Cloth-eez Prefold Diapers Pictures

The best-loved prefold cloth diapers

White: go to item ordering page button

Natural White: go to item ordering page button

Natural Unbleached: go to item ordering page button

Also see how to use prefolds videos.

Three fabric versions to choose from. Available in chlorine-free white, natural chlorine-free white, natural unbleached cotton.

Cloth-eez logo

preemie prefold diaper on a 6 pound newborn baby 6 pound newborn baby in a preemie size prefold, purple edges. 

The size of the diaper is quickly identified by the edge color.  Purple edges = preemie size,  orange edges = newborn size,   yellow = small,   medium = red.

organic prefold cloth diaper pinnned on a newborn baby 7.5 pound newborn baby in a newborn size prefold, orange edges.

small yellow edge prefold on a baby Small yellow edge prefold on an 8 week old 13 pound baby.

medium prefold diaper on 14 pound baby Medium red edges on a 14.5 pound baby

Cloth-eez® Prefolds in chlorine-free white

Cloth-eez prefold diapers white size comparison Preemie also available. Our white cotton is free of optical-brighteners!


Cloth-eez® Prefolds fit your baby right and are very easy to use. Prefold diapers are the backbone of your baby's cloth diaper wardrobe. Only a few dollars each, they are economical, yet wonderful. Find the "prefold love" here at Green Mountain Diapers.

 sizes of prefold cloth diapers comparedclotheez organic prefold diapers comparison  Also available in Preemie purple edge, Newbie grey edge, Novice light green edge and Intermediate blue edge

Made of organic "Indian" cotton in white or unbleached. Just like our regular Indian cotton Cloth-eez prefolds, but the cotton we purchase to make them from is organic. We are thrilled to offer these lovely prefolds! It has been a dream of mine (Karen) to have true prefold diapers made of organic cotton for many years, and I am thrilled to have these available. Enjoy! The cotton is very nice.  Starting measurements are close to the same as the regular white prefolds by color. They are pretty close to the same as regular but there is normal variation in the fabric shrinkage as always with this type of fabric. There is something extra-nice about made of organic cotton even if the final product isn't certified. Made in Pakistan.


showing shrinkage of prefold before and after washing Our measurements in the size chart are approximate measurements after washing. If unsure of size please wash only one or two; unwashed items are returnable in accordance with our return policy. When you get your new prefold diapers, they will look huge. Don't worry, they do shrink quite a bit in the first few wash and dry cycles. Always wash your diapers a few times before using them, which is called "prepping".   

See how they change after prepping.

before and after washing prepping prefold cloth diaper

 


We developed the Cloth-eez® brand sizes to fit babies. Years ago, we sold only "green edge infant" size and "blue edge standard" size. We no longer sell those sizes. Not only do these custom Cloth-eez® sizes make sense and fit great, but the quality of the cotton is the best there is, with little to no pilling, wonderful durability and softness. Also affectionately known around the web as "GMD Prefolds", but the brand name is actually Cloth-eez®.

new unwashed prefold diapers

Size small yellow edge prefolds are too long to fit in most newborn size covers. Most newborn babies really do need newborn diapers! Later on, after baby outgrows this size, these are still great for everything such as spit up rags, and very absorbent nighttime doublers. Babies are wet people. Cloths such as these are just plain handy to have around long after baby outgrows the newborn size.

dozen washed newborn prefold diapers one dozen newborn orange edge prefolds after washing

Want to see your beautiful baby on GMD? Send a picture of baby wearing a Cloth-eez prefold to us with permission to use the picture and you might see it right here.  Send pictures to support@greenmountaindiapers.com

 


Karen's cotton comments:

