Pocket Diaper Reviews ~ Alva

Alva diapers are another diaper that is made in China and can get you into cloth for very little money upfront. If you have looked at the alvababy.com website, you might have noticed that they advertise the diapers as ai2. While there are two parts to the alva system, they are actually a pocket diaper and if using the microfiber insert that comes with them, should not be used as an ai2. Although the alva website is a bit confusing with all the different series, they are mostly the same with different prints. The alva that I will be reviewing here are the regular alva diapers, not the bamboo or the color snap versions.

I was content with my sunbaby for a long time. Alva looked too bulky to me. However, when I wanted a couple of Alva prints while diaper shopping for Noah, I realized it was only fair for me to try both before making judgements about which was better. Remarkably, even though Alva is the wider diaper, I actually get a trimmer fit with them than with sunbaby. Sunbaby are kind of puffy in places and alva lays flat all around. I really wish that I had heard about Alva earlier because I probably would have had more in my stash than the 5 that I have now.

Alva diapers are a pocket diaper with a PUL outer and microsuede inner. They come with one microfiber insert, but you can purchase bamboo and blend inserts from Alva as well. The pockets on Alva run across the top of the back of the diaper - some have  double elastic (on the PUL and the Microsuede), others have only elastic on the PUL layer. I'm not sure exactly why this is and there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to which you get. All of mine were ordered at the same time, from several different series and all have the double elastic. The rise has three snaps across and the diaper also features hip snaps and crossover snaps for a tight fit at the waist. Alva diapers come in a ton of really cute prints

The Good:

1) Lots of print options. I think that the advantage that alva has over sunbaby is that they have a lot more print options available. For example, I really wanted a camo print diaper, but didn't want to pay for a custom. Fortunately, Alva actually has a couple of variations of camo print. Here is Noah in his! They also have several that come in super soft minky.

2) Price. With solid color diapers starting at $4.79 (cheaper if purchased through a co-op or in bulk), you really can't beat the price. Also, if ordering directly from alva, you can get free express shipping if you are buying 20 diapers or more.

3) Can get a good fit at a variety of sizes. Alva are pretty generously sized, so bigger babies and toddlers can fit in them very well. They can also fit babies just a few weeks old if you set the snaps correctly. (see end of post) They also have a very trim fit compared to other one size pocket diapers.

4) Good quality. These diapers feel a bit sturdier than my sunbaby. I never feel like the snaps are pulling on the PUL and they hold up to washing very well.

The Bad:

1) Width. They are pretty wide, like bumGenius, and sometimes that means bunching up on smaller or skinnier babies.

2) Website is confusing and so is customer service (according to some). Ok, this really has nothing to do with the diaper, but they can be a bit intimidating to order because the website is a bit confusing. I've never dealt with their customer service myself, but several people on different forums I am a part of have said they get inconsistent service. Sometimes they are great offering to replace defective diapers immediately, other times they take a long time to return messages or send the wrong diapers.

3) China. This doesn't bother me, but to some, it is definitely a negative.

Overall:

I don't really have any complaints about this diaper. They are cheap, good quality, cute, fit well and do the job. I just wish that I knew about these diapers before I had Reagan.

How to make it fit a newborn:

1) Set diaper to medium rise. Fold the waist snaps down.

2) Snap hip snap to middle rise snap.

3) Snap other hip snap to closest rise snap.

4) Fasten with crossover snaps.

Noah at 1 month in an alva converted for newborn