Velcro versus Snaps?  An oft asked question.  Here are some things to consider.

On the snap side of things:

• Snaps are very durable and will not wear out over the long run.  Most manufacturers will guarantee their snaps and repair or replace broken snaps.
• Snaps are great for “don’t want to think about it” launderers.  No laundry tabs to remember to fold back.
• Snap front diapers tend to be a bit more flexible at the tummy – great for sitting babies and babies in slings or carriers.
• Snaps are more difficult for babies and/or toddlers to undo which may be a good thing, depending on the personality of your child.
• Snaps can be a bit more intimidating to learn and do take a bit more time to fasten.
• Snaps tend to be less “caregiver/daddy/daycare” friendly as they either are perceived to be more difficult and/or perceived to take more time to use.

On the velcro side of things:

• Velcro is easy and intuitive to use; you can gain a customized fit with infinite adjustability.
• Velcro will last through one child and will do best if not put up against high heat in the dryer
• Velcro does not fare well with repeated exposure to bleaching agents
• Velcro does best if you remember to fold back the laundry tabs before washing them.
• Velcro works best if it is not clogged with lint, hair or other miscellaneous washer and dryer bits.
• Velcro will require periodic de-linting/maintenance (see above) to keep it clear and well functioning.

So after three years of cloth diapering, I have found a great solution to make velcro maintenance less painful.  I’ve had famlies tell me that they spend some quality time with daddy sittin gon the couch de-linting or that they use tweezers to de-lint their velcro.  Let me tell you, this is much, much easier and faster! .

Step one – Grab a Snappi

Step two – Grab your clogged up velcro tabs.

Step three – Use your Snappi to “comb” the hook (scratchy) velcro and pull out all the bits.  Be careful not to catch any stitching.

And you are done.  Clean, clear well functioning velcro.  Next time you think your velcro isn’t as sticky as it should be, get out that Snappi and do some velcro maintenance.

So,  before you give up on diapers that aren’t staying on or seem to have lost their holding power, check your velcro.  If it’s all clogged with bits of lint it won’t be able to do it’s job!

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 15th, 2009 at 11:32 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.