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Over the past 2 years I have been hearing more and more praise for Funky Fluff diapers, both from readers and other cloth diaper bloggers, and I was disappointed that the last time they’d sent PTS a product to review, Tara had been the one to use it.
When Funky Fluff approached me and asked if I’d be interested in reviewing their brand new LUX line of products, I jumped at the opportunity to see and feel one of their diapers for myself. It turns out that their newly redesigned diaper and inserts far exceeded my already high expectations, and I can’t wait to share the features of their new products with everyone!
Materials/Features
The Funky Fluff LUX diaper is available with either a bamboo terry (80% bamboo viscose/20% polyester) or a stay-dry suedecloth inner fabric. The outer shell of the diaper is made of waterproof PUL (so you don’t need a separate cover) and there is now an additional layer of PUL behind the snaps as an extra safeguard against leaks.
I was sent a Stay Dry diaper to review, but whether you choose to try the Bamboo or Stay Dry simply depends on what kind of fabric you prefer to have against your baby’s skin.
There is a strip of PUL across the front of the diaper along the stomach, which helps prevent leaks (particularly on tummy sleepers!) and ensures that even if the front of the diaper rolls out a bit, there is nothing exposed that would wick moisture onto your child’s clothing.
In Tara’s review of the original Funky Fluff Bamboo diaper she mentioned this as a problem, but it’s not one I’ve had at ALL with the LUX. The PUL strip keeps the front of the diaper very firmly in place.
Just like its predecessors, the Funky Fluff LUX can be used multiple ways – as a pocket diaper, an All In One (AIO), or an All In Two (AI2).
The LUX shell has pocket openings at both the front and back of the diaper. To use the LUX as a pocket diaper you simply place the included LUX insert in the pocket between the waterproof material and the inner fabric. When the diaper is soiled, you remove the insert from either end of the diaper, and place all components into your diaper pail or wet bag.
I found the pocket rather hard to stuff, despite this version of the diaper being approximately 1 cm wider than the previous version of the diaper. Speaking with other bloggers, however, I did not find this to be a universal complaint. It’s possible that pregnancy has just made my hands puffier and less nimble than usual, or perhaps the diaper I received was a smidge smaller than usual (because sometimes random things happen!). If anyone else has similar problems fitting their hand all the way through the pocket, I found it helpful to begin putting the insert in through the back pocket opening, and then reach through the front pocket opening to grasp and pull the insert the rest of the way through. Luckily, there are other ways to use this diaper, so if that sounds like too much extra work, you might prefer to use the diaper as an AI2 instead.
There are snaps inside the pocket openings at the front . . .
. . . and back of the diaper.
To use the diaper as an AIO, you place the insert inside the pocket opening and snap it into place. When the diaper is soiled, you leave the insert snapped inside the diaper and place the entire thing in your diaper pail or wet bag.
To use the diaper as an AI2, you place the insert on top of the inner fabric of the shell and then snap it into place. Because the front snap is inside the pocket opening, this means that the front of the insert will be tucked out of sight (ensuring that you get the benefit of the PUL strip across the tummy and don’t have to worry about the insert poking out the front of the diaper and causing leaks!). When the diaper is soiled, you unsnap the insert, place it in your diaper pail or wet bag, and then you are free to snap in another insert as long as the shell is still clean. (Additional inserts can be purchased separately from the diaper shells). AI2 systems enable you to get more bang for your buck by reusing the shell multiple times before needing to wash it.
My kids have always been super heavy wetters, so AI2 systems with a fabric interior are problematic for us. Unless a diaper has a wipeable interior, my children are generally unable to use the diaper shell multiple times, making it no more economical or convenient than a pocket diaper. However, as I had trouble stuffing the diaper, this was definitely how I preferred to use it! We still only got one use out of the shell before having to wash it, but I found it much quicker to assemble, and I felt like the inserts laid flatter and generally fit better when on top of the shell as opposed to inside the pocket. But again, I seem to be alone in this complaint, so experiences obviously vary!
The interior of the fabric extends onto the leg elastics of the diaper, so that the PUL isn’t directly against the skin. The elastics in the LUX shell have been upgraded from those in previous Funky Fluff diapers, and the generous amount of stretch in them means that the diaper can easily accommodate multiple inserts without gaping.
There is also plenty of elastic along the back of the diaper (to help contain messes and get a snug fit around the waist).
