Cloth Diapers: Off Brand vs. Name Brand

Today we're going to talk about these "Ebay" diapers.  They are off-brand diapers that you can buy for less than $2 each (on EBay, hence the name I've given them!).  Incredibly cheap and often made of similar materials as brands like Kawaii, Thirsties, bumGenius, etc... these seem like a win/win - Cheap and effective... Right?  Not so much.

I'm not going to mention specific sellers or bad mouth anyone here - some of you may find these budget diapers to work perfectly for you and your baby.  I, however, have had some issues.  Here we go!

For this post, I'll be comparing my cheapest "name brand" one-size pocket diaper, a Kawaii Baby Cross-Over Squared Tab Pocket Diaper that cost $7.15, to an off-brand "cheapy" one-size pocket diaper that I purchased from EBay for $1.60.  

Below is a shot of the two diapers laying out flat - Perhaps it isn't as visible, but can you tell how bunched up the Kawaii diaper is, while the cheaper one is almost laying completely flat?  Both diapers claim to fit babies 8-36 pounds, but the Kawaii diaper is WAY larger and will likely fit my daughter for much longer... Not that this was a total loss though.  The EBay diaper actually fit my daughter when she was a newborn, while the Kawaii was far too big for her.

Now let's talk about the snaps.  Kawaii (and most other diaper companies) designed their one-sized diaper with three snap closures on each side of the diaper (this really helps with a one-sized diaper - seriously).  Two are for the fit at the waist and the third is for the fit at the thigh.  For a one-size diaper, this gives you the chance to adjust how the diaper fits based on the size of your baby.  The EBay diaper only has the two snaps at the waist, leaving you with less options for good fit... which allows for more shifting of the diaper around baby's thighs, thus increasing the chance of leakage.

One more thing about the snaps: I love the "pop" that you get when you secure a snap on a cloth diaper.  That "pop" lets you know that the diaper is secure... the EBay diaper has snaps that don't give you that "pop," and in fact, the snaps on these diapers tend to come loose.  Below is a shot of the diaper immediately after I put it on my daughter, with the outside snaps already pulling apart.

Another of my major issues with these cheap diapers is the leg gusset - the gathered area of fabric that fits around baby's thigh and groin.  This area needs to be snug and stretchy.  If it's not, the diaper won't work and you'll get leaks EVERYWHERE.  Here's the single gusset on both of these diapers - see the difference?  The cheapy diaper has an almost flat gusset!  The Kawaii diaper hardly ever has leakage problems.  The EBay diaper?  Every. Time.

Finally, since this is a post about pocket diapers, let's talk about the inserts and the actual "pocket" itself.  Both diapers came with two inserts - Kawaii sent microfiber, the cheaper diapers came with non-organic cotton.  The microfiber works better from an absorption standpoint... But even if you prefer cotton (which I do - preferably organic), look how massive that insert is!!!   It's incredibly ill-fitting for the diaper.  So much so, I don't even use it.  I have to fold it multiple times (both length and width) to get it inside the pocket, which drives me NUTS.

The pocket on the Kawaii diaper also has a lip of fabric that stops the insert from shifting out of the back of the diaper - we've had a few issues with the cheaper diapers, where the insert slid out of the diaper and started rubbing against my daughter's back.  Not good.

Final thoughts?  If you really want to save money, go with quality over price.  Find a brand that actually works and are still cost effective, like Kawaii Baby.  If you want to splurge, grab one or two bumGenius, Rump-a-roos, or Thirsties - maybe even put a few on your baby registry and have other people buy them for you - that's what I did!  

There are also a lot of great WAHM shops on Etsy that carry really high quality, handmade diapers - and they aren't that expensive.  While each shop and maker is different, I'd rather risk the chance on a handmade diaper than a mass-produced cheapy diaper.