Diaper cost calculations
I made a lot of progress on baby Dango’s new diapers, and I would have done even better had I not run out of fold-over elastic (FOE). I also am going to run out of snap caps before I finish, so I put in orders for both the other day. I hope to have these all wrapped up next week.
Look at these little size label snap caps I have! I love these. I just use one per diaper. I have NB, S, M, and L. Since I started using FOE on diapers, I haven’t looked back. I love the tidy finish, and it makes for a very soft edge against the baby. It is applied using the longest, widest zig-zag setting on the machine, or if you have it, the three step zig-zag.
I tried to come up with a cost breakdown for these diapers, and I think I’ve gotten it fairly accurate. These are newborn size diapers, so larger sizes will be more expensive, but you’ll get the idea.
Per dozen newborn diapers
3 yards PUL @ $6.90/yard = $20.70
3 yards Power Dry @ $3.20/yard = $9.60
12 yards FOE @ $0.65/yard = $7.80
240 snap sockets, 48 snap studs, and 288 snap caps @ $10/1000 pieces
Cost of having supplies shipped to me = approx. $10.67 (I usually make large orders, so this is a proportional estimate)
Total = $54.50, or about $4.54 for each newborn diaper.
Using this same sort of formula, I estimate that the large diapers will cost me about $6.40 each.
And now for my supply sources:
I get my PUL wherever I can get it cheap, which varies. Right now the best price I see is at Wazoodle on their 10-yard bolts of Fabrite brand PUL (10 yards for $69 + $15 shipping).
I get Power Dry from Mill Direct Textiles (fomerly Malden Mills Store). I almost always check out their selection of full bolts and seconds, where you can score some excellent deals. They don’t always have great colors available, but check frequently and you’ll find what you’re looking for. Keep in mind that they are producing fabric primarily for the wholesale clothing market, so they are likely to have the same colors you’re seeing in the high-end sportswear catalogs. Last time I checked they had a few 12-yard bolts of Power Dry. They have flat rate shipping of $8.95 for up to 75 yards.
I tried a new supplier for FOE this time, because everyone else seemed to be out of what I wanted. I went with FOE your diaper this time, a small Canadian company. They have the best prices and greatest selection of FOE I’ve ever seen, so I’m hoping I’ll be happy with their customer service, too.
For snaps, I always order from The Snap Store. I’ve always been happy with them. Specifically, I’m using size 20 polyacetal resin snaps. You’ll need a snap press and set of setting dies for these snaps. I have this press, also from The Snap Store.
Annie, I’ve got a question. Do you make the actual diapers out of microfiber, or are those covers? (It’s been a long time since mine were
babies, but I do have grandchildren!) I am intrigued by this idea. I use
microfiber cloths extensively, but I’ve never heard of this. Thanks.
I love reading about your family and your magazine. I am a BHM subscriber and a retired Army wife.
The microfiber is folded up and stuffed inside the diaper for the absorbent pad.
I am so very appreciative for this post. Recently my step-daughter and her family were put out due to a housefire and lost everything. She, her husband and my 6 month old grandson moved in with us and have had to start over entirely. In order to save money I have knuckled down and have been teaching her for to be more frugal and self sufficient
(she grew up in the city and never learned this). We live on a small acerage and live a very self supportive lifestyle. I raised 3 other children on some of the same principles as my grandparents did. Making diapers, home canning, dehydrating, gardening and raising farm animals are just like breathing for me. I showed her this post and she loved it and wants to learn more~ Thank you for the help~ You’ve showed us that it is still “fashionable” to be frugal!!!
Wow! These look fabulous! Thank you so much for the cost break down. I have a small stash of cloth diapers that I have been using on and off over the last year or so. We are buckling down to really save money and I need to switch over to full time cloth. But I don’t have enough of the next size to do that. So this will be very helpful! I love, love, love your diapers. And thank you for taking the time to give us the links to the products you use. I am really excited to dive in and make some of my own! It’ll be a while, but when I do I will return to show what I made
Kerri
Thanks so much for the cost breakdown – it really cemented my notion to make my own cloth diapers for our first! It also takes a lot of the confusion out of ordering and looking for supplies! I am curious, I get a rough idea of how the opening in the back works – it looks kinda like there is some FOE on the inner layer only where it does not get seamed together with the outer layer. Is this cut or tapered differently? Do you think an “extra” piece layered over the inner layer like a sham or pillowcase opening would work as well?
I love your blog. Will you be selling these?
Do you find stripping your microfiber diapers to be a lot of work? I couldn’t keep up with all the work it took to strip microfibers and fleeces. Its why I use bamboo and hemp now and wool covers instead of PUL’s.
Your diapers look great! Is this from your own pattern?