In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Aleva Naturals Review

This comfortable but pricey diaper didn't absorb liquid very well but is average for leaks and durability
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Aleva Naturals Review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $1 List
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Manufacturer:   Aleva Naturals
By Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz  ⋅  Sep 22, 2021
42
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Absorption - 40% 1.0
  • Leakage - 20% 6.0
  • Comfort - 15% 8.0
  • Health - 15% 6.0
  • Eco-friendly - 5% 4.0
  • Durability - 5% 6.0

Our Verdict

The Aleva Naturals diaper is a comfortable option that performed average for leaks in our tests. This pricey diaper is nice looking and appears fragrance-free, but the disclosure of materials and eco-friendliness is vague and incomplete, which left us with questions. Overall, this diaper appears durable in comparison to some of the competition. Still, it has lower absorption, which means moisture remains near the baby's skin which increases the risk of rash, wet clothing, and leaks. Overall, this diaper costs more than higher-scoring competitors, making it a less than desirable choice in our opinion.
REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Average leaks
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Poor absorption
Not as eco-friendly as competition

Our Analysis and Test Results

Aleva Naturals® was started by a pharmacist when his newborn needed an all-natural product for severe nasal congestion. Growing up in an Ayurvedic culture (ancient science of life), he used his experience and knowledge to boil water, eucalyptus oil, and mint to create vapors to relieve his son's congestion. After sharing his recipe with friends, he decided to start Aleva Naturals. Aleva Naturals prides itself on being pure, natural, and vegan in every product line. Since 2008, the company has grown to 20 products sold in 12 countries.

Performance Comparison


aleva naturals - in our leak test, the aleva did not leak any mock urine into the...
In our leak test, the Aleva did not leak any mock urine into the tray, but the absorption paper was fairly soaked through.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff

Likes


This diaper has comfortable materials that are soft to the touch and yet still feel durable, which is no small feat in the world of disposable diapers. The elastic feels skin-friendly, but the closure tabs are somewhat rough compared to others.

aleva naturals - the aleva is comfortable and scored well compared to other diapers...
The Aleva is comfortable and scored well compared to other diapers when it came to fabric, elastic and motion areas.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

We also liked that this diaper is relatively durable. While a diaper doesn't need to last for very long, it should keep the waste contained until a diaper change. Some comfortable diapers had trouble staying together and stopping messes from happening.

We experienced average leaks in our tests, but overall the leakage score went down for this brand in our current testing, which is likely due to its inability to absorb liquid quickly.

We can't say we like it for health results, but we don't dislike it either. This diaper scored above average for health, but it wasn't anything to write home about compared to higher scoring brands. It is chlorine, lotion, and latex-free. It doesn't mention fragrances or dyes, but we didn't smell anything when we opened it, but there is a print on the front of the diaper. Aleva doesn't have a full disclosure list or allergy certification.

aleva naturals - given that some diapers had no moisture transfer, the aleva diaper...
Given that some diapers had no moisture transfer, the Aleva diaper is a disappointment with a full wetness transfer to the test paper indicating poor absorption.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Dislikes


Our biggest dislike is the absorption test results for the Aleva diaper. It is one of the lowest scoring diapers in our tests for absorption with an excessive amount of liquid transfer from the diaper to the paper surface. This kind of transfer indicates that the diaper is not locking moisture in the core and that it will instead sit against the baby's skin, which can cause irritation and possible diaper rash. Poor absorption is a real bummer because it leads to leakage and is one of the key functions of a diaper. This option fails to meet expectations in our tests.

Given the focus on being vegan and all-natural, it is somewhat disappointing that they haven't made a more significant effort to be more eco-friendly. The Alev earned an average score for eco-friendliness due to a lack of full disclosure and only vague comments concerning materials. While they claim to have a bleach-free diaper, they don't specify what they mean, and we suspect they are using ECF pulp like most other brands because TCF pulp is brag-worthy, and they don't mention it. The company only specifies the material makeup of the top and bottom layer as bamboo, which means the core is likely wood pulp that contains dioxins. Most diaper brands have this makeup, but it isn't very reassuring for a diaper that claims eco-friendliness.

aleva naturals - aleva naturals diaper is soft and comfortable with skin-friendly...
Aleva Naturals diaper is soft and comfortable with skin-friendly elastic and fabric.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Conclusion


The Aleva Naturals diaper offers impressive leak test results and is super comfortable with soft fabric, skin-friendly motion points, and elastics. However, it earned one of the lowest overall scores with disappointing absorption, health, and eco-friendliness results. While it has some interesting features, the limited absorption and higher price make it a diaper that isn't as good as most of the competition.

Manufacturer Video



Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz