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Good morning, good afternoon, good evening or good night, depending on when you’re reading this entry.

Today, I want to talk about waterproof covers, also known as plastic panties/pants.

What are waterproof diaper covers?

Waterproof diaper covers are panties/pants worn over a diaper for the purpose of containing liquid or solid waste that may otherwise leak out. Today, plastic pants are usually made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU), though, in some instances, latex rubber is still used. Latex rubber has significant drawbacks in these applications: it is easily damaged by rough handling and by oils, creams, and ointments; it does not allow air to ventilate.

The original diaper covers were made from oiled wool, which was naturally waterproof.

At the turn of the 20th century, oiled silk was used as a waterproofing medium in adult clothing, but not until latex rubber was commercially available from the 1920s did the idea of wearing a protective garment become commonplace.

During the 1950s, plastics, mainly PVC, replaced latex on account of their lower cost, ease of maintenance, and lack of noise when handled. Vinyl is still the most commonly seen diaper cover today, coming in different colours and prints. This is why waterproof diaper covers of all kinds have come to be referred to as "Plastic panties/pants."

The availability of inexpensive and easily worked man-made waterproof materials, since the 1950s, has significantly improved the quality of life of those with continence problems, and has contributed to changes in clothing style and freedom.

With the invention of superabsorbent polymers, more absorbent materials which are lighter and less bulky, became available as an “all-in-one” solution. This eliminated the need for separate waterproof covers, in many situations.

Nevertheless, waterproof covers are still used today as a second line of defense, and they have saved clothing, furniture and car seats alike more than a few times.

So now that we know a little history of the waterproof cover, the next thing I want to talk about is materials.

Today diaper covers come in a few different types of materials:

• Latex
• Nylon
• PUL/TPU
• Rubber
• Vinyl (PVC)

While many cloth diapers are incorporating an outer shell that’s either PUL or TPU, seeming to once again eliminate the need for separate waterproof covers, you can still use them in many situations and for many reasons. I often will use plastic panties over disposable diapers and I always use them when using any cloth diaper including swim diapers.

The next thing we need to look at when talking about waterproof covers is the cut/style. These include:

• Bloomers
• High cut/Regular cut
• Low cut/bikini
• Rhumba

While each one is different, they all work the same. However each also has its own uses.

Bloomers - Traditionally baggy underpants fastened to just below or above the knee. Most popular from the 1910s to the 1930s.

High cut/Regular cut – This is the most common of cuts. These are made big to cover your entire diaper with room to spare. This makes them perfect to be used when double diapering.

Low cut/bikini – Traditionally a smaller cut made to only cover the diaper with little to no extra room. These are great for discreteness as there isn’t any extra that could pop out of the top of your skirt/pants.

Rhumba – Also known affectionately as “ruffle butt panties," these covers have one or more rows of ruffles across the back side.

Locking - Locking plastic pants can come in different styles and often have a chain stitched into the waistband and a lock is used to lock them on.

Why use a waterproof diaper cover?

Waterproof diaper covers are great. They definitely give the user the benefit of another layer of protection. I don’t know how many times I have diapered an ab girl and used plastic panties and been glad I did. I often use them for long trips.

They are also great as an accent item. Maybe you’re wearing a pretty dress and your diaper is visible, add a pair of rhumba panties to both help protect your pretty dress and to add cute ruffles to really bring everything together.

In some cases, you can use a diaper cover to help silence the diaper crinkles. In other cases, you can use the diaper cover to help hide your diaper under your clothing.

Personally, I highly recommend the use of waterproof diaper covers for all those reasons. The Silence Pants are some of the best I've used and, when you take care of them, they will last you for quite awhile.