The Ultimate Showdown - Snaps vs. Velcro: Is one better than the other?

Cloth diapering can be very overwhelming, that we know for sure! And just one of the things that can cause your head to spin is whether or not to choose a snap closure system or a velcro system. What makes one better than the other and is one clearly better than the other? In this Blog post Snaps and Velcro will go head to head and we'll let you decide which you think is the better option.

First things first...

What in the world is Aplix and where does it fit in this conversation? Aplix, Touchtape and Velcro are pretty much all in the same family. Aplix and Velcro have a stronger hold than Touchtape but all three are "hook and loop" type closures. In this discussion we'll just use the term "velcro."

Let's list the pro's and con's of both Snaps and Velcro. In the RED corner we'll have Velcro and in the BLUE we'll have Snaps!

Pro's of Velcro:

• Provides a very adjustable and customizable fit.
• Very easy to use. Good for babysitters and daddy's, anyone whom you don't want to overwhelm or that you think might get confused by snaps.
  

Con's of Velcro:

• Can be noisy which interests babies and easily becomes something they want to mess with. Leads to an interest in taking their diapers off.
• Depending on how often you wash, velcro does wear out over time and may need to be replaced.
• Can collect a lot of lint which can affect it's strength.
• If not secured properly in the wash and dry cycle velcro can attach to other diapers and cause damage as well as become a lint magnet.
• When it comes into contact with the babies skin it can cause irritations and scratches making baby uncomfortable.
• Babies can undo velcro closures more easily than snaps.

Pro's of Snaps:

• Much more durable than Velcro and can last the life of a diaper.
• Much more quiet than Velcro.
• No risk of damaging other diapers in the laundry.
• Will not collect lint.
• Not abrasive and will not scratch the babies skin like velcro.
• Babies are less likely to take off their own diapers.

Con's of Snaps:

• Limited number of snaps/settings make them a bit less adjustable than Velcro.
• Not as easy to use as velcro. Could be a learning curve for newbies and caregivers.
• Harder to replace a broken snap than to replace worn out velcro, although most manufacturers provide snap warranties on their diapers.

The Judges Scorecard: According to our scorecard we'd recommend you choose snap closures whenever possible. You might even have noticed that companies who used to exclusively produce velcro closure systems are now also offering their diapers in a snap closure. This further proves that snaps are the bees knees! Whoop Whoop!