REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Durable
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor absorption
More leaks
Not eco-friendly
Target Up & Up Review
A comfortable option that fails to provide enough absorption and leak protection, even at the lower price
Credit: Abriah Wofford
RELATED: The Best Disposable Diapers
The Skinny
Target brand Up & Up diapers are inexpensive, convenient diapers in our best disposable diaper review that feel soft and comfortable. They also offer better than average performance for durability with few faulty tabs and leaking SAP compared to the competition. However, this product did not perform well in our tests for absorption or leaks, two critical performance metrics for diapering. It also is not eco-friendly nor free of common skin irritants. So even if these features aren't high on your importance list, we feel its inability to trap liquids and hold them away from the baby's skin is a significant flaw. Just as important is preventing leaks and accidents from escaping the diaper and ending up where they don't belong. The lack of absorption and leak protection makes this budget-friendly diaper unappealing, in our opinion.
Editor's Note: This Up & Up review received an update on April 20, 2022. It now includes more information about the diapers we'd recommend to a friend.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Target Up & Up | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | |||
| Price | Check Price at Amazon | $0.36 List $0.35 each at Amazon | $0.24 List $0.20 each at Amazon | Check Price at Amazon | $0.19 List $0.20 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Comfortable, durable | Impressive absorption, great leak protection, comfy | Durable, comfortable for baby, affordable | Durable, comfy, lower price, good leak protection | Affordable, comfortable, durable |
| Cons | Poor absorption, more leaks, not eco-friendly | Average eco-friendliness, lower health scores, less durable | Average absorbency, less eco-friendly | Not eco-friendly, no considerations for health | Not very absorbent, runs small, no considerations for health or environment |
| Bottom Line | A comfortable option that fails to provide enough absorption and leak protection, even at the lower price | Top performance in absorption and leaks with a comfy feel but they aren't as green as some of the competition | A durable diaper that has some health and comfort benefits without breaking the bank | Durable and cozy diaper with good performance for the price, but it lacks ecology and health considerations | It may be the cheapest diaper, but it is disappointing in the key diaper functions of absorbency and leak protection |
| Rating Categories | Target Up & Up | Babyganics | Mama Bear Gentle Touch | Kirkland Signature... | Luvs |
| Absorption (40%) | |||||
| Leakage (20%) | |||||
| Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Health (15%) | |||||
| Eco-friendly (5%) | |||||
| Durability (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Target Up & Up | Babyganics | Mama Bear Gentle Touch | Kirkland Signature... | Luvs |
| Type of Diaper | Traditional | Green | Traditional | Traditional | Traditional |
| Chlorine-Free | Elemental Chlorine-free |
Totally Chlorine-free |
Elemental Chlorine-free |
Not Listed | Elemental Chlorine-free |
| Perfume-Free | Yes | Not Listed | Yes | Yes | Not Listed |
| Biodegradable | No | No | No | No | No |
| Contains SAP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Materials Details | |||||
| Wetness Indicator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stretchable Side Wings | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stretchable Back | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Eco-awards |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
Target stores are known for their reasonable prices and quality goods. Target has begun to offer various products under the Target brand name in recent years, including over-the-counter medications, diapers, and paper goods. Families and parents familiar with Target may be curious about their brand name products, including the affordable Up & Up diaper.
Performance Comparison
The Up & Up diaper is comfortable for baby with soft fabric, smooth elastic and non-abrasive motion points and closure tabs.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Likes
This product is quite soft and feels good against your skin. The elastic and motion points are friendlier than most of the competition, and the closure tabs and also ski-friendly. We think most babies will find this option is a cozy diaper to wear when dry.
The Up & Up feels durable and will hold up as long as it needs to until the next diaper change. Not all diapers seemed as durable.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
This diaper scored above average in our tests for durability. The unique combination of comfort and durability is not as common as one would hope, making it somewhat of a rarity in this group.
While not the least absorbent diaper we tested, the amount of fake urine transferred to our test paper for the Up & Up diaper indicates that baby will be wet which can lead to skin irritation and diaper rash.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Dislikes
Unfortunately, this diaper did not perform well in absorption tests, with more fake urine on the test paper than much of the top-ranked disposable diaper competition. This lack of absorption means more moisture on your baby's skin and potential urine and other waste products on clothes or surrounding areas. More moisture on the skin can also translate to an increased chance of diaper rash or skin irritation.
Leaks were also a problem for the Up & Up, with below-average scores in our tests for leaks and online research. This diaper scored low for our leak tests, and many Amazon reviewers felt it had more leaks than other diapers they've used. While this could result from a poor fit or too long between changes, the low absorption score supports the idea of liquid escaping the diaper instead of being trapped in the core.
As you can see in the photo above, the Up & Up diaper was unable to absorb the urine fast enough to prevent leaking unlike some of the competition.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
We didn't like the lack of eco-friendly materials or thoughtfulness in the design of this diaper. Target doesn't disclose much about the ingredients or how the diaper is made or packaged, and transparency is key when considering a baby's health and the environment. Other than recyclable packaging, the diaper doesn't seem to offer much for either.
Target also doesn't disclose much about the makeup of the diaper. The packaging and website don't mention latex use, but it does say they are free of sulfates, parabens, petroleum, perfumes, and dyes, and it uses elemental chlorine-free pulp. However, they have pigments of some kind because the diapers have a print and a wetness indicator, so the claim is vague at best and potentially misleading (they aren't alone in this boat, however). They also seem to have lotion on the inside and no mention of if they are latex-free or not.
Target's Up & Up diaper uses some kind of pigment for the print and wetness indicator strip, despite the claim of "dye free", which seems misleading to consumers.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should You Buy the Up & Up?
The Up & Up brand sometimes has a comfortable feel and an attractive price. The connection to Target gives the feeling of quality at a reasonable price that, attracts many parents into giving this diaper a try. However, the absorption and leak test results were not impressive, indicating excessive moisture transfer from the diaper and more leakage than the average diaper as the fake urine pooled in the test pan. These test results make the Up & Up option a disappointment as it indicates the potential for diaper rash, skin irritation, and waste escaping from the diaper. Even though this diaper is inexpensive, we believe it will cost you more in the long run, making it a diapering option we don't recommend compared to the higher ranking diaper competition.
What Other Disposable Diaper Should You Consider?
If you are on a tight budget but hate to sacrifice function for the price, we love the Mama Bear Gentle Touch diapers. These reasonably priced diapers have good absorption and adequate leak protection, with better test results in every metric than the Target brand. If your budget has some wiggle room and you'd like more considerations for a baby's health or the Earth, Seventh Generation Sensitive Protection is a potential choice with impressive absorption and comfort with an average green diaper price.
—
Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz
You Might Also Like
Honest, objective reviews. Led by a Pediatrician.
BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.
Learn More