"But I don't want my baby to get a rash so I MUST have a stay-dry fabric!" No, you don't need stay-dry. Urine is sterile when it leaves the body thus it is not a problem. You just need diapers that wash up cleanly. Fabrics that are stay-dry also don't let the water into the fabric during washing either, and that makes them even harder to get clean which = bacteria, which = rash issues and stink issues. Dampness does not usually cause rashes but bacteria does. Just change the baby often like you should anyhow, and since cotton washes cleaner, you will have LESS bacteria and therefore fewer issues in 100% cotton. You can even safely bleach cotton now and then if needed (see instructions in the booklet that comes free with your order when you add it to your cart from here on how to do this correctly) which kills bacteria and keeps baby rash-free. Sweaty polyester next to skin or soft, absorbent cotton? I'll take cotton any day! Don't believe the myth of "keeps baby drier" that you see advertised. Chemical filled diapers that suck the baby's natural moisture right out of her skin make creams nearly a requirement at every change when using the throw away kind. You actually do need the cream to protect baby's skin from the stuff in them. Rash creams are not needed with cotton diapers at all (except for illness or severe teething, in which case use a cloth wipe to protect the fabric). No creams are needed in cotton! Really! What are rash creams anyhow? More chemicals slathered right on baby to be absorbed through the skin into his little body. Thus reducing cream use seems wise to me. Fresh urine in a clean diaper is really no big deal. Go natural. Go 100% cotton. No polyester, no dyes in fabric, no repelling issues, no chemical super absorbent unpronouncables. Just pure cotton. Cotton is tried and true generation after generation. I urge you to try cotton and find out for yourself how wonderful it is. Still need stay-dry? You can turn your cotton into stay-dry inexpensively with our Stay-Dry Liners. Then you can use them or not use them as it is convenient for you. Perhaps you only "need" a stay-dry for the overnight diaper. You might discover you don't need it at all. Because they are a separate piece, they wash up so much better than the sewn-in kind. You'll have the best of both worlds if you keep your stay-dry liner separate.

compare small and large prefolds drying on a clothes line

twins in prefold diapers size comparison 5 month old babies   Five month old twins.  One twin is wider and fits size medium red edge. The other fits size small yellow edge.  Age and weight charts are very rough estimates and fit has a lot of variation.     

back folded down on large brown edge prefold diaper on a baby 20 pounds at 6 months old in size large brown edge. Look closely to see how the back is folded down to fit on a big, young baby.

 


   newborn prefold in a coverA full thickness 4-8-4 prefold that is short enough to fit in many newborn covers without folding down.

We made the Newborn Orange edge size to be the perfect newborn prefold. It is the full width and thickness 4-8-4 ply of the other sizes (unlike preemie which is thinner) but is shorter in length so it actually fits in newborn covers without the awkward folding down of the extra length of diapers that are too long for the covers. You can pin or Snappi this on a newborn. You can't do that with preemie size because they are too narrow, and preemie size is not nearly as thick and absorbent as the Newborn Orange Edge.

Can you skip Newborn Orange Edge and start with Yellow edge? Average newborns really do need newborn prefolds and newborn covers. The Newborn orange edge offers an economical alternative to newborn size fitted diapers and it's really nice to have diapers that fit in those early weeks. If you are on a tight budget, or expecting a 9.5 or 10 pound newborn, skip this and start with either size Small yellow edge or size Novice light green edge. Novice light green edge is the best choice when skipping newborn because it is a little bit lighter weight than the Small yellow edge so it is easier to fold it down at first. Even so, it's great to have some orange edge on hand just in case baby is smaller than you expect and they make great night doublers when baby is older. So you'll use them plenty even if baby does turn out to be 10 pounds at birth!

newborn prefold diaper on a baby 10 days old, 7.5 pounds

 

newborn 7 pound baby 12 hours old 7 pounds, 12 hours old. See more newborn baby pictures here.

newborn baby diapers pinned prefold24 days old, 8 lbs. 12 ounces.

"Newborn prefold diapering perfection." - a customer talking about Newborn orange edge diapers, June 2007.  This is still true today.

big newborn baby in prefold diaper13 days old and 9.5 pounds.

Customers often ask if they can skip orange edge Newborn and start with yellow edge. Unless your budget is very tight, get the Newborn orange edge for your newborn because they actually fit newborn babies and fit in newborn covers. If baby will be born at close to 10 pounds or more, skip Newborn. If you do want to skip Newborn, choose Novice light green edge prefolds which are 4-6-4 ply. Since they are 2 layers thinner in the center than the size Small yellow edge size, the Novice is better for size skipping.

orange edge newborn prefold 2 weeks old, 7 pounds 10 ounces

9 pound newborn baby A big newborn baby 9 pounds 10 ounces. This big baby can skip Newborn orange and start in size Small yellow. 

