Guide to Buying Used Cloth Diapers

When I first started to cloth diaper, it was inconceivable to me that anyone would want to buy used cloth diapers!  I just could not imagine using a diaper that had been on someone else's kid's tush and always wondering if they had taken proper care of the diaper like I would.  And let's face it...the *stuff* our kids put in their diapers...YUCK!

Of course, curiosity and frugality led me to browsing the used forums!  And let me tell you...if you are hung up on buying used diapers like I was...you should check it out!  It can be totally worth the extra effort to search for what you are wanting!!!

It all makes sense to me now.  What is the first rule of cloth diapering...don't buy an entire stash before you try it on your baby.  And what does this lead to?  Diapers that have been used once or twice, did not fit well or work for baby/caretaker, and are now being sold at a HUGE discount because they are technically "used."  This type of diaper is a main part of the used cloth diaper sales!  Who can pass up a next to brand new diaper for multiple dollars off?

Of course there are diapers being sold for other reasons and in other conditions, but most mamas are quite honest and upfront about the condition of their diapers and accessories!  If you have questions, ask!  If you want to see pics, have them sent to you!  Most of the swap sites are FANTASTIC and mamas are quite willing to work with you!

With baby J on the way and quickly realizing that I would soon have TWO in diapers...I had a little shopping therapy a few months ago and bulked up my stash of BumGenius pockets from the swap sites.  These still remain one of our favorite diapers and they hold up really well, so I wasn't too worried about buying used.  Other than a shipping incident with one of my purchases (my package went to Alaska for some odd reason, but USPS was on it quickly), I can tell you that I had no problems and all items arrived in the condition that I expected!  BumGenius diapers hold up to bleach, and bG even recommends using bleach once a month, so I stripped all of my diapers and bleached them (still a little squeamish about germs) and now I have a large stash of BumGenius pockets for Miss A and Baby J to share!  I would have spent about TWICE as much if not more had I bought all of these new...so it warms my heart to know that I helped another mama out by buying her diapers, I bulked up my stash, and I maybe even helped the environment a little by recycling!! :)

Of course, I do want to warn.  There are scammers out there and dishonest people.  I pray this does not happen to you.  ALWAYS use Paypal for transactions...even trades...so that you have that record and that backup if something goes wrong!  Most pages have a feedback page where you can check out buyer/seller feedback before you purchase!

Otherwise, it does not hurt to check out the used swap sites and see if you can get the diapers that you want for a fraction of the price!!  Who doesn't love that???

Likewise, if you are looking to destash and sell some diapers, you can use these same sites to sell!!

eBay and Craigslist are excellent places to start.  In addition to those, most cloth diaper retailers (Kelly's Closet, Nicki's Diapers, etc) have gently used sections as well where you can find used diapers at a fraction of the cost and you know that these retailers have checked the dipes out thoroughly.  Some of my other favorite sites to use are:

Diaper Swappers
Cloth Cycle
Cloth Diaper Trader
B/S/T Fluff and Stuff on FB
Cloth Diaper Swap and Sell on FB
Cloth Diaper Addiction Swap on FB

There are also Brand Specific swap pages for Sbish, BumGenius, Flip, Grovia, Best Bottoms, and more!  If you are looking for a specific swap site and can't find it, just give me a holler and I will try to help you!  There are literally ZILLIONS!

Best Bottoms Swap on FB
B/S/T BumGenius on FB
BumGenius for S/T/B on FB
Flip B/S/T on FB
For the Love of Thirsties on FB
Blueberry B/S/T on FB
GroVia B/S/T on FB
Kanga Care Rump Swap on FB
Softbums B/S/T on FB
Sustainablebabyish/Sloomb B/S/T on FB


Along with swap sites, comes the swap lingo!  Be prepared to say "WHAT!?"

EUC - Excellent Used Condition
VGUC - Very Good/Very Gently Used Condition
GUC - Good Used Condition
PPD - Postage Paid
BN - Brand New
NIP - New in Package
FSOT - For Sale or Trade
ISO - In Search Of
NWT - New With Tags
NWOT - New Without Tags
LN - Like New
And a ton of other ones, but these are the main ones to know!


Happy FLUFFY shopping!!! :)

Share below if you would ever buy used diapers, what your favorite swap site is if you do buy used, any experiences good or bad, or if you have questions!!!