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We have been using Buttons Diapers in our rotation since about 2013. Ingrid went easily from the newborn phase to her current 2 years while wearing the Buttons system. The picture above is from this spring.
Over the years, Buttons has added some insert options, and we received a package of complimentary items to review so that you could have an up-to-date look at what this system now offers. Amy sent a Kaleidoscope cover with gold snaps for Ingrid and a Sante Fe cover with blue snaps for my nephew, Roderick. Buttons also included their two insert options (day and night, stay dry and hemp) and a small wetbag.
Buttons Diapers are an easy to use All-in-Two system that saves you money because the covers can be rotated a few times before washing. Buttons covers adjust to fit (approximately) 9 to 35 pounds and are made with two layers of thermally-bonded waterproof PUL. Snap-in inserts are available in two sizes, and with different fabric components, depending on your needs. Adjust the size from small to medium to large using the rise snaps on the front and the waistband snaps:
Here is the Buttons cover opened up. There are double (inner) gussets at the leg openings for extra protection, a wipeable interior and snaps to hold the insert in.
Buttons Diapers microfiber day time inserts are 4 layers of absorbent microfiber with a plush mirofleece topper. This creates a stay-dry effect and is more comfortable for your baby’s skin. They are $3.50 each. Hemp day time inserts are 4 layers of 55% hemp/45% cotton with the same plush microfleece topper. They are $7.75 each.
Nighttime microfiber doublers are 5 layers and are designed to be snapped underneath the day time insert for additional absorbency. They are $5 each. Nighttime hemp doublers are 5 layers and cost $9.75 each. You can mix and match the inserts as desired. A really effective nighttime combo for infants is to put a hemp insert under a microfiber insert.
Small inserts fit approximately 9 to 20 pounds – they are about 11 inches long
Large inserts fit approximately 20 to 35 pounds – they are about 13 inches long
Inserts snap into the covers at front and back. Nighttime doublers are made with two sets of snaps so that you can fasten them under the day inserts before securing both into the cover.
The updated Buttons wet bag features sturdier, interior rolled seams to better contain wetness. They close with a zipper and have a handy hanging strap on one side. Small wet bags are $7 and mediums are $10. Buttons also sells large pail liners and hanging wet bags.
And all Buttons diapers have a cute little color-coordinated button sewn on the back:
Since we’ve been using Buttons for so long, you can see how they fit as our babies have grown!
Here’s Ingrid at 8 pounds, about 1 week after birth.
Ingrid at 4 months old
Erik at 5 months old
Ingrid at 1 year and Erik at 2.5. He’s always been very slim.
Here’s Roderick, my nephew, wearing his Buttons diaper during the day time. He’s 11 months old and about 25 pounds.
This was Roderick’s first time to try Buttons. Katie, my sister-in-law, loves the Buttons prints and was eager to see how this system worked for them. What she found was that it worked best as a daytime diaper with just a single insert. Because Roderick is a very chunky guy, trying to using the diapers overnight with 2 inserts resulted in leaks at the front and back because of fit issues. Here’s Roderick wearing the diaper with two inserts snapped in:
Here’s Ingrid right now at 2 years old. She is small for her age and can still wear Buttons. Like Roderick, they fit best on her with just one insert inside and serve as a trim day time diaper. She was able to wear Buttons at night with 2 inserts up until about 16 months (much longer than Roderick because she is smaller overall).
Here’s how the fit looks with one insert inside vs. two. With just one inside, there’s more room in the waistband and legs, and the crotch is a bit narrower.
Performance: Buttons Diapers are a versatile system because you can use 1 insert or 2, and choose the fabric and insert size which works best for your needs. They also work well as diaper covers with prefolds or flats. Because Buttons are smaller overall compared to other one-size options, I don’t recommend them as covers over fitted diapers. With a well-fitting Buttons diaper, we have never experienced leaks, and the double gussets at the legs were especially handy when Erik and Ingrid were young and they made bigger/looser #2 messes.
One thing I especially like about the hemp inserts is that they hold their shape really well, thanks to the strong serging around the edges. Many natural fiber inserts shrink up and buckle in really weird ways resulting in uncomfortable lumps and uneven edges, but not these.
Good news – Buttons inserts may be compatible with other AI2 diaper systems you may already be using (like Best Bottom, for instance).