Below is another comparison of orange and yellow edge. This baby is 8 weeks old and 11 pounds. It's definitely time to move up to yellow edge!

yellow edge prefold 8 weeks old orange edge prefold 8 weeks old same baby, 8 wks 11 lb. She has outgrown the Newborn prefold already. Newborn orange edge prefolds are usually outgrown by 10 pounds but it varies. If trifolded instead of pinnned it might still work but usually at the 6 week growth spurt babies move up to size Small. Keep in mind growth rates vary a lot.

yellow edge 4 months 4 months old, 14.5 pounds, Snappi fastened Small yellow edge Classic White prefold

organic yellow edge prefold on a baby Size Small yellow edge

7 weeks old  yellow GMD prefold 7 weeks old, 10 pounds

yellow edge diaper snappi 6 weeks old, 11 pounds 8 ounces, Snappi fastened Small yellow edge prefold.


baby in diaper yellow edge prefold 

gmd prefoldsMuch easier to pin because the prefold is wider. Love it!

Yes, you can do this. Cloth diapers really work.

yellow edge gmd prefold 2 months, 12.6 pounds  


jelly roll front jelly roll diaperSmall yellow edge on 13 pound baby, jelly roll. A nice, snug fit that leaves no red marks at all. Prefolds are very comfortable for baby.

novice prefold diaper on a 5 month old 14 lb baby 14 pounds, 5.5 months old, size novice


newborn orange edge cloth-eez prefold diaper comparison novice and newborn Cloth-eez prefold diaper compared  Comparison of Newborn orange edge and then a Novice light green edge on 9 pound 2 ounce 1 month old with the back folded down.  


7 weeks old in snapp fastened prefold diaper 7 week old baby in novice prefold diaper 7 weeks old, 10.5 pounds. Newborn orange edge still fits. The Novice light green edge front is folded down inward on the same baby.


Compare Novice light green edge to Small yellow edge on the same 2.5 month old baby who weighs almost 10 pounds:

novice prefold on a baby  small yellow edge prefold on a babyNovice and Small are about the same except that Small has 2 more layers of cotton in the center panel.

cloth-eez prefold diaper sizes novice pinned small yellow edge gmd prefold fold down rise Front folded down to shorten the rise on this 2 month old 9.5 pound baby

 

small GMD yellow jelly roll prefold diaper on a 3 month old baby twist prefold fold on 3 month old 3 months, 13 pounds, in Small yellow edge jelly roll and twist fold

novice green edge prefold snappi on 3 month old 3 months old in Novice light green edge prefold

Which size? That's a difficult choice. Sometimes it depends on which cover you use or even which outfit you want to put over it. Smaller diapers are less bulky, bigger diapers are more absorbent because more cotton=more absorbency. This baby below, in the blue shirt, is 16 pounds. He fits Novice, Small, Intermediate, Medium or Large prefolds! He has outgrown the little orange edge Newborn a while ago. If I already owned 3 dozen yellow Smalls or Novice light green edge, I'd keep using them, but it is time to get the next size and prep them. If I were buying for the first time now, at 16 pounds, the Medium red edge or Intermediate blue edge are really his correct fit. The wise thing could be 2 dozen Medium plus 1 dozen Large brown edge (or 2.5 dozen Medium and 6 individual Large) for use for nap and night when a bigger, more absorbent diaper is needed. But you also need that 3rd dozen on hand for just in case and during wash time, so that "spare" dozen could be the next size up. Having that 3rd dozen on hand makes the whole thing less stressful because then you don't have to worry about running out, and that is very important to make it all work easily.

small yellow edge diaper compare to medium red edge prefold16 pounds

What fits in what? It depends on HOW you like things to fit. Prefold diapers are cotton diapers and they do require a cover.

Thinner is less bulky but it is also less absorbent. Generally, that's the way it is with diapers. If someone tells you otherwise, question it. Advertising that says "Trim and absorbent!" is really not possible.

More cotton = more absorbency = more bulk.

Less cotton = less absorbency = trimmer fit under clothes = more frequent changes. What's your style? What's your preference?

New to cloth and overwhelmed by the choices? Click here.

No pins necessary!    But you can pin or Snappi fasten them if you want to.

