Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

GroVia O.N.E. Diaper Review & Giveaway

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I’ve tried many GroVia products over the years, but never the O.N.E. until this summer. I don’t mind being late to the party; it’s kind of the story of my life and gets worse with each child we have!

When the GroVia O.N.E. diaper was launched in 2015, two features quickly stood out to me in the marketing: the option of having both aplix and snaps, and the possibility of using it overnight (which is rare for an All-in-One). O.N.E. stands for:

O – Outlast Closure
N – No Prep
E – Easy to Use

This summer, I purchased a Calico O.N.E. for Mary Kate, and my sister-in-law Katie received Tex from our friends at GroVia to try on Roderick. In today’s review, you’ll see how it worked for my nursing infant, and her toddler. There’s also a giveaway you can enter!

Here are the features of the GroVia O.N.E.

  • All-in-One style with a TPU waterproof outer and two 100% cotton soaker pads topped with microfleece
  • Hidden layer of 100% poly fleece
  • Outlast closure system Includes both snap and Outlast (aplix) closure
  • Soakers snap in so you can customize as needed
  • Adjusts to fit approximately 10 to 35 pounds
  • No prepping required before day time use
  • Retail price of $22.95

So here’s what you get when you buy the O.N.E. – the diaper with snap closure, 2 inserts (10.5 inches and 12 inches long) and a set of detachable Outlast closures:

The inside of the diaper is lined with fleece, and has a hidden layer for absorbency. There’s a receiver snap at the back which holds the inserts.

Here’s what the O.N.E. looks like with the Outlast closures attached to the waistband and wings:

Besides the two closure options, you have lots of other choices when it comes to using the O.N.E. The rise is adjustable to fit from about 10 to 35 pounds. For larger babies and toddlers use just the bigger insert, or both inserts together; for small babies, use just the small insert OR fold the large one under to fit inside the diaper.

Performance: Mary Kate wears the O.N.E. overnight with no problems, and this is even with her nursing once or twice during the night. Roderick was able to wear it all night as an infant as well; now that he’s nearing 2, Katie adds a thin bamboo doubler. (Note: GroVia does sell O.N.E. Soaker Sets separately if you don’t have extra boosters already in your diaper stash). But, it still holds him for a long nap, even at this late stage. So both of us are really impressed with the absorbency of the O.N.E. One of the main questions I had before using the O.N.E. was “Does it stand out from most other AIO diapers in terms of absorbency, even for a toddler?” The answer is an unequivocal YES.

We also both like this is an “All in One” system and quick to get on your child at bedtime; no doubling up prefolds, folding flats or having to snap/pin a fitted.

It’s also super soft and cozy.

Care: Good news – the “no prep” design means you can start using the O.N.E. right away! GroVia does recommend that you wash and dry a few times before trying overnight, however. The O.N.E. doesn’t hold onto stains as easily as other diapers with natural fibers, thanks to the stay-dry topper. It takes a little bit longer to dry than a microfiber AIO, but not quite as long as some of the multi-layered cotton diapers in my rotation. And compared to a thick, plush fitted, which is a common choice for overnight diapering, the GroVia’s dry time is much better.

Katie uses a diaper sprayer and says the O.N.E. is very easy to spray off.

If you are hesitant to choose cloth diapers that have a microfiber components like the O.N.E., I’d like to share two quick observations. First of all, for a diaper that’s highly absorbent and likely to be worn for longer periods of time, a microfleece (feel dry) topper is going to be more comfortable for your baby’s skin (barring any allergies). In addition, you can put worries about build-up or odor to rest, because GroVia does allow their diapers to be bleached periodically if the need arises, without voiding the warranty.

Fit: The GroVia O.N.E. is somewhat bulky when you’re using both inserts together. I don’t mind the aesthetics of this, especially since I use O.N.E. as a night diaper for Mary Kate. If I want a more trim look for daytime, we just use the small insert alone for her. As far as snaps vs. Outlast goes, I’ll give the snaps an edge in terms of appearance, and I’m thinking this is probably because some bulk is added to the waistline when you snap on the aplix strips.

I generally prefer a double row of snaps on the wings of a diaper, so that you can customize the fit at both the waist and legs. To get it snug around the legs for Mary Kate means the waistband is a bit tighter than I would like and it leaves red marks around her hips. But, the marks do not seem to be bothering her, so that’s good.

As you might expect, the O.N.E. is slightly more trim on my toddler, as compared to 5-month-old Mary Kate, who is much littler.

Katie’s son still has one more row of snaps to grow in the rise. Roderick is 20 months old and about 28 pounds.

Any issues? The O.N.E.’s hook and loop closure is very strong (sorry, toddlers!). But the drawback is that Katie and I found you have to really tug on it, which often causes the whole strip to come unsnapped. Katie preferred to just go “snaps only” with her GroVia O.N.E.’s, and so for her, the Outlast option wasn’t needed at all. In my family, we have multiple diaper changers, ranging from 9-year-old little brothers to Grandmas that love Pampers. So I do like having the option of hook and loop.

GroVia recommends that you remove the Outlast hook and loop strips before washing the diaper. This extra step may be a hassle for some, but it does prolong the life of the hook and loop, which is one of the normal drawbacks of this type of closure. You’ll likely need a designated place to store the hook and loop strips, or they can easily be stolen by toddlers misplaced.