Fit: With Buttons being smaller overall, they have worked from birth onward in our family (my babies tend to be small to average). My nephew, Roderick, is a bigger boy. At 11 months, he can comfortably fit into Buttons, but only with 1 insert, and there’s not much room to grow. Slim children may get more mileage out of the Buttons system, but Roderick is a good example of how even a large or chunky baby can utilize Buttons during the day time.
Buttons Diapers are easy to get on and off, since there’s only one row of snaps. The PUL is soft and pliable; both Katie (my sister-in-law) and I love the quality and feel of the fabric.
Another factor that gives Buttons so much appeal is the variety and uniqueness of their prints. Diapers are released seasonally and also on a limited-edition basis, and there’s a wide variety of solid colors to choose from as well. Over 40 have been released so far!
Value: Covers are $11 for solid colors and $12.50 for prints, so they very accessible to most families in terms of price. A 3-pack of daytime inserts costs just $10.50. Buttons also offers a 100% money-back guarantee within 90 days if you are not satisfied, and will even refund what you paid in shipping.
Where to Buy Buttons
You can buy Buttons Diapers directly from their website and from select retailers.
Giveaway: Amy is giving one lucky reader a Buttons cover in the newly released seasonal print, Lumberjack, plus 3 day time inserts in your choice of size! This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada.
Good luck!
Thank you for the review! I have small babies too so buttons seems like a great option to try for us! I have a 2.5 year old and am due end of April with another itty bitty 🙂 my favorite print buttons has made is by far sherwood! I love the dark colors and who doesnt love foxes am i right?
I love buttons covers! They work so well!
I LOVE Posy!!!
My favourite color for Buttons cover is a solid color- Apple ..I just love this color..This is an awesome reviee..I enjoyed reading it..
My favorite button diaper is ahoy! i love the color of blue they used! I would love to win the lumberjack diaper, my little one would look so cute in it!
I like the courage print!
I like the lumberjack print
I like the lumberjack print; baby boy can match his grandpa’s shirts.
I think the Lumberjack pattern is my favorite but it is a tough choice!
I love Afternoon Tea and Lumberjack!! Lol!! Buttons diapers are amazing… we have 2 right now and they are my favorites!!
Thank you for an honest review. We have one chunky guy but do love our buttons cover. We tend to use it with flats. I am in love with lumberjack but my husband says we have enough covers 🙁
I really love this print. its a close fav behind sherwood. this brand looks like it would work great for us
i love buttons diapers. I love their new playful print.
Thank you for the review! They have several really cute prints. A couple I really like are, Afternoon Tea and Lumberjack!
Great review. Thank you for all the info. Love the Lumberjack and Sherwood prints. Adorable!
love lumberjack, reminds of my uncle who loved wearing flannel shirts, he died before my kids could meet him, but this would be awesome.
I like the meadow print and the new lumberjack print covers
Sherwood is the best and most adorable print! But already got it in my stash! Lumberjack is the second favorite and I do not have it 😊💕
My favourite print actually is the lumberjack print. I even have some pads for myself with this print. But no diaper covers like this. We haven’t tried buttons, but they seem to be a good quality diaper.
I like the meadow print but they all are nice, Thanks for the giveaway!
Everytime I think I have a favorite buttons cover they release a new print! I’m swooning over plumage!!
Love Buttons diapers! Half my stash is Buttons and we love them! Also would love the Lumberjack print for my little guy for Christmas photos!
I think the Plumage print looks great on a cover.
I love the lumberjack and Sante fe prints! 🙂
That lumberjack print is the cutest thing ever. I anticipate having a little one again, so it seems like this brand might be the one.
I like the kaleidoscope print the most
Kaleidoscope is my new favorite!
My favorite print would be Lumberjack for my boy and Kaleidoscope for my girl, I just love those gold snaps! 😍
Love the Buttons print Lumberjack!
My favorite is Posy 🙂
Thank you for the review! I would really like to try Buttons at some point, because of the good things I have heard about them. I also really like some of their prints, like playful! But not sure which gender we are having yet, and playful is very girly. 😮
I like the adventure print.
We love our Buttons!
I would love to try buttons with my baby due in march!
I’m due in March with baby #2 – and this will be our first cloth baby! I took advantage of many Black Friday deals and grabbed some buttons inserts and covers to try. Sherwood captured my heart but I still am in love with Lumberjack! I had to remind myself to buy inserts too because the covers are so gosh darn cute. Thanks for the review – I’m still nervous about this endeavor (as is my husband) but after getting the covers/inserts and showing him how easy it will be his mind is more at ease! I’ll be following loyally!