Below is 5 months old 15 pounds, in Medium red edge prefolds. She is just now moving up to size Medium covers.

cotton red edge diaper on 5 month old white old fashioned prefold diaper with snappi size medium

medium prefold dipaer on with pins 6 months old, Medium red edge pinned prefold

twist fold red edge diaper Nicely pinned Medium, twist fold, on a 9.5 month old 19.5 pound baby. See the legs? Pinning the prefold really does help contain everything. It's not hard. Try it!

10 months medium red edge prefolds10 months medium red edge prefolds with Thirsties Duo Wrap size 2 snap 10 months old, 19 pounds, Thirsties Duo size 2 snap closure at the medium rise setting over Medium red edge Cloth-eez prefold, Snappi fastened. Prefolds are the absorbency. You need to put a diaper cover over it.

clotheez cotton red edge prefold diaper Medium red edge on 8 month old 20 pound baby

intermediate blue edge prefold diaper on baby Intermediate blue edge on an 11 month old petite baby. Intermediate blue edge is a little wider than the medium red edge, but it is also 2 fewer layers in the center. Intermediate blue edge is 4-6-4 ply whereas Medium red edge is 4-8-4 ply. But since it is wider in the center, that almost makes up for the 2 fewer layers. Intermediate blue edge and medium red edge are both "mediums" but proportioned a bit differently with Intermediate being a little wider. Don't be worried about the layering for these, just choose the proportions that will fit your baby's shape better or maybe just choose the edge color you prefer since they are quite similar.  Drying time is just a little bit faster for Intermediate and Intermediate a little bit trimmer, but Medium will win the absorbency test buy just a bit.  

 --------------- Same baby in the next 3 pictures ----------

intermediate blue edge prefold diaper green snappi Intermediate on a young chubby baby and same baby below in Medium

cloth-eez prefold size medium on baby Medium on a young chubby baby. Compare with this baby in Intermediate above and large below.

large prefold on a young baby Large on a young chubby baby.  Same baby as the Medium and Intermediate above.  Large is very absorbent and nice as a night diaper even on a baby this young as long as you are using a cover that is the correct size to fit over it properly.   

--------------- End same baby in the 3 pictures above -------- 

 

Intermediate blue edge prefold on a 9 month old 17 pound baby Intermediate blue edge on a 9 month old 17 pound baby.

 

medium cloth-eez red edge prefold on 25 pounds Medium red edge on 25 pound 1 year old

boingo diaper fastener on red edge prefold Boingo fastener on 24 pound 1.5 year old in red edge Medium.

Fastening the diaper is optional. You don't need to fasten it at all! You can let the cover hold it in place, by just putting it in the cover as shown below (the Medium red edge in the Thirsties Duo size 2 cover, for example). But fastening with pins, a Boingo or a Snappi is another option. Of course, it is really hard to take pictures of a prefold that is not fastened, so all of the pictures are of fastened diapers. Tri-folding/pad-folding is a very popular way to use prefolds though.

Size Intermediate on toddler outside  Intermediate blue edge is an alternative size to size Medium red edge that is often overlooked. Don't be afraid of it because it is 4-6-4 ply and not 4-8-4 ply like the red edge Medium. It is wider and gives a very comfy and trim fit. It is also popular in pocket diapers at the tallest rise setting.

toddler xl on 20 months 24 pounds X-Large Toddler green edge, 20 months old, 24 pounds. Extra length is folded down in back. This is big and absorbent for nighttime.

Toddler size prefolds are available, but many babies will potty learn before they get to size Toddler prefolds. However, consider the Toddler size as your nighttime diaper for babies about age 9 months or over. A toddler size prefold is a wonderful, washable, inexpensive changing pad. Have a few on hand.

 

brown edge diaper  cotton brown edge large diaper Size Large brown edge on a toddler

red edge on toddler Medium red edge on a young toddler  

 


Preemies and little newborns: Tiny baby? See more pictures on our preemie page.

 

premature baby in preemie cloth diaper 5 pounds 4 ounces, 1 month old born 6 weeks early in Preemie purple edge prefold fastened with a Boingo fastener.

Newbie grey edge is a larger preemie size.  2-6-2 layering.  

