot com
I follow esbaby on twitter
momof3munchkins
I follow via google friend connect
My favorite print is the skulls on black or the amy buttler parrot tulip prints, I think. Of course, I also love the apples and pears on blue…
Fentonslee at gmail dot com
tweet! https://twitter.com/momof3munchkins/status/3390445386
I follow @es_baby on twitter
Fentonslee
Fentonslee at gmail
Follow via google friend connect
Fentonslee at gmail
I like the alexander henry blooming thicket fitted diaper. It is beautiful!
thanks
ruth dot gray at gmail dot com
I like the AH aviary on green fabric.
ruth dot gray at gmail dot com
Follow Etsy on Twitter.
ruth dot gray at gmail dot com
I follow.
ruth dot gray at gmail dot com
I’m dying to try her quick-dry all in twos!
colorful notes is my FAVORITE fabric
I follow esbaby on twitter. I’m addicted to #clothdiapers.
Most interesting product: Lights out diaper with a sanp in soaker… love it!
Favorite Fabric option: Mocca!
i like the Diaper Comboo bags
Following es_baby on Twitter!
@dee_greatest
i love the jungle animals on white
i connected on google friend
i follow esbay on twitter @briann88
Wow everything is so nice. I like how she striped the fabric in her wetbags. I particularly like the heather ross mendocino bag.
I like the alexender henry aviary fabric on green :)
I like the lights out diapers!
I love the yoko design!
Follower!
I like the idea of the Quick Dry “All In Two”
I would love the hockey fabric for my son!
I follow via GFC
Follow you on Twitter (MarinOBrien)
TWEET
https://twitter.com/MarinOBrien/status/3395797137
I love the side snap all in one diapers!
My favorite fabric was the comic book print! My husband would love this!
I am on your google friend connect.
I like the Lights out diaper because of the extra layers
member (dot) thao (at) gmail.com
So many cute swatches. My two faves are whale on blue and Trex.
I follow ESbaby in twitter
https://twitter.com/twinpowells
member (dot) thao (at) gmail.com
I follow in google friend connect
member (dot) thao (at) gmail.com
http://twitter.com/twinpowells/status/3410154851
member (dot) thao (at) gmail.com
I think the most interesting item at esbaby are the cloth pads.
My favorite fabric is the fruits & veggies flannel.
I’m really interested in the cloth pads, I think they deserve more pictures!
I love the moon and stars the most!
I follow esbaby
CoccinelleGreen
tweeted at
http://twitter.com/CoccinelleGreen/status/3419608981
the lights out diaper sounds great!
Color choice is hard…she has some great stuff…I like the music notes and jungle animals on white..and about 10 more..
Joined via Google Friend Connect
tweet
http://twitter.com/fancygrlnancy/status/3421897308
Follow Esbaby on Twitter
I would love to try Christine’s “Lights Out” Hemp Diaper…sounds like it would really keep a wee one dry:)
I am such a huge fan of her products!
<3 sarasophia
I think my favorite fabric is the Alexander Henry pink sparrows fabric.
Thanks!
I follow Es Baby on Twitter!
I follow your site!
I tweeted here:
http://twitter.com/sarasophia/status/3422159084
We’re using gdiapers and not really liking them, but these diapers look great! I think the quick-dry aio diapers are neat.
sommer_willis@hotmail.com
My favorite print for my baby boy is the rocket knit.
sommer_willis@hotmail.com
I like the lights out diapers, for the extra absorbency.
My favourite fabric is the AH noguchi in green!
I am a follower on google friend connect
I blogged here:
http://emilyisland.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-youve-been-waiting-for.html
Quick Dry AIOs look great.
I like the quick dry AIOs.
saywah_j(at)yahoo.com
I LOVE the Eiffel Tower prints.
saywah_j@yahoo.com
I follow es_baby- saywah.
I follow your blog thru friend connect.
i think the wool diapers are the most interesting thing on the site
so many great fabrics! i really like the ah aviary on green.
I think the custom wetbags are most interesting!
I like the baby things fabric!
I follow Esbaby on Twitter!
I follow through Google Friend (the DeMille’s)
I love teh wipes. They are so pretty. I CD, but I still use disposable wipes – strange, right?
I like pink calaveros the best!
I find the lights out diapers most interesting – and beneficial! It’s great to have a heavy duty overnight dipe!
I love the AB clay coriander fabric.
the doll diapers are really cute.
I like the side snapping AIOs.
I am intrigued by the Lights Out diapers; I am in need of a really reliable nighttime diaper!
I love the Black Calaveros fabric!
I like the QDAI2 :)
jessiekaitlin at hotmail dot com
Her dipes are cute! My fav is lights out diapers.
I like the AH noguchi in black pattern.
I LOVE the michael miller ta dot print
following them on twitter-twoofakind
joined via google friend
oh and I forgot-the product I find most interesting is bamboo esfitted diapers