Sherwood is still one of my favorites, too! Buttons is definitely an easy system; I think your husband will agree when he sees how simple it is to snap the inserts in. You only adjust the size of the cover once (until your baby grows again) and you’re done. Hope cloth works out for you! Please feel free to email me anytime through the blog, or post on my Facebook wall if you have questions. ~Anne
Santa Fe is my favorite!
I love lumber jack and love buttons diapers! We have a stash of them here and it is always a great fit (:
My first LO is due February 8th and I can’t wait to get him or her in cloth! I just ordered my first Buttons diapers on Black Friday and I have been watching the tracking info like it’s my job. I am so excited to try them out!
I know the feeling of anticipation! LOL What prints did you order?? ~Anne
I got Acres, Sherwood, and Critter. We don’t know if baby is a boy or girl and my husband is a big outdoor/farm guy so I figured he would like them on a boy or girl. I am way too excited!
Cute choices! I’m due also and not sure what we’re having. ~Anne
Time for Tea is my favorite Bottoms print. Gorgeous! Even more so in person.
I like that the doublers snap into place and that hemp is an option. I think Sherwood Forest is my fave.
I love plummage, and its probably good I don’t have girls otherwise I would go crazy over prints. But since we only have girls, I have to say Lumberjack or Courage would look great on them
I love Sherwood!! I also love that other AI2 inserts from other companies work with these diaper. I use mostly best bottom inserts, or a prefold.
I like double gussets. Also love the new print!
They have been coming out with so many great prints this year. I wish I had the money to buy them all! I only have a couple covers I’ve used over prefolds. I’m curious about their inners.
Thank you, Anne, for the detailed review. I like how you actually also talk about possible issues (mostly fit for bigger babies). I like that these Buttons can also be used as covers, but you mention a good point of been aware of baby size when considering fitted ones. I’m glad my little one is mostly long and still tiny 🙂
Thanks for hosting this giveaway. I haven’t had a chance to try buttons diapers and would be really excited to add them to our diaper stash and try them out, they have some really cute prints!
I love these and the double gussets! Lumberjack is actually my favorite, and Courage is a close second.
I LOOOOOOVE the lumberjack print from Buttons diapers. I would love to see my little man in it! Who doesn’t love a little plaid on a baby boy’s booty?
I LOVE Critter and Lumberjack.
I didn’t know Buttons had feminine pads now!!!
I think Meadow will always be my favorite. Just simple and classic.
Great review! I’ve actually never heard of Button diapers until now. It seems like it would be a good choice for my guy. He’s 17 months but he’s on the smaller side. This print would be adorable on him! They have so many great prints. Really eying up Acres too but I think Kaleidoscope would be great for our new little lady arriving in Feb.
my favorite pattern is afternoon tea
Love the lumberjack print! So adorable
Thanks for the review! I am just starting my stash but am in love with Sherwood! I didn’t think I would – I had my heart set on Lumberjack but when Sherwood arrived it was love!
I really love them fleece lined hemp inserts for my heavy wetting & wettness sensitive little baby! They are awesome. Thicket is my favorite print too
How affordable! We love covers, but haven’t yet tried Buttons.
The lumberjack print is great, as it’s highly appropriate for here in the PNW haha!
I find that my flats or FSTs fit better with my Buttons then the actual Buttons inserts.Probably bc my girl is so chubby, bit wanted to mention that. Still absolutely worth the price for the beautiful covers. I find Best Bottom inserts more appealing and well fitted to the covers.
I have afternoon tea but I’m dying for lumberjack!!
We have a couple of Buttons diapers with microfiber inserts. Your review is very informative. I would like to add some more Buttons diapers to our stash and upgrade to hemp inserts this time.
Love Buttons Diaper covers! They are one of the only things that were small enough for my newborn with out it being a newborn diaper. Love their pink diaper cover, everyone else seems to have fazed out their light baby pink diaper, so glad that they didn’t!
I already have a good collection of Buttons covers, but I’d love Picnic print!
We love buttons! Ive been wanting acres and afternoon tea forever!
Have not heard of the covers. Thank you. We are new to cloth and in the last 3 months I have learned a lot… like why did I allow my MIL to purchase so many of a diaper I am not too fond of!
Buttons diapers worked really well for my son! I’m hoping they will work just as well with our second baby! My all time favorite print is Acres!
I love the Sherwood, Noble, & Julien prints!! So cute!!