A flat diaper easily washes clean and dries likety-split in the dryer or on the clothes line.   They are an excellent choice for cloth diapering at a Laundromat.   The single layer of a flat diapers dries quickly and won't eat up all your quarters!  

Before diapering the baby, the flat diaper must be folded to create layers.   A common, method is to put multiple layers of fabric in the middle with less layers on the edges.   This allows greatest absorbency in the middle and an easier fit around the legs.   A common fold is to create 6 layers in the middle and 4 on the sides.   It was so widely used that manufactures began selling them already folded.

Eureka!   Prefold diapers!

Prefold diapers are multi-layered squares made up of three panels. The center panel has the most layers and the edges usually have 2 less.

The number of layers is represented as 4x6x4; four layers on the sides and 6 layers in the middle of the prefold diaper.

The name, Prefold, is a little misleading. Yes it has definetly been folded and stitched. However it still needs a little more folding to get in on your baby. The prefold diapers save you the preliminary folding.

Prefold diapers are the work horse of cloth diapering. These basic cloth diapers can be used on baby's bottom now and then again for siblings. Prefold cloth diapers are an inexpensive and practical way to cloth diaper.