What's with all the bamboo?

Now, I know that bamboo is a far more sustainable crop than cotton, and that conventionally grown cotton really is one of the big baddies from an enviromental point of view. Still, when looking for nappies now, no - I'm more looking at nappies, I truly didn't need to add all that much to have an NB stash at the ready - bamboo seems to have taken over the world. I bought some Tots Bots Easyfit (just because they were there and reasonably cheap and ... Ooops, and the insert seems to be bamboo. I won (yay!) some Pop In nappies from Close - the insert is bamboo. Not that I really mind, it's just that they seem to take quite a bit longer to dry than I've been used to. Does "everyone else" use a dryer these days?

Also, I've been prone to washing my nappies on 90°C (some 194°F) on occasion to make sure we don't have any stubborn, smell-inducing germs staying behind. The bamboo terry nappies I made from Babeco terry back when, did not take too well to that treatment - they weren't very nippable after a while. Is that how bamboo generally works, or was that a feature of that particular terry?

I got lucky the other day, though: Six second-hand, nippable cotton tots bots in size 2, hardly used at all. That makes my size 2 stash nearly complete, too. And second-hand cotton is more environmentally friendly than new bamboo!

It's just more absorbent - holds more liquid which is why it takes longer to dry. So it means that the nappies last longer without boosting - I used to use bamboo inserts in pockets for my LO and she would last 3-4 hours.

I use cotton, I prefer it as you can put on radiators and wash at 90. I honestly don't find the absorbancy much different, bamboo is just more trim generally. I have destashed most of my bamboo. Organic cotton is lovely. And you can get bargains in cotton!

I even use, gasp, microfibre! My fave nappies are tots bots fluffles.

I find it so much slimmer and more absorbant than cotton, as you say is more sustainable and it has anti-bacterial properties too. I tend to wash our nappies at 50o only doing a hot wash when D had thrush to get rid of any nasties - all our nappies have been fine

I use a mix because as you say the bamboo takes an age to dry so we tend to have bamboo days and then in between use pockets with microfibre inserts and bamboo boosters which dry pretty quickly

I prefer bamboo, its more absorbent, stays softer wash after wash.

Yes it takes longer to dry but just a couple of extra nappies would allow for a longer drying time and the peace of mind knowing you have a good, absorbent nappy on is worth it hehe.

WTS. Bamboo will hold about 60% more wee than cotton. It is also a more sustainable crop from an environmental point of view as it grows quickly without the need for fertilisers. It is also naturally antibacterial.

There is also no need to wash your nappies at 90 degrees. If you're worried about germs, then 60 degrees is more than hot enough to kill anything nasty. Most nappy manufactures don't recommend washing hotter than 60 with bamboo as the fibres will 'cook' and the pile will become flat, crunchy and nard to nippa. For the same reason, you should avoid drying on top of a radiator or tumble drying too hot.

About 70% of my nappies are bamboo or have bamboo inserts. They probably take half as long again as cotton or microfiber to dry on an airier but it's worth it for the additional absorbency. I don't have a tumble dryer either

WTS really. I find bamboo quite a bit more absorbent than cotton and much trimmer fit. U don't need to wash at 90,60 degrees is hot enough.I do all the nappy washes at 60. I tend to half dry nappies on the airer then finish off on low in the dryer.

I only use bamboo nappies and inserts for the same reason as the other ladies. We don't own a tumble drier (and I have 4 children so lots of washing!) so its perfectly possible to use them without the need for one.

just a note, the processing required to make bamboo fabric is very chemically intensive so while bamboo is a sustainable crop, the processing is not very eco friendly.

I agree re: preloved cotton! I did a home made test for absorbancy of all my mf/cotton/bamboo inserts, as well as terries in various fabrics. There was negligible difference in absorbancy tbh. I think it is a matter of preference and taste in the end, and some people like fluffy white cotton bums, others like lovely died obv.