Inserts
In previous incarnations of Funky Fluff diapers, if you purchased the Stay Dry diaper you received microfiber inserts. Funky Fluff has now completely retired microfiber from their diapering line, though, so no matter which diaper you purchase (Bamboo or Stay Dry) you’ll receive a small and large LUX bamboo soaker to use with the shell. The new LUX inserts are contoured instead of rectangular (as in previous versions of the diaper) as more surface area equals more absorbency.
The small soaker is comprised of 5 layers of 80% bamboo terry (which is the same 80% bamboo viscose/20% polyester blend used to line the interior of the Bamboo shells). The large soaker is comprised of 6 layers of bamboo terry. Each insert is double stitched around the edges for increased durability.
Some bamboo products I’ve used from other brands have gotten stiff over time, but this fabric blend is silky and flexible. So if you are turned off of the idea of bamboo based on previous experiences, this might be different than what you are expecting.
The inserts can be used individually (each insert has snaps so that it can be fastened to the diaper shell on its own) or they can be used together by snapping one end of the small insert onto the large insert. This leaves both of the usual snaps needed to attach the large insert to the shell exposed, so that it can still be used as an AI2 or AIO without the smaller insert shifting or moving around.
Because my kids are such heavy wetters I almost always have to double up on inserts for their diapers. It’s very convenient to have the inserts snap together so that I don’t have to spend as much time searching through the clean laundry basket for the matching insert!
I also am rarely able to use the inserts included with a diaper for naps or overnight, but I was incredibly surprised at how absorbent this diaper can be if you use both inserts at the same time. While I always use a wool soaker as backup protection, these inserts (inside the included shell or even other random diaper covers I own) have lasted overnight just as well as my usual overnight options (fitted diapers or hemp prefolds) but with far less bulk!
Also new and available to purchase separately are the Funky Fluff deLUX hemp/bamboo soakers.
The deLUX soakers have the same contoured shape and snap configuration as the LUX soakers (so you can use them individually or snapped together) and both the large and small inserts are comprised of 2 layers of hemp fleece (a 55% hemp/45% organic cotton blend) and 2 layers of bamboo fleece (a 50% bamboo viscose/20% cotton/30% polyester blend). Bamboo absorbs quickly and hemp is great at holding onto moisture, so the two fabrics together are a great combination.
The materials are designed to shrink at approximately the same rate (to keep both layers of the insert the same size as one another after being prepped) and the fleece side of the fabric is on the inside of the insert so that the part against baby’s skin is smooth and resists pilling.
I’ve definitely had inserts in the past that didn’t shrink evenly or had drastic texture changes after being washed, and I was surprised that while these shrunk slightly after being prepped (as is typical) they otherwise looked almost exactly the same as they did before ever being washed. Diapers don’t necessarily perform better because they look pretty, but it certainly is nicer when the product you’ve purchased maintains its original appearance!
The two layers of each insert are sewn together in the middle of the soaker, which creates channels that pull the moisture towards the center of the diaper.
It also allows for easier washing and faster drying times, as the materials are not entirely connected along the edges of the soaker.
There are no words for how shocked I was at how absorbent and still TRIM these soakers ended up being. Emily is petite and so most diapers end up looking super fluffy on her (nighttime worthy diapers, in particular), and the LUX shell with both of the deLUX inserts in it looked trimmer than many of her daytime diapers, yet held up overnight! These are a serious contender for my new favorite nighttime cloth diapering solution, which truly is saying something!
Closures
Funky Fluff diapers are available in snap closure (there is no hook and loop option). The snaps can be overlapped, enabling the diaper to be used on infants or exceptionally skinny babies.
Each wing has a hip snap (to prevent wing droop on smaller babies) as well as a waist and leg snap that you can adjust independently in order to get the correct fit around your child.
These snaps feel exceptionally sturdy, and I was able to get a phenomenal fit on Emily. As my kids have always been skinny, wing droop is my nemesis and I always appreciate diapers that have a hip snap to combat this problem!
Colors/Prints
The Funky Fluff LUX shell is available in 4 prints (2 of which were released at the same time the LUX line was unveiled. The other 2 prints had been available on previous versions of Funky Fluff diapers) and 10 solid colors.
Print diapers have snaps in coordinating colors, while solids have snaps in contrasting colors to add additional visual interest.