 

compare newbie and newborn prefolds newbie and newborn comparison of thickness absorbency Newbie is preemie layering but it is about the same size as the Newborn orange edge. It is wider than the typical preemie diapers are.

compare preemie to newborn prefold Preemie purple edge is preemie layering 2-6-2 ply, the same layering as the Newbie grey edge prefolds. But the Preemie purple edge is smaller, at 9.5 wide x 10 inches long. This purple edge Preemie prefold is a little wider and shorter than our former white edge Preemie size which we no longer carry. Moms of babies in NICU have requested this size - many moms told us this over the years, so we finally made it. We don't have many pictures on a baby yet, but we do need some. Send pictures to support@greenmountaindiapers.com. See the preemie pictures we have so far on our preemie page.

newbie prefold diaper pinned on a premature baby 5 pounds 7 ounces, 9 days old. Newbie grey edge "large preemie" size. It is a very lightweight 2-6-2 ply diaper suitable for preemies or for just the first week or two for a full term baby. They are the same size as Newborn orange edge prefolds but much thinner. These are nice if you don't want bulk on your newborn. Change often. You can always add a doubler to it. They Newbie grey edge make wonderful doublers all the way to potty learning, so if you have some you will use them and keep on using them. Newborn orange edge are 4-8-4 ply and Newbie grey edge are just 2-6-2 ply. 2-6-2 ply means 2 layers of cotton on the outside ends and 6 layers in the center panel. 4-8-4 ply means 4 layers in both outside panels and 8 layers in the center panel. More cotton=more absorbency, but it also means thicker of course. Newbie grey is a lot wider than regular preemie diapers, but still preemie layering. Full term babies will out-wet this diaper before it is outgrown so plan on adding a small doubler to it.

newborn baby in newbie cloth diaper Newbie grey edge on an 8 pound baby. By the time baby is 8 pounds, the diapers will fit fine but they are only 2-6-2 ply, so baby will out-wet the diaper quickly. Just add a small yellow edge doubler to this to increase absorbency as needed.


 Newborn baby in size newbie cloth-eez prefold with a blue Snappi cloth dipaer fastener Size Newbie grey edge prefold.  It's the most overlooked size of prefolds, but it has its place. Newbie grey edge are trimmer fitting and thinner - they have fewer layers - than size Newborn orange edge, and they cost less. Newbie size prefolds become your doublers later on, all the way to potty learning so they could be wise to own.  Consider 1 or 2 dozen Newbie grey edge in addition to your Newborn orange edge prefolds - to stretch your newborn stash for less money. Newborn babies need a lot of diaper changes, so having a spare dozen or two of the inexpensive Newbie grey edge size takes the pressure off. Yes, you have to change baby more often in Newbie than you do in Newborn because they are thinner and thus not as absorbent, but changing baby a lot is just part of having a newborn baby.  Sometimes baby may go through up to 24 diapers in 24 hours so having enough diapers on hand is really nice.   They can also be used as washable period pads and have many other handy uses for years to come. 


   Intermediate blue edge can also be a good size in your medium or large synthetic pockets. It is about 14.75 inches long. You can use them as inserts as you transition from synthetic diapering to natural diapering and learn the benefits and superiority of cotton as the best, safest and easiest-to-wash diapering fabric. In cotton, you don't have icky microfiber and polyester stink issues! No special detergents are needed for cotton. This makes it ideal for shared washer situations. You can use pretty much anything except fabric softeners and dryer sheets. Even money-saving unscented store-brand big-bucket detergents work just fine on cotton. Easy! (Get it? Cloth-eez® as in "cloth-ease" or "cloth is easy". OK, the name is only a sort of so-so, but the diapers themselves are unbeatable.)

About the layering

Novice and Intermediate have 4-6-4 layering. Modern fit and eco-friendly drying - quality traditional back-to-basics prefold diapers made to fit with today's diaper covers. Years ago, the traditional diaper service diapers were typically 4-6-4 ply layering because this lighter weight layering is easier to wash and dry than the heavyweight 4-8-4 ply layering. These 4-6-4 ply prefolds combine the best of the old typical diaper service diapers with the new shorter and wider shape.

 Newbie grey edge is a large preemie size with preemie layering 2-6-2 ply. It is perfect for preemies coming home.  It is nice for full-term newborns for the first week or two or so, and then they are great doublers later on.  7-9+ pound newborns should skip this size.  5-6 pound babies will love these.   The correct size diaper for a little newborn can make all the difference.  

