Updated on April 6, 2017
Geffen Baby Fladdle & Hemp/Cotton French Terry Wipes Review
I received these items at no cost to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.
If you’ve been around the cloth diaper community for any length of time, you’ve probably heard of Geffen Baby. Although I had never tried any Geffen Baby products before now, when I heard the name Geffen Baby, I immediately thought MEGA ABSORBENT. The absorbency of Geffen Baby products is the stuff of cloth diapering legend. I’d heard so many times that their products are among the most absorbent out there, and I’ve wanted to try them for some time. When I was given the chance to review a Geffen Baby Fladdle and their Hemp/Cotton French Terry wipes, I jumped for it. Wondering what a Fladdle is? In short, it’s a flat diaper, but it’s so much more than that. Had I used flat diapers before the Fladdle. Not even once. Did that scare me away? No way! I’m going to tell you all about the many features of the Geffen Baby Fladdle and Hemp/Cotton French Terry wipes, and tell you if the legend of Geffen Baby’s absorbency is truth or fiction.
What is a Flat Diaper?
Before I get into the details of the Geffen Fladdle, I want to briefly cover what a flat diaper actually is. A flat diaper is just one layer of material cut into a square. There are a variety of ways to fold a flat to turn it into a functional diaper. I’m not going to cover that here (but don’t worry, that post is coming), but some folds are better for boys or girls, and some folds are better for older babies or newborns. Back in the day, flats would have been secured using diaper pins, and although you could still do that, there are products on the market for securing flat diapers without pins. The two most popular are Snappis and Boingos, but it is also possible to just put the flat diaper folded on baby and add a cover without using anything to actually secure the flat itself. It’s totally personal choice, and it can depend a great deal on what fold you’re using. Flat diapers are not waterproof on their own and must be worn with a cover over them. Whether you opt for a PUL cover or a wool cover, the choice is yours!
The Details:
The Geffen Baby Fladdle is a bit different from other flats on the market. For starters, it’s not just a flat diaper. It can also be used as a swaddle for newborn babies. Petit Prince was too big to use it as a swaddle when we received it (and I hadn’t swaddled him in a few months anyway), but I can definitely see how it would function well as a swaddle for new babies. It has a little bit of stretch, and is super soft; both features that make for a really nice swaddle! The Geffen Baby Fladdle is one layer of hemp (60%) and organic cotton fleece (40%), and it measures 30″x30″ brand new. The top of the flat is super soft and plush thanks to the cotton fleece. The Fladdle, like all Geffen Baby textiles, is made in the USA. It does shrink a little bit in the wash (as expected). Geffen Baby recommends washing the Fladdle three times to prep it, and to expect absorbency to continue to increase through the first 8-10 washes.
The Geffen Baby Hemp/Cotton French Terry wipes are made of 60% hemp and 40% organic cotton. They measure 9″x9″ and have a fun yellow serged edge. One side of the wipe has a little bit of texture, while the other side is soft and smooth. The wipes are sold in a 10 pack.
How it works:
Since the Geffen Baby Fladdle is my very first flat, I was expecting there to be a steep learning curve. Surprisingly, I actually found them fairly easy to get into! Yes, there was some folding involved, but I took the time to practice a few different folds before trying them on Petit Prince so I felt like I kinda sorta knew what I was doing. I could have easily just mastered one fold and used only that on him, but once I started trying different folds I found it a little fun to try something new to see how it would perform on the bum. I managed to master three different folds: airplane fold, origami fold, and kite fold. The airplane fold has lots of layers up front making it a great option for boys. The origami fold gives even absorbency through the middle and a narrower fit over the legs. The kite fold was the most challenging for me to get the hang of and a bit tricky on a squirmy baby.
Something that I really liked about the Fladdle as a first time flat user, was the stretch. It took a little trial and error to get the Fladdle folded so the rise and “wings” would be the right size for Petit Prince (something that would become like second nature through more frequent use I’m sure). That bit of stretch in the Fladdle made it more forgiving when it came time to secure the diaper on the bum. If the “wings” I’d left in the fold were just a little too short, the stretch in the Fladdle made up for it. This was especially handy when Petit Prince was trying to roll away mid diaper change.
