You need fasteners for adult cloth diapers if your item of choice is a fitted without fasteners, prefold, flat, contour, or preflat. Cloth diaper fasteners are a necessary accessory that functions to keep the diaper secure around the body.

As it is, there are 3 types diaper fasteners for cloth diapers:

Diaper Pins
Snappi
Boingo

Which fastener you should use ultimately depends on the fabric of your adult cloth diaper and how close the wings are to each other. Snappi and Boingo both work by putting “claws” into the fabric and holding on, while traditional diaper pins pierce completely through the fabric like a giant safety pin.

Side note: Legally, I should say that this post may contain affiliate links, but at this time, it doesn’t. I just happen to really like Green Mountain Diapers and they don’t have an affiliate program. It would just be cruel of me to keep knowledge of an awesome place from you just because they don’t have an affiliate program 😉 I am also not an affiliate of Rearz either. They just so happen to have a really reputable adult cloth diapering company, so I feel confident in recommending their products.

Anyway.

1. Diaper Pins

Adult diaper pins are roughly a couple inches longer than baby diaper pins. Diaper pins also come as traditional pins or with slide lock heads for extra protection against pins springing open. Green Mountain Diapers recommends pushing the point of the pin into an unopened bar of soap to help it slide through the fabric.

I bought these Rearz diaper pins off of Amazon. Even though I’m wary of Amazon and the quality of many of their products, I also don’t like to pay a lot for shipping. However, since Rearz is a reputable company, I felt confident that I would receive a quality product.

While diaper pins can be challenging to use at first, they also cause less damage to delicate fabrics like flats or knitted fabrics than the other fastener types.

How to Fasten a Diaper Using Diaper Pins

1. Stab pointy end of pin into an unopened bar of soap.

2. Pull diaper wing tight across the body and pinch both the wing and underlayer between your fingers.

3. Slide pin through both layers of the diaper.

4. Make sure pin is secure so it won’t unexpectedly spring open.

2. Snappi

Invented in 1987 in South Africa by a father, Snappi was the first alternative to diaper pins. They come in 2 sizes: size one and toddler. Not all places sell both sizes, so be sure that you are getting the toddler size before purchasing.

The toddler size is about an inch longer than size one and can work for adults as long as the product needing fastening crosses enough in front of the body for both arms of the Snappi to reach.

The Snappi works by putting claws into the fabric and relies on the tension caused by all three arms being lightly stretched and attached. They work best on diapers with a loose weave, like terry cloth or diaper twill. Do NOT use Snappi on knit (stretchy) fabrics.

Before using a Snappi for the first time, gently stretch it. When attaching the Snappi, make sure all three arms are secure, otherwise it won’t stay.

To unfasten a Snappi, gently pull one side outward and up to release its grip. Jerking the Snappi straight up can cause the claws to damage the fabric.

How to Fasten a Diaper Using Snappi

1. Hook left or right.

2. Hook other side arm.

3. Hook center.

3. Boingo

Similar to the Snappi, the Boingo works by putting claws into diaper fabric to hold things in place. However, they are also a little bit like diaper pins in that they come in a 2-pack and require one for each side of the diaper.

Before using the Boingo for the first time, stretch it out a few times to soften the Boingo and make it more pliable. Like the Snappi, Boingo works best on woven fabrics and fabrics with a loose weave like cotton twill or cotton terry. Not recommended for use on knit fabrics or flats as those fabrics are more susceptible to damage by the Boingo’s claws.

How to Fasten a Diaper Using the Boingo

1. Hook one end of the Boingo to one side of the diaper.

2. Stretch the other end towards the center and hook it down.

3. Repeat on the other side.

Ultimately, you will need some kind of fastener for your adult cloth diaper if it is not a pull on type or already has a fastener type like snaps or hook and loop. Diaper pins, Snappi, and Boingo are all excellent options to use to help make your cloth diapering experience go smoothly.