A premium-priced option manufactured for off-the-charts softness and absorbency.
The Look: Nothing to write home about appearance-wise. “coterie” displays in gray across the front of the waistband, but otherwise there are zero frills. There’s a visible woven texture to the outer layer, which we came to learn is a softness-creating technique. Excess winglike material around the leg openings could almost pass as ruffles: We assumed these somehow promote dryness, but could never quite figure it out.
Absorbency: There’s a very thick absorbent core that’s actually visible as the wearer scampers away (see pic). The packaging describes a “transfer layer” that wicks moisture away from skin up to four times quicker than other diapers can. Maybe this explains why the diaper got so saggy when only moderately wet. The back waistband reaches higher than most we’ve seen—a real full-coverage situation—which seemed to bode well for extended wear. The site also promises better (read: drier) sleep, so we reluctantly gave our nighttime diapers a break to test this claim one evening. The result: a whole lot of leakage, plus a wet pj and crib situation come morning.
Comfort: Coterie enlists apparel-grade materials and a fancy-sounding 3D webbing technique to achieve peak softness. And it works. They’re velvety smooth and super pliable. Our wearer had no objection to rocking these, nor did his sensitive skin.
Notable Materials: Chlorine-free wood pulp from sustainably managed forests contributes to the absorbent core layer, which is cool. Polypropylene and polyester play a key role, whereas fragrance, lotion, latex, rubber, dyes, alcohol, heavy metals, parabens, and phthalates are absent.
Cost: from $.49 each (Coterie.com)
The Verdict: Soft? Undoubtedly. Groundbreaking in terms of absorbency? Not in our experience.
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