Pros and Cons of Buying Used Cloth Diapers #fallfluff

Our beginning stash started with only a few new cloth diapers and a whole stash of Motherease used cloth diapers. I read that getting used diapers was a very economical way to start. At first that idea seemed gross to me, but then I figured it’s not much different than getting someone else’s clothes (though I wouldn’t buy used underwear…). I put a “wanted” request out on our local Freecycle community asking for fluff in good used condition to try out.

I received a rude response telling me that no one is just going to give their diapers away for free. Well, I was asking for one or whatever and asking it of people that don’t need them anymore. Besides, who cares? Why get up in arms about me asking? Does she email the people asking for free cars and PS3s?

After awhile I did get a response. A lady had diapered five children and no longer needed the box of fluff in her basement. I agreed to take it! While the pieces weren’t in new condition, it did get us into cloth full-time quicker. I was grateful, but happy to slowly collect and purchase my own that worked better for my daughter’s body type (and were much cuter!). I donated the best of those Freecycle dipes to other women in need in my area.

During that time, I also checked Craigslist, eBay, and various forums and boards. Personally, I thought most people were asking too much. That was my biggest turn off. Then I was nervous about so many using Tide or said there were stains or they just weren’t… cute. I decided that I could justify a couple extra dollars to buy new. I still watched for deals for awhile.

Here are my pros and cons of getting used diapers:

Pros:

• Save some money
• Can ask about how it fit and functioned
• Reusing items is good to do
• Don’t have to do the initial prep washes for max absorbency {Clarification: you should still wash them, they just don’t need to be washed 5 times -for example – to prepped!)

Cons:

• Not always a good deal
• Stains
• Wear and tear (especially for one size diapers and may not know how much they were used)
• Don’t know what they were washed in and will need to strip right way
• Harder to utilize manufacture warranties

Have you bought used cloth diapers? Why or why not?

Don’t forget to see what April and Mariah think about this topic!