One of my goals as a cloth diapering blogger is to push a diaper to its limits. I want to see just how long a diaper can last on the bum before it leaks. I feel like I owe it to my readers to be able to say how long a diaper should “last”. But here’s the thing. I could not get the Fladdle to leak. I could not. Believe me when I say that I tried to saturate the Fladdle. I really really tried. But no matter what, the Fladdle could always hold MORE liquid. I was truly amazed with the absorbency of this diaper. I know that hemp is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to not only absorbing liquid, but also retaining liquid, and Geffen Baby’s Fladdle is absolutely unequivocally no exception. Four hours on the bum? NO PROBLEM. Not only could the Fladdle have carried on absorbing even after four hours, but there were areas of the Fladdle that were still dry. Now that’s just crazy! This was the case regardless of which fold I used.
Because I could not saturate the Fladdle during day time use, I just had to try it overnight. I folded with the airplane fold and folded a Geffen Baby Super Absorber Plus insert into the Fladdle. That diaper was on for a solid 12 hours, through a bedtime feed, a middle of the night feed, and a first thing in the morning feed. Did it leak? Nope. In fact, it was still dry at the back! Because I had to know, I actually weighed it in the morning to see just how much liquid it absorbed. 9oz. It absorbed 9oz and still had lots of room for more. I am certain that the Fladdle on its own (without the Super Absorber Plus) would have survived the night without leaking. The Geffen Baby Fladdle is an excellent overnight solution, even if you’re not going to be using flats during the day!
Now I know the whole folding flats thing is going to seem overwhelming or daunting to some. I get it, I really do. It’s a lot to learn and definitely more complicated than an all in one or pocket diaper. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to use the Fladdle as a flat diaper. It’s great to have that option, but you can also just fold the Fladdle into a rectangle and use it as an insert for a pocket diaper. In this way, you can have the mega absorbency of the Fladdle without having to learn any fancy flat folds. How does it perform as an insert in a pocket? Amazingly. Again, I couldn’t get the Fladdle to leak even when folded up as an insert. Because you get to decide how wide or long to fold it into an insert, it will fit in ANY pocket shell.
Something that I’ve really enjoyed about using flats is how easy they are to wash and dry. Because it is just a single layer of fabric, they wash up like a dream! No need to sniff test the Fladdle out of the dryer! Since hemp is such a thirsty material, it will typically take a little longer than other fabrics to dry. The single layer of the Fladdle makes it much more quick to dry than hemp based inserts where you’re drying multiple layers of hemp. With the Fladdle you get the benefit of multiple layers of hemp when folded into a flat or an insert, without the added drying time. Win win!
How about those Geffen Baby Hemp/Organic Cotton French Terry wipes? I like them! They are a generous size at 9″x9″, and I’d never tried a hemp wipe before. They did shrink up a bit through the wash down to around 8″x8.75″, but that didn’t affect their ability to clean a bum! I really liked the textured side for wiping a poopy bum. The texture clung onto the mess and really pulled it away from the skin. The smooth side was nice for pee diaper changes as it was super soft on baby. If I could change one thing about these wipes, it would be to add a second layer. I would have preferred a double layer of texture so that when I’m wiping a particularly messy bum, I can just fold the wipe in half and keep wiping. Instead, I needed to grab a second wipe. In chatting with a colleague, she had the exact opposite preference and likes single layer wipes over double layer wipes because they are thinner and fit better into the tiny crevices. I really think this comes down to your own personal preference in a wipe!
