Absorbency & Layers A label is attached to the underside of the pads to indicate the level of absorbency. Which makes it easier for you to tell which pads are which, and also which way up the pad goes. As a general rule one layer bamboo is "Light", 2 layers are "Medium" and 3 is "Heavy". Reversible pantyliners/pads have no labels. Pads that are not reversible without PUL have an "No PUL" label. (Older pads used the format of "L" for "Light", "M" for "Medium" and "H" for "Heavy"). Most of the pads are made as "medium" absorbency - with 2 layers of absorbent core (each pad listing will give details of what that pad is made from). This should be absorbent enough even on heavy days (particularly in waterproofed pads), as by the time the pad is full, you would most likely want to change it anyway for comfort, and additional unneeded layers can make the pads slower to dry. The longer "Goddess" length pads are usually made with a heavy absorbency core as they are often used overnight and by women with very heavy flow. For light flow, mild stress incontinence, cup backup or spotting, a "light" absorbency pad or a pantyliner would be suitable. The "medium" absorbency pads should be suitable for use throughout your period, even on heavy days (though you will want to change more frequently). For the very heavy days, post partum or mild incontinence, you may like a "heavy" absorbency pad. Pads without waterproofing will allow the blood to soak through, so it is recommended to check regularly to make sure the pad has not soaked through. Pad Construction The Cloth Pads are made with both "Turn and Topstitch" and "Overlocking/Serging" techniques. Turned and Topstitched pads are those with a rounded edge with one line of stitching. These are made "inside out" and turned out the right way so that the seams are inside the pad. When making this form of pad, the seams are triple stitched (One row of straight stitching, one row of zigzag, then the top stitch for stability and neatness). Overlocked pads are the ones with stitching all around the edges, and are done with a 4 thread overlocker for extra durability. The "core" is the most absorbent part (generally bamboo fleece, although hemp and organic cotton are also used), which is sewn onto a full layer of flannelette, which secures the layers to help prevent bunching inside the pad. This extra flannelette layer gives a slight amount of extra absorbency through the whole pad, including the wing section. The core does not extend into the wing, to allow the wing to bend over easily to reduce bulk. The core layers of the heavy pads are cut in graduating sizes to create a softer less bumpy feeling core, while still maintaining the thickness through the centre of the pad where it is needed. Ready to go The fabrics are prewashed before sewing to ensure they have been preshrunk and absorbent. Hemp and bamboo fabrics are hot washed 3 times to ensure maximum shrinkage and absorbency. This means that your pads are ready to be worn straight away if you wish. Which Pads Should I get? I generally don't advise anyone runs out and buys a full stash straight away, because its hard to know what is going to suit you looking at pictures and descriptions of pads. That goes for any pads, not just mine. So I recommend buying 1 or 2 of a style to try out and if you like them go back for more. You may find you need or want different pads for different stages in your period. Some women need longer pads to catch the "channelling effect" (as I call it - where you leak out the front and back, not just nicely down into the pad), some prefer just a wider back, some don't need anything more than a regular wingless pad shape. So try to think of what you disliked about disposables, and what would be nice to have in cloth - to work out what shape and size you think you might like. Check the measurements with a ruler or tape measure to see exactly how that size looks. Perhaps even measuring it against pads you already have. Don't forget to measure the crotch of your underpants to check the width of the pad against those too, as some styles of underpants have wider crotches than others and a pad that is too narrow for the style of underpants you wear, can pull the crotch in, which you may not like. However its important to realise that the width of your underpants crotch area may be wider than the space your crotch makes when your legs are together. Underpants can bunch there without you realising, so sometimes when you snap on a pad, it can seem to be bunching your underpants because it's too narrow - but it could simply be that there is more fabric in the crotch of your underpants than is needed. The underpants will then bunch up to fit through the space where the pad is snapped, flaring back out again where they can - which allows you to have a narrower pad, which is generally considered to be more comfortable by most women than a wider fitting pad. It is also important to pay attention to measurements to avoid being disappointed when you open your package! You don't want to have the excitement of your "fluffy mail" to be ruined by receiving a pad that is longer or smaller than you imagined (I've had that happen myself!) Some of my pads come with 2 snap settings to allow you to choose between the settings to better fit your preferences and your underwear - however make sure to check the measurements. You can request an extra snap setting on pads that do not have one, however I will advise you if the pad does not suit an extra snap setting (for example polarfleece topped pads may be too thick to comfortably have a smaller snap setting, and the pad will generally only snap to as wide as the core is inside. Of course not all pads will fit well for everyone! There are a multitude of different shaped and sizes of woman as well as different shapes and sizes of pad, and some prefer one thing, others will prefer something else. So as a pad maker, it is impossible to make something that will suit everyone. Unfortunately I cannot accept returns of cloth pads for change of mind/incorrect fitting (for health reasons). 3 Month Sewing Guarantee I'm confident that you will not have any problems due to sewing errors in your pads, however if a problem was to occur it would generally happen the first time it was washed. Problems could include the core bunching up inside the pad, stitching coming loose or a section of the top or bottom fabric coming away at the seams. If your pads have a problem such as this (Related to the sewing of your pads) within the first 3 months of use, you may send the pad back to me and I will repair it free of charge. (If such a problem occurs please notify me first to arrange this). This does not cover wear and tear, staining or any other problems other than that of workmanship/sewing.  Return to Main Page |