Novice is a "small" size. Since it is lighter weight, choose this if you want to skip size Newborn orange edge and thus have one fewer size to buy.  This is a great economical option.  You can always add a doubler, which you will need anyhow at some point when more absorbency is needed as baby grows.

Intermediate is a "medium" size but a little wider.  If you remember our Medium Wide or Wide Baby sizes from past years, this is the same size as those were, but with 4-6-4 ply layering and a new edge color.

Since Novice light green edge and intermediate blue edge are 2 fewer layers in the center than our regular prefolds, they will wash and dry faster because they are 2 fewer layers. This saves about 10 minutes of drying time. But with fewer layers comes less cotton which means less absorbency. We make up for some of that loss by making the Intermediate a little wider than the Medium red edge prefold diapers. But still, the Medium red edge will beat the Intermediate blue edge for absorbency, usually, by just a little bit, but that is just the trade off. (I say usually because prefolds are by nature variable.) They are a bit less bulky, too. With today's low water washing machines, sometimes having 2 fewer layers really can make sense to make washing and drying just a little bit easier and faster. You can always add a doubler if you want to. The cotton is the same wonderful quality that you've come to know and trust over the years. They are also "floppier" because of having 2 fewer layers in the center.

If you prefer a slightly less bulky prefold then the 4-6-4 ply Novice light green edge or Intermediate blue edge size is worth a try.

This is also a good choice if you have a difficult washing situation and prefer prefolds instead of flats. Flats are really best for easiest washing though.

 

Do you understand the names of the lightweight sizes? Think skiing! Beginner ski trails are called Novice and marked with green circles so Novice have green edges. Intermediate ski trails are marked with blue squares so Intermediate have blue edges. Green Mountain Diapers is located near ski country in the Green Mountains of Vermont. I (Karen) needed logical names that were different than newborn, small and medium so I borrowed the skiing names Novice and Intermediate. There is no "expert" size because by the time baby needs size Large, baby also really needs the full 4-8-4 layers of absorbency so we are not planning on making a size "expert". Choose size Large brown edge. Newbie sounds like preemie and that size needed a name, too. Newbie is like Preemie but it is much wider and longer. It is about the same size as Newborn orange edge, just a little bit longer, but it is preemie 2-6-2 ply layering which is very lightweight.

Free How-To Booklet:

Add your free 16 page GMD How-To Booklet to you cart. It's a treasure-trove of information and it's free with your order.

free cloth diaper pins One FREE pair of pins per order is available with purchase of this item when you add the pins to your cart through this Link. Try pins! They are handy for many things.

 

Please note that you can use any mainstream laundry detergent on cotton diapers. You do not need to purchase "special for cloth diapers" detergents. We do not sell them and they are not needed on prefolds or Workhorse diapers. Keep it simple. Use what you would normally use on your regular household laundry.  We strongly recommend fragrance-free versions of laundry products and other household and personal products.  Why?  "Fragrance" is a mystery and according to FTC, we are not allowed to know what the ingredients are since they are "trade secrets".  Do your homework about phthalates, benzene, formaldehyde, aldehyde and more in "fragrance". For example, search benzene in fragrance and read, learn and make your own decision. Green Mountain Diapers maintains a fragrance-free warehouse and work environment.    

Chlorine-free white, unbleached organic or white organic?

Pick which color you prefer, white or tan. They are exactly the same. One batch gets a hydrogen peroxide bath to remove the natural cotton oils and then they are white. The unbleached don't get that bath and you have to wash the cotton oils off. They stay tan after washing, but will whiten over time and whiten quite a lot if you bleach them, of course (but please do that only occasionally and only according to the instructions in our How-To Booklet .) They are very similar to each other. Unbleached hide stains slightly better, but white has that pure, clean white diaper look. Which color do you like? Unbleached take a few extra hot washes with detergent, to break in "prep", but all diapers (all kinds, all brands) need several wash cycles before first use to prep them. Choose white or organic white for quicker prepping but all cotton needs to be prepped before first use, which means washed several times in order to fully shrink to proper size and obtain maximum absorbency.

