Nappy Overview
Organic Charlie Banana Grab Packs contain 3 nappy outers and 6 corresponding inserts. The Grab Packs offer a discount compared to buying individually. Organic Charlie Banana Onesize nappy is made up of a waterproof outer pocket and you insert the washable pads into the pocket/pouch. In the Organic version the pocket/pouch is created using luxuriously soft, 100% organic cotton lining which means your baby will have organic natural fibres next to their skin instead of polyester which is the usual pocket nappy lining. The soft cotton lining lets fast the liquid to pass through to the absorbent washable insert. Once the nappy is stuffed the nappy is just like an all in one system making it perfect for childcare or when quick changes are needed.
The Charlie Banana nappy is different to all others on the market as the length is altered by tightening or loosening the elastics rather than poppers on the front of the nappy. This method of altering the fit makes for a very sleek smooth looking nappy when it's on baby. Charlie Banana isn't the longest pocket/all in one nappy (MioSolo still wins that) but I find it's longer than many others making it a good choice for tall but not SUPER tall toddlers. The nappy is also quite narrow but this can mean it's too slim for a super big chunky monkey but for the vast majority of children from slim to chunky it's fab.
As with other pocket nappies the nappy is only designed for daytime use and should not be used as a night time nappy.
Sizing
Charlie Banana nappies are a onesize nappy which fits 10-35lbs. The nappy size is adjusted through altering the elastic setting at the legs. The elastic is pulled tight for small babies and gradually released as babies grows. The elastic has sizes marked on it to make it simple to alter, there is an xs, 2 small settings, 2 med settings and 2 large settings.
How do I use it?
The elastic is altered just like a bra strap so there aren't any buttons like the in previous Charlie Banana versions. The elastic is hidden in the nappies fleece lining so can't be seen on soiled or irritate. While it seems like altering the elastic to fit is fiddly you must remember you'll only be altering the fit when baby grows so normally when you put the nappy on you won't need to alter it at all. Must of the alterations will be in the first 6 months when baby is growing rapidly but after this it could be 3-6months between needing to alter them.
The small insert is to fit in the nappy length positions xs and smalls, the larger pad is for the nappy length positions med and large. You can use both pads together when the nappy is in the larger setting to give you more absorbency but this does make it bulkier.
When you take off the soiled nappy you must take out the inserts from the pocket/pouch before putting the nappy into your storage bucket/bag. A great tip is when you stuff the pocket make sure you insert the pad with the Charlie Banana label towards the front. Then when you unstuff the nappies to put them in the bucket you can pull on the label so you don't have to touch the wet pad.
I always recommend washing nappies at 60deg however the Charlie Banana recommends washing no higher than 40deg. If you wash over 40deg this negates the Charlie Banana guarantee so reluctantly I recommend washing Charlie Banana at 40deg (personally I still wash mine at 60deg with my other nappies but that is at your own risk!)
Nappy Fabric
Organic Charlie Banana comes with 2 hemp/microfibre inserts. Hemp is a fantastic fabric for use in nappies as it is super absorbent making this a great choice of pocket nappy for heavy wetters. These inserts have 4 layers inside – 2 layers of Microfiber and two layers of Hemp fleece composed of 55% Hemp, 45% Cotton. This is a great combination because Microfiber absorbs fast and Hemp can hold larger quantities of liquid.
Shell-Face : 100% Polyester /
Back : Polyurethane /
Lining : 100% Organically Grown Cotton /
Insert : Top : 55% Hemp 45% Cotton
Bottom : 88% Biconstituent Fiber (80% Polyester 20% Nylon) 12% Polyester