Did you know that there are 23982838634 kinds of fleece? OK, I'm exaggerating, but it's quite overwhelming to the novice diaper maker. First of all, what do you need fleece for? Fleece is most commonly used to line the inside of a diaper, but can also be used as an outside layer.
The weight of your fleece is also very important when using fleece as an inner lining in your diapers. You want thin microfleece for your inners so as not to add bulk. Microfleece serves as a nice soft layer against baby's bum that also keeps baby dry by wicking in the moisture into the absorbant core of the diaper. Look for 100 weight microfleece. Some people use 200 weight. I haven't used either yet, but I'm planning on using 100. Microfleece can be expensive ($9+ per yard) so some people look for cheap microfleece blankets on sale at places like Marshall's and TJ Max to use for material. If I find any good deals, I'll post them. Right now I'm stalking eBay and putting a call in to Tonitex later today.
Fleece can be a great outer cover for a diaper, but only if it is waterproofed with something called a DWR coating. DWR stands for Durable Water Repellent and Malden Mills sells this as Polartec WindPro. If you try to use regular fleece, baby's clothes will be soaked as water just wicks right through it. WindPro is expensive at $15+ per yard.
Not all fleece is created equal. Some brands are preferred over other brands in the diaper making community. The most popular brands of fleece are Malden Mills and Tonitex. You've probably heard of polar fleece? That's Malden Mills. Another popular brand is Huntingdon Mills, but they are no longer in operation. However, you can often still buy Huntingdon Mills fleece on eBay. I have read that Tonitex is the same company, but I'm not 100% positive.
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