Measurements

All measurements are approximate, taken at rest and can be pulled wider. There is some variation.  Normal variation can be up to 15%. We provide shrunk measurements for selection purposes only. The measurements are helpful, but they cannot be exact due to the nature of this wonderful and beloved fabric. This is the normal nature of this product, for all brands, from all country sources. Most sites don't even give any shrunk measurements at all. How they are prepped will affect the final measurements.  In general, traditional top loaders with a center agitator that pulls the diapers down along the agitator will end up larger due to the action of pulling on the fibers. Most HE machines curl the diapers during the cycle and push the cotton fibers together, compressing them, making them curlier and quiltier after prepping. The absorbency is the same either way. Generally, the pictures and measurements are pretty good, but all prefold diaper brands including ours have variances in size and shrinkage rates based on the actual washing situation. Sizes are approximate, not exact. Don't sweat picking out the right size too much. If you are unsure between 2 sizes, pick the larger one. Why? Bigger diapers are more absorbent and babies grow! Better a little too big than a little too small, and the differences in size are not really that much after all. But keep in mind which cover you plan on using. It's hard to stuff large diapers into Medium covers, even though it can be done. For most Medium covers, the Medium (or Intermediate) diapers are really best. All of our prefold diapers are 4-8-4 ply, except Preemie and Newbie (which are 2-6-2 ply), and Novice and Intermediate (which are 4-6-4 ply). Are all high quality cotton. 

Cloth-eez® Preemie purple edges (small preemie)  (11"x 11.5" when new,) 9.5" x 10" when fully shrunk. (For preemies or as doublers)  Very lightweight 2-6-2 ply. purple edges.

Cloth-eez® Newbie grey edge (large preemie)  (12"x13" when new) 11" x 11" when fully shrunk. Fits preemie or newborn to about 4 weeks, or fits about 4-10 pounds. For large preemies or a trim newborn option.  Very lightweight 2-6-2 ply, grey edges. Made in Pakistan, 100% "Indian" cotton.

Cloth-eez® Newborn orange edge  (12"x13" when new) 11" x 11" when fully shrunk. Fits newborn to about 6 weeks, or fits about 5-10 pounds. 4-8-4 ply, orange edges. Made in Pakistan, 100% "Indian" cotton.

Cloth-eez® Novice light green edge  (14"x15.5" when new), 12.5" wide x 13.5" long when fully shrunk. Fits 8 or 9 pounds to about 5 months old or about 14 pounds or so but this varies a lot. Fits in most size small covers. Lightweight 4-6-4 ply. A good choice if you want to skip size newborn. Light green edges, made in Pakistan. 100% "Indian" cotton.

Cloth-eez® Small Yellow edge  (14"x15.5" when new), 12.5" wide x 13.5" long when fully shrunk. Fits 10 pounds to about 6 months old or about 15 pounds or so but this varies a lot. Fits in most size small covers. 4-8-4 ply. Yellow edges, made in Pakistan. 100% "Indian" cotton.

Cloth-eez® Intermediate blue edge (an alternate medium size)  (16"x17" when new) 15" wide x 15 or so long when fully shrunk. Fits in most medium covers. From about 14 pounds or so at the tallest rise setting trifolded in one-size covers. This is instead of red edge for babies who grow heavy and wide at a young age or if you prefer a slightly shorter medium size. For example, babies who are 16 pounds at 4 months, or 20 pounds at 5 months, or similar will like this. Most babies will skip this size, but if baby is young and wide, it is nice to have the width without extra length. It is as wide as a Large brown but just a bit shorter than a Medium red edge. Wider is nicer for fastening, and little bit shorter is better for trifolding in some one-size covers. Made in Pakistan, 100% "Indian" cotton. Fits in Medium covers. 6 ply middle is a little wider than the red edge size but since it is not as thick as the regular 8 layer center, the extra width is not overwhelming but still absorbent.  The absorbency of Medium red edge will beat Intermediate blue edge by a little but it can be hard to notice that in real life.

Cloth-eez® Medium Red edge  (15"x18.5" when new) 13" wide x 15.5 or so long when fully shrunk. Fits in most medium covers. From about 14 pounds or so, perhaps 5 months or so and older. Made in Pakistan, 100% "Indian" cotton.