Geffen Baby Fladdle:
Pros:
- Made in the USA
- 60% hemp and 40% organic cotton makes Geffen Baby the ONLY textiles in the industry with 60% hemp
- INCREDIBLY absorbent
- Organic cotton fleece makes it super soft and plush on top
- Slightly stretchy for a flexible fit
- Easy to wash, quick to dry
- Great for overnight
- Can be used folded as an insert in pocket shells
- Use as a swaddle with a newborn
- No need to size up as baby grows
Cons:
- Folding a flat comes with a bit of a learning curve
Geffen Baby Hemp/Cotton French Terry Wipes:
Pros:
- Made in the USA
- 60% hemp and 40% organic cotton makes Geffen Baby the ONLY textiles in the industry with 60% hemp
- Textured side is great for wiping dirty bums
- Generous size
Cons:
- Only a single layer (though some would consider this a “pro”)
Final Thoughts:
I will admit that the thought of trying out my very first flat was a little daunting. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to really get it, but the Geffen Baby Fladdle was surprisingly easy to work with! I caught on really quickly with the different folds and had no trouble getting them onto Petit Prince with minimal fiddling at each change. I love that if folding a diaper is just not going to be your thing you can still use them stuffed into pocket shells or even just folded into a rectangle and laid in a cover. As an overnight solution, the Geffen Baby Fladdle gets top marks. I can’t even believe that I couldn’t get Petit Prince to saturate a Fladdle no matter how hard I tried. I’m pretty sure this is the first time I haven’t been able to push a diaper to its full limit of absorbency. Having the super absorbency of 60% hemp combined with the easy to wash and quick to dry features of a single layer flat diaper makes the Fladdle a force to be reckoned with. Consider the legend of Geffen Baby’s absorbency to be actual fact!
How would you like the chance to WIN a Geffen Baby Fladdle AND a 10 pack of Geffen Baby Hemp/Cotton French Terry wipes for yourself? One lucky reader will win one Fladdle and one 10-pack of Hemp/Cotton French Terry wipes from Geffen Baby. Just scroll down to the giveaway and get your entries in for a chance to win. This giveaway is open to Canadian & US residents, 18+, and closes on March 17th, 2016. Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment. Don’t forget to follow the giveaway “hop” and enter the other awesome giveaways linked up below!
Can’t wait for the giveaway to end? You can purchase the Geffen Baby Fladdle and Hemp/Cotton French Terry wipes right HERE.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: The Anti-June Cleaver, Our Piece of Earth, and the rest of the bloggers participating in the Natural New Year giveaway hop are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.
It would be neat to try the fitteds, as we have never tried anything like that before. We have never tried any Geffen products yet. 🙂
The bath robes look very cute and soft.
I love the hemp jersey flat and the quick absorbers! The fladdle is definitely on my wish list!
Love the bath robes!
I would love to try the fitteds. they look amazing. and I have a heavy wetter so these would be great
I’d love to try this natural sun screen! http://geffenbaby.com/products-page/accessories/taylors-sun-natural-sunscreen-2oz/
Thanks for hosting and making this giveaway open to Canadians.
Besos, Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
I am really wanting to try the Fladdle. I like the versatility and of course the Geffen Baby reputation for absorbancy and quality 🙂
I have not tried a greffen baby product yet but their super absorbers are in route to us! I would love to try the fladdle as well as a mainly flat user this makes me happy though the price is quite a bit higher than a normal flat.
I’d love to try a fitted or a fleece prefold.
i love the Wipes Hemp/Cotton French Terry
i like the Wipes Hemp/Cotton Jersey the most!
I’ve been wanting to try a fladdle! The quick absorbers are a favorite among my friends 🙂
I really love the diaper essentials kit.
I’d love to try a fladdle! I had no idea they were so absorbent. 😉
I’ve heard good things about Geffen Baby Hemp Jersey flats!
I have not tried anything by this brand bit based on your review this company looks like it’s worth trying. I could use some fitteds in my stash!
I really want to try some of the inserts!
So far the only Geffen products I have tried have been the Quick Absorbers. They have been WONDERFUL! I would love to try their fladdle or prefolds.
Id like to try the super absorbers,
I also like the Fitted Diapers on their website!
I have yet to try Geffen but would love to try the Prefolds or flats for a night time solution! (:
I love the Geffen Baby Polo Shirts
I love the Geffen Baby super absorbers plus!
I’d love to try the Fladdle. I currently use the quick absorbed inserts.
I like the hemp jersey flats. so soft and stretchy
I JUST ordered Geffen hemp inserts but haven’t had a chance to use them yet, since they are still being prepped. I have a heavy wetter so I am so excited to try out Geffen’s products. I’ve heard great things.
Love the Bath Robes. I can so see my grandson in one of those.
I’d like to try their fitted diapers.
never tried Geffen baby products but I sure would like to! The fladdle looks like the most amazing flat I’ve ever seen!
I would love to give this a try. We’re expecting our first child and are completely overwhelmed by this whole experience. Especially cause we want to do everything ‘right’ the first time around.
I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about this brand… I would love to try their fitteds. I have mostly prefolds and covers and hybrid fitteds. I’ve slowly gotten into fitteds and really like what they offer!
I’d love to try the quick absorbers.
The Wipes High Quality Cotton would be a great addition to our collection! I don’t think you can ever have too many wipes for baby. 🙂 Thanks for the give away
I would like to try the BALM Baby Butter. I have always used products like that.
I would love the Jersey Prefold Diapers Extra Large for my chubby baby.
I love that they are stretchy, and made in the USA #keepitlocal
These flats sound amazing! I am currently pregnant with my first and cannot wait to have her here and try some of the fladdles out for ourselves!
I have never had the opportunity to try geffen baby products. I have heard such great things about them I would love to try any of them. I would really like to replace our microfiber with more natural products and geffen baby would fit that perfectly.
I love there fitted cloth diapers =]]
I’ve never used Geffen Baby products, but I’ve heard AMAZING things about their flats and prefolds, and would love to try them!
The 100% Cotton Fitted Diapers look great!
I want to try their Hemp jersey flats and super absorbers!
The Birdseye Cotton Wipes would be great to have as well!
I’ve been thinking of trying some flats as inserts. These look awesome!
I have yet to try anything from Geffen but I have had my eye on those fladdles. I love flats but the cotton ones we use aren’t cutting it overnight for my 3 month old. If I had to choose just one Geffen item it would be a fladdle!
My favorite Geffen Baby item is the 100% Cotton Fitted Diapers!
I love all the Geffen baby products!!!!!
After hours of research, I finally feel as though I know which diapers I wasn’t to try now. Thank you so much for this detailed post. It feels good finding a super absorbent and natural diaper option that will not break the bank!
I like the “Hemp Fleece Fladdle (Flat/Swaddle)” ones. Thanks.
I want to try the wipes and the flats!
I really want to try the fladdle. I don’t have any geffen products yet but I’ve heard great things about them!
I would love to try the fladdle.
I have never tried a flat before but I feel it would be good for bed time for my 16 month old. Would love to try it!
I like thir fitted diapers.
I love Geffen Absorbers. I would love to try the fladdle too.
I have heard so many great things about geffen baby and I would really like to try the hemp flats “fladdle”!!
we LOVE their absorbers and fitteds… id love to try the fladdle!
I love the bath robes, but I really like the super absorbers, too!
I enjoyed heard amazing things about their flats and prefolds
I would really like to try the fladdle! I also have a fleece prefold on the way and a pack of wipes from Geffen Baby that I’m pretty excited about 🙂
I’d love to try the 100 % organic fitted diapers
The Geffen Bath Robes look amazing. I like that they have hoods for kids.
We’d love to add some Geffen flats to our collection!
I’ve been curious about flats, but have not actually broken down and tried one. The Geffen fladdle sounds like the flat to try! I love the Geffen jersy & Geffen fleece prefolds I have! The fleece is so incredibly soft
and absorbent it’s amazing! I think eveything Geffen makes is probably amazing!
I was able to try 1 Geffen product several months ago & fell in love with them. Ever since then I try another Geffen product whenever I get the chance and I have not found one I do not absolutely love. I’m prepping some Super Absorber Plus inserts as we speak, and now I want to try their wipes! They are now my favorite diaper company of all time with Thirsties coming in a close second. Gotta love the hemp/cotton!