Help! Confsion over a decent AIO..

I have just purchased my first AIO after losing the battle with terry squares. DS is a big wetter and I just can't find a decent, absorbent fold that I like. The one I was using I have had since DS was new born.

I bought a Natures Child Nappy from a local store with a spare booster. DS had it on today and didn't seem to mind it. My only issue is that it left red marks around his legs and waist but I am hoping that with more washing the fabric will soften.

Can anyone recommended any other AIO, preferably organic/fair trade materials but not necessary exclusively. I am only interested in those that have a pad or similar that can come out as this kind seem more hip pocket friendly to me (as in I may only have to change the pad not the whole nappy.

You're talking about a Pocket nappy? (where the absorbency goes in a 'pocket')

How about GreenKids? They're an Aussie company, based in WA. You buy inserts seperately.

Or an itti bitti? The snap ins? You can replace the snap in booster sets if he's just done a wee in it.. plus they have seconds on their site all the time..

so what you are after, are often called, on nappy websites as
"quick dry aio's"
or
"aio with snap in insert"
or
"ai2" (all in two). e.g Sugarpeas wool cover with sugarpeas hemp nappy snap in insert
loveybums wool cover with sherpa snap in insert
both of these option are at nurture nappies

i can think of others, but the outer is made of synthetic fabric, so that woudln't fit your criteria of organic.

another option, you buy a cover, and just keep putting a fresh bamboo trifold in it. (the "defacto" all in two).

you may also be interested in pocket nappies. e.g australian made greenkids, go for the bamboo inserts.
Once you have stuffed the insert inside the pocket, you just put one item on baby.
but most pockets, have a synthetic outer. PUL.

i don't really get the "just change the insert" idea myself. There is always some wee or poo on the nappy, so i can't get my head around leaving the nappy on my child, and just putting in a fresh insert. The great thing about cloth nappies, is that i never feel like i'm "wasting" a nappy, cos i know we'll use it a gazillion more times, after washing it again.

butt natural, nurturenappies, sustainablehempproducts are some sites to try for organic cotton nappies.

You can go very organic with bamboo fitteds and woollie soakers (for the cover). The woollies work as a waterproof outer - as long as you lanolise them.

Most waterproof outers, except wool, are made using synthetics.
Most nappy inners (microfleece and suedecloth) are synthetics. Sometimes you might find an AIO with an inner of organic cotton velour. Even rarer, but would be very nice, to have an inner of bamboo velour.

Getting to know the nappy fabrics will help you choose the most organic fabrics.
Absorbent inners, like organic cotton velour, bamboo velour, hemp, flanelette are more natural, but baby will feel wet when they wee, so the tradeoff is that you need to change your child more frequently in these fabrics.

Hand knit woollies will allow more ventilation and wool is a natural fibre - the tradeoff with that is that most woollies need to be handwashed and lanolised. Not hard to do, but it is one extra step.

i have used both styles - the synthetic outer and inners (with natural inserts) and also the more natural styles.

It seems to be easier to buy FITTED nappies made out of natural fibres, than AIO's. Like the Swaddlebee AIO that has organic cotton velour inner, has sewn in micofibre (synthetic) for the absorbent part, and PUL for the outer (synthetic).

i haven't bought cotton aio's as i am not sure of how functional they would be. Cotton is known more for it's absorbent qualities, than to be waterproof.

When my child had the WORST nappy rash, and i wanted to put her in the most natural nappy combo we had, i used a bamboo fitted nappy with a handknit woolly soaker.

Another big plus with the handknit woollies, is the NO ELASTIC thing. They have a drawstring around the waist, and NO elastic in the legs. You can get woollies in soaker (cover style), shorties, or longies (for winter). They are wonderful, especially for nights, to keep baby and bedding dry.

the sewing forum on Nappycino is very helpful (well it was to me) reading what the sewers sew with, really helped me understand the fabrics much better, to help me with buying decisions.

Thankyou for the advice. I think I will try a few of the products you have recommended to see how they go with DS.

another advantage with the snap in nappies is that when washing, if you have extra snap ins you can have the nappy back on bub really quickly as in my limited experience, the shells dry really quickly, where the inserts take longer