I was sent a LUX diaper in the brand new Maritime print to review, and it quickly became Emily’s favorite diaper (she cried the first time she wore the diaper and pooped in it, so that we were unable to reuse the shell. When she sees it line drying she will come get me to ask for her pretty blue diaper!). It has definitely become one of my favorite diaper prints (it’s a great blend of being sophisticated but also entirely appropriate for a child, and the blue is just unbelievably gorgeous!) but I think Funky Fluff does a great job of making their solid diapers more exciting by using the contrasting snap colors. It might be nice to have some softer color choices (most of the options are fairly bright and bold) but overall I think they’ve done a great job of choosing interesting colors and prints without getting carried away with too many options.
Sizing
The Funky Fluff LUX is advertised to fit from 7-35+ pounds and has 4 rise settings (instead of the more typical 3). It can be adjusted to newborn, small, medium, or large rise settings using the 2 columns of rise snaps on the front of the diaper.
Diaper on the smallest (newborn) setting:
Diaper on the medium setting:
Diaper on the largest setting:
I’ve complained elsewhere in the past about the fact that some diapers with only 2 columns of snaps have a tendency to not lie as flat (a lot of times the fabric between the columns poofs out). For whatever reason (spacing, construction, I have no idea) I never saw that happen with this diaper, and in fact didn’t even notice for quite a while that it had a 2 by 4 set of snaps instead of a 3 by 3!
At the time of this review, Emily is close to 3 years old and approximately 25 pounds. I photographed her in the diaper with both of the LUX inserts stuffed in it (so you can see how trim it still is!). She has plenty of room to grow into the diaper around the waist still, and while we moved to the largest rise setting with this insert combination, she’d previously used the diaper on the medium rise setting. (I think if we used only a single insert we could have gone down a rise setting as well).
Price
The base price for the diaper shell on its own is $14.95 for the Stay Dry/$15.95 for the Bamboo.
To purchase the diaper system (which includes the shell and a small/large LUX bamboo insert set) is $23.45 for the Stay Dry/$24.45 for the Bamboo.
Additional LUX insert sets (which include both a small and large soaker) cost $9.50.
DeLUX insert sets (which include both a small and large soaker) cost $15.95.
I’d like to point out that the cost difference between the Stay Dry and Bamboo options (for either the diaper system or the shell on its own) is only $1. I expected the Bamboo diapers to be far more expensive than the Stay Dry diapers, so I think the choice of diaper honestly can come down to material preference instead of cost (which is often a deciding factor for many people).
Also, while the soaker sets may seem expensive initially, it’s important to keep in mind how absorbent they are. $15.95 for a standard diaper insert might seem like a lot of money, but many overnight diapers (particularly fitted diapers) often cost twice that amount. So you truly do get a good bang for your buck.
Conclusions And Overall Impressions
In all honesty, if I were to start cloth diapering all over again right now, I would likely make the Funky Fluff LUX diapers (particularly the deLUX inserts) the majority of my stash. There are certainly cheaper diapering options available, but these feel sturdy and well constructed (like they’ll last an exceptionally long time) and I simply can’t get over how absorbent the insert options both are (it’s a rare diaper that can keep up with a heavy wetting toddler overnight without needing anything extra added to it!).
They also fit Emily like a dream and I’m super excited to see how it will fit on my next baby after seeing Maman Loup’s review (which includes photos of the diaper on her 8 pound baby!). If nothing else, I hope to at least add some additional deLUX inserts to my stash in the near future (though if the shell fits my new little one as well as it fits Emily, who I believe will be potty training before too long, I might have to purchase more of those, as well!).
Where To Buy
You can see who carries this diaper by typing in “Funky Fluff” at the Cloth Diaper Retailer Database (www.clothdiaperretailers.com). You can compare retailers based on shipping costs, location, and even specials they have going on. Many of them even post exclusive discounts for Padded Tush Stats followers. If you buy from those with an asterisk (***) next to their name, a portion of your purchase goes towards supporting this site, so thank you in advance!
Have You Tried This Diaper?
If you have tried this diaper (or any other diapers!) please head on over to our Survey page and take a quick, 2-minute survey on how this diaper worked for you. (You can fill out the survey for pocket diaper, AI2, AIO, or however you prefer to use the diaper system. If you use the inserts inside a different diaper cover, you can even fill out a separate survey just for the inserts!). Survey results can be viewed on the Statistics page and are also used to write detailed statistical reviews (a complete list of which can be found on our Cloth Diaper and Product Reviews page).
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