Eight years ago if you asked me what type of diaper I would be using on my first child I would have given you a very confused look and said something like “Huh???”.
Nowadays many parents recognize that this question is not so easy anymore. In addition to the variety at the grocery store… Pampers, Huggies, White Cloud… we also have some others to consider. Disposable diapers with fewer chemicals, flushable diapers, and dozens upon dozens of options in cloth diapers abound.
But which is the greenest, healthiest diapering option? I decided to compare them all and see which diapers came out on top.
#6 The Biggest Loser– Disposable Diapers – Scientific studies keep being released that seem to favor disposable diapers in the disposable versus cloth debate, but even I can see the multitude of flaws in their work. It is frustrating as a cloth diaper user to see their generalizations about how much water, soap, or energy we use to launder cloth diapers when it is all so variable. Disposables are the REAL dirty birdy.
Even in the very beginning, disposable diapers are produced in large factories that spew noxious chemicals into the air and nearby waterways. One factory can be unloading as much as 50 million gallons of waste water a day. There is one in a US town I researched a few years ago, that has caused mutations in fish and an awful stench. If the chemicals being used to make your babies diapers can cause genetic mutation in fish should your baby be spending 3 years wearing them? Off gassing from these diapers has already been shown to contribute to respiratory problems like asthma in laboratory animals.
But the story does not end there. How many trees are hazed to make the paper pulp? Huge amounts of energy go into diaper production and then into packaging (wasteful), and then into transportation around the world via truck, plane, and cargo ship. When the diapers reach their respective stores, consumers spend their hard earned money on something that will last a few hours and then be thrown into the garbage. More energy is used to buy and then dispose of diapers and then they will sit, entombed in a landfill for many generations to come. Are you at ease knowing that your baby’s diapers will be around when your great-great-great-great grandchild is born? Yes, disposable diapers are the biggest loser.
#5 Greener disposables – These are a significant improvement over disposables but yet they are still disposable and kind of antithetical to green and sustainable but they are made better and they have fewer harmful chemicals. Seventh Generation, Tushies, and Nature Babycare are some options in this category. These diapers usually have no chlorine bleach in them from bleaching the diaper pulp. The latter two also have no chemical gels that absorb moisture. Nature Babycare diapers would be my top pick in this category.
#4 Diaper Service Cloth Diapers – These are almost tied with the greener disposables. They rank slightly better because they are reusable. They are not without drawbacks though. Diapers services typically wash diapers on HOT several times, using thousands of gallons of water. They also use a lot of chlorine bleach to sterilize and bleach out stains. All of that bleach is not good for our waterways and not good for baby. That said, I have met some small time diaper service owners who do not use bleach and watch their water usage closely. You will have to call around and ask.
#3 Flushable Diapers – These diapers from gDiapers are a hybrid. They have a disposable inner shell that fits inside a cloth cover. The inner shell though can be dissolved in water and flushed and not thrown into the garbage. The company insists that plumbing and septic tanks can be spared any trouble by doing the flushing procedure correctly. Water treatment facilities are also supposed to be equipped to handle flushing diapers.
gDiapers fans have come out in droves to say that flushable diapers are better than cloth since washing requires so much water but do not be fooled. Many gDiapers users I have talked to indicate that MOST times it takes 2 flushes to flush a gDiaper. The average toilet uses 3.4 gallons of water per flush. If you flush eight diapers that would be almost 55 gallons of water used everyday to flush the toilet. And then you still need to wash the covers. You could do a full load of cloth diapers (12-18ish diapers) using only 40 gallons of water and .3 cents of electricity. It would be even less than that if you have a specialized energy efficient machine. Drying would require more energy but line drying indoors or out is an energy free option. gDiapers are a good option but not as good as the next contender.
#2 Cloth Diapers – These diapers do require energy to make since the material has to be processed. Cotton is often grown with harmful pesticides so that is a potential “cost” to the environment. Energy is also used to launder them although there are so many variables in how you wash diaper laundry that it is hard to come up with hard data, which is why you cannot trust the disposable diaper slanted studies we see. How you you wash, how much, type of washer used, type of soap used, machine drying, line drying, etc, will impact how green your diaper is.
Not all cloth diapers are created equal either. You can avoid supporting pesticide use by buying organic cotton diapers. You can try to avoid synthetic materials. Synthetic materials would be acrylic wool, polyester, most fleeces, and laminates. A large number of cloth diapers use non organic, synthetic materials. Diapers like bumGenius and Fuzzi Bunz would generally fall into that category. This makes them better than most options but not as good as plain old cloth in its simplest form.
If you want the greenest cloth diapers you need to look for organic cotton, hemp, or bamboo. Bamboo though has its own issues I don’t have time to get into here but it requires lots of extra processing. I recommend cotton or hemp before bamboo. For diaper covers the best option is 100% natural wool. There are MANY gorgeous wool diaper covers, soakers, and longies available. You can see some of the longies (right) I got for youngest son’s newborn stash below.
Vegans may have issues with wool but you can buