Do velcro fastenings catch in the wash or degrade over time?

[ilovemyoboe]

I'm 33weeks pregnant with my first baby and investigating cloth nappies. I'd heard that velcro in general can be a pain in the wash as it catches on other things, and can degrade in effectiveness over time, so was planning on using popper fixings.

However, reading lots of postings from you all about cloth nappies, lots of you use the aplix or velcro fixings and I haven't seen any complaints along these lines. Is this an issue or not? Do you have to fasten the velcro when putting the nappies in the wash?

It's fantastic that you are considering cloth nappies - I think they are brilliant
I've always used the velcro fastenings because I feel they are a better fit. I just fasten the velcro before washing and havn't had any problems with catching. As for degrading over time - again I have not had any problem. Have you ordered any samples to have a look at? Lots of brands with velcro have an extra 'square' of velcro on the wrap specifically designed to close the velcro for washing without having to close the nappy iyswim.......

I don't have any problems with it, have been using mine almost exclusively for 6 months.

I suspect that if you put your nappies in with other clothes (some people do a rinse, then add other clothes, if they don't have a full wash) then you would probably find that the aplix would gradually accumulate threads from other clothes, which would be a pain. I prefer to wait till the nappy bucket is stuffed full and not put anything else in the wash though.
The nappies do occasionally slightly aplix themselves to one another, but it takes about 6 seconds to undo them all as I hang them out. It's also gone ever so slightly curly, but this doesn't stop it sticking at all, just makes it look less pretty when you stack them all up!

Oh, and I like the infinite adjustability too! I don't mind poppers (motherease wraps for instance, are great), but I sometimes find that they either have to be too loose or too tight.

I have some aplix, popper and nippa fastening - they are all fine to use! The aplic does seem to attach to other things a little sometimes (even with the tabs done) but it hasn't caused any problems

I never found any problems.

I did find that the velcro discoloured a little bit and was no longer white but more of a dirty beige !

I like aplix. And I like poppers but I think poppers are a PITA when you have to fumble with a nappy change at the dead of night.

At the moment I am preferring aplix all-in-ones/pocket nappies. But for any two-part nappy system, everyone needs a few popper Airflows.

Top tip, try loads of different nappies - it is FUN!

The velcro on my Bum Geniuses (Genii?!) makes them all stick together when they come out of the wash, even if I do remember to fold it over on itself. It still works fine though.

I wish I'd not spent all my money on the BGs and got a whole load of different things to experiment with

Yes I agree with everybody that you should get a few different ones to try as most of it is finding personal preference and what suits your baby. I made a big mistake of getting a bambino mio birth to potty set when I was pregnant and have hardly used it as I soon realised that there are much better nappies out there. Now, I just wait and see what I want at the time, and when bargains come up on the second hand boards I give them a go. We now have loads of nappies, in lots of different styles and love trying out new ones.

I use the valcro fasteners. I find if you turn them out and fasten the valcro then they dont catch, I have used them now for 2 years no probs

Swampster, which popper Airflows are you referring to? Are they Motherease ones? Have heard people on mumsnet rave about them.

My aplix has started to degrade and is not so sticky/grippy as it used to be, but they still work.
I have a number of different brands.
the nappies are approx 18mths old and are washed approx once/twice a week,
but I am not that careful with how they go into the wash.

also my DS now tries to rip off his wraps and nappies, which is going to become more of a problem soon as he is about to outgrow all his bodysuits.

he can't manage to rip off the Motherease poppers

Hmm, so in terms of toddler-proofing the nappies, it doesn't matter whether the nappy itself is aplix or popper, if the wrap is popper.

Yes, airflows are motherease. They are fantastic. Only downside is, they don't do nice pretty ones! But they do work. Have never had an airflow fail us yet.