Value: At $22.95, I think the GroVia O.N.E. is reasonably priced for a potentially nightworthy All-in-One that includes two inserts and two closure options. And since nothing lasts forever, the ability to get a set of replacement hook and loop closure for just $2.95 (shipped free!) is a great deal.

Where to Buy: August is Retailer Appreciate Month for GroVia! What perfect timing, right? Here are some of the places you can find deals on GroVia cloth diapers:

  • Get FREE shipping over $10, plus the chance to win 1 of 3 hard-to-find GroVia shells (August 4-6) at Nicki’s!
  • Get FREE shipping on all US orders, plus the chance to win a Wacky Deux print at Sweetbottoms Baby!
  • Get FREE shipping over $25, and a free one-size diaper for orders over $59 with code WILDNESS, at Kelly’s Closet!
  • Be sure to come back every day, because I’ll keep the entry form (below) updated with current specials for GroVia Retailer Appreciation Month.

Giveaway: My readers in the US and Canada can enter to win a GroVia O.N.E. diaper in Topaz, plus a Haze wet bag. Good luck!

BB Cloth Butterfly Fitted Diaper Review & Giveaway

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It’s been a while since I reviewed a fitted diaper, but that doesn’t mean this style isn’t an important part of our cloth diapering routine. Besides the bamboo prefolds we often a use, a good fitted diaper is one of my top picks for night time and extended day wear.

BB Cloth sent two complimentary “Butterfly” fitted diapers for me to test out on 18-month-old Ingrid and 3-year-old Erik. Customers can choose from different snap colors (including plain white); we received aqua and crimson.

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BB Cloth’s Butterfly Fitted is a multi-layer diaper made with cotton on the outside and organic bamboo inside. There are two soakers inside which are only partially sewn-in; they fold out to either side giving the diaper a butterfly-like appearance. The design is meant to help cut down the drying time and make the diaper easier to clean thoroughly.

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This fitted diaper is one-size, and adjustable to fit from 10 to 35+ pounds. There are three rows of snaps on the rise, which equates to four different sizes. As you can see in the second picture (side view), this is a very plush and thick diaper.

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I washed the diaper 3 times before day use and after 5 washes, tested at night.

Performance: Both the cotton and the bamboo are very soft and smooth fabrics, so this diaper feels really nice against the skin. And it’s super absorbent! Besides extended wearing during the day Ingrid and Erik have both worn this fitted all night on several occasions with no leaks. It’s worked great as is for us, with no doublers needed. However, I do like to add a fleece liner inside at night for a more comfortable stay-dry feeling.

Ingrid usually wears a footed sleeper to bed and they fit over the diaper just fine. Erik either wears maxaloones (cloth diaper pants with extra fabric in the fear) or sweatpants.

The drawback to a butterfly style is that the soakers are not only permanently attached, but also a fixed size and length. When fastened at the very shortest rise setting, the diaper is much bulkier on a small baby than it is on an older infant or toddler.

Care for this diaper like you would any other cotton or bamboo fabric, using a good detergent and avoiding fabric softeners. This multi-layered fitted takes a long time to dry, especially the thick elasticized fabric around the leg openings. To save energy, I dry for a full cycle and then drape it over a towel bar to air dry the rest of the way.

Fit/Sizing:  With three snaps on the rise, the Butterfly Fitted offers a wide range of sizing options starting at around 10 pounds. It’s not designed to fit most babies at the newborn stage. But there are crossover snaps on the wings for smaller/thinner infants. Ingrid at 18 months and 22 pounds wears the diaper with just one rise snap fastened, what you might call the “large” setting.

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Even when the diaper has been completely saturated, wings and all, it doesn’t leave red marks on my children. And although it is very plush, the wings have a trim profile and the crotch is fairly narrow.

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You might notice that Ingrid (who is over a year old) is wearing the waist snaps at their smallest setting (excluding the crossover option which would be far too small). If she was a little bit thinner, I think this would put her in between sizes at the waistband.

At age 3 and about 30 pounds, Erik wears it completely unsnapped (what I would say equates to “extra large”). He’s slender and of average height and by 35 pounds will max out the rise, which is in line with BB Cloth’s estimates.

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What diaper covers work well over this fitted? In my testing, full-coverage wraps like Flip, Sweet Pea, Diaper Safari and Imagine/Nicki’s paired well with the Butterfly Fitted. When using trimmer covers like Best Bottoms and Buttons, I had to loosen the rise and waist snaps beyond where Ingrid usually wears them to accommodate the thickness of the diaper.

Value: BB Cloth’s Butterfly Fitted retails for just $19.95, which is very reasonable for a plush fitted made of both cotton and bamboo. BB Cloth offers a 30 warranty against manufacturer defects. Customers having any issues beyond defects in workmanship are welcome to contact BB Cloth to troubleshoot.

You can buy directly from the BB Cloth website, and also find pockets, AI2 diapers and accessories like inserts, cloth diaper keychains and teething necklaces.

Giveaway CLOSED BB Cloth is giving away a one-size Butterfly Fitted in the gender-neutral “Snow” color. This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents. Good luck!

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