When is PUL not PUL? When it's TPU!
So, what's she talking about?
PUL is the term commonly used to describe the fabric that creates the plastic waterproof layer of cloth nappies.
PUL stands for Polyurethane Laminate, TPU stands for Thermoplastic Polyurethane
PUL is the laminated fabric, TPU is the plastic-like film used to laminate it. TPU is NOT a fabric. TPU is actually a part of PUL. It would be more accurate to call TPU nappies, thermally bonded PUL - TBP, but I can't reinvent the wheel here
The water resistant outer layer of Green Cheeks Cloth Nappies is made using the TPU process which means that the lamination process of the fabric used to make the waterproof layer is thermal bonded rather than chemical bonded.
Now, to be specific, there are 2 ways to make PUL:
1) The old way used chemical solvents to bond the plastic TPU film to the polyester fabric. It wasn't the most environmentally friendly, but did result in a very durable PUL fabric that was very useful in the medical industry as it could withstand boiling and routine autoclaving (sterilizing) at very high temperatures while being water resistant. There's not a lot of this around these days.
2) In 2010 a PUL that was thermally laminated with TPU was created. This new technique got rid of the need for chemical solvents by bonding the TPU to the polyester using only heat and pressure. PUL that comes from thermally bonding in this way results in a fabric that is softer, more pliable, and more environmentally friendly. Without the need for chemical solvents to create the PUL, there is no discharge of VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals), no solid waste byproducts and no fumes released into the air.