Cloth-eez® Large Brown edge  (16.5"x20" when new) 14.5" wide x 17.5" long when fully shrunk. Fits in most size large covers and also works well for the second half of the weight range in many medium size covers, usually for babies 20 pounds and up, but fit has lots of variation. Made in Pakistan. 100% "Indian" cotton

Cloth-eez® Toddler size green edge (17"x23" when new), 15.5" wide x 20" long when fully shrunk. For over age 18 months, or for a night diaper for over age 12 months to potty learning age. Premium 4-8-4 ply. Full size toddlers. Made in Pakistan. 100% "Indian" cotton.

White prefolds. Our white prefold diapers, both regular "Classic" cotton and organic cotton, are CHLORINE-FREE, peroxide bathed, NOT chlorine bleached. Cloth-eez is the only brand of white prefolds that is also OPTICAL BRIGHTENER-FREE.  It's dioxin-free and acid-free, known as "natural bleaching process". All cotton must be degummed in some manner before it can absorb. I'll repeat, our white diapers are chlorine-free and optical brightener-free.  This makes them softer.  But of course, we do recommend washing them several times, usually 4 or 5 cycles, before use to prepare them for use. ALL diapers of all kinds and brands should be washed several times before use. They will shrink and get soft and quilty after washing. We strive to have the very best prefold diapers in the world and you won't find other white prefolds like these. 

Unbleached prefold diapers have not been de-gummed and must be washed numerous times in hot water (at least six times, with detergent) to remove the natural cotton oils from them. They will not absorb until washed enough times to remove the natural cotton oils. 

Generally, size Newborn prefolds fit in size Newborn or XS covers, size Small prefolds fit in size Small covers. Size Medium fit in Medium covers, size Large in size Large covers. But there is overlap, and cover brands sizing varies, so pay attention to the age and weight range recommended for your particular covers. 

Detailed information above. Quick summary chart below 4-8-4 ply unless noted:

Cloth-eez Prefold Size Chart
Size Approx. Weight / Age Before Washing Measurements, inches.
Layering
Approx width by length after washing, inches
Preemie (small preemie)

purple

2-6-2 ply

premature or as doublers 11x11.5 9.5x10
 
Newbie (large preemie)

grey

2-6-2 ply

premature or newborn 12.5x13.5 11x11.75
Newborn

orange

4-8-4 ply

6-10 lbs, 0-6 weeks 12x13 10.5x10.5
Novice

light green

4-6-4 ply

9-15 lbs, birth to 5 months 14.5x15.5 12x13
Small

yellow

4-8-4 ply

10-15 lbs, 6 weeks to 5 months 14.25x15.25 12x13
Intermediate

blue

4-6-4 ply

13-25 lbs, 4-20 months 16.25x17.5 14.5x14.5
Medium

red

4-8-4 ply

14-29 lbs, 4-20 months 15x18 13x15
Large

brown

4-8-4 ply

20-35 lbs, 9-36 months 16.5x20 14.5x17
X-Large green 4-8-4 ply 28-40 lbs
17x23

15x19

Normal variation can be up to 15%. 

eco friendly diaper awardTop Choice Diaper Award Tried and true. Cloth-eez best name in prefolds and other 100% cotton cloth diapering products for many years.   Quality you can count on. 

Pinning or fastening is optional!

You can just fold the diaper in thirds and lay it in the diaper cover. This is called "trifolding" or "padfolding". However, fastening it is fun and provides a more stay-put fit, as well as much better containment.  But most people simply fold the diaper in thirds and place it in the cover. There are many ways to do it. Do what works for you.

See more VIDEOS. Learn how to use prefolds.

Again, pinning or fastening is optional! You can just fold the diaper in thirds ("trifolding") and lay it in the wrap style cover diaper cover and the cover holds it in place. If you use a pull-on style cover, then you do need to fasten the prefold first. Do what works for you!

Question:   If "most people" trifold and do not fasten, then why do all the pictures on babies show the diaper fastened?  

Answer:  It's pretty much impossible to take a picture on a moving baby of a trifold on a baby.  

Don't forget to add your one pair of free pins and your 16 page GMD How-To Booklet to you cart. It's a treasure-trove of information and it's free with your order.

White: go to item ordering page button

Natural White: go to item ordering page button

Natural Unbleached: go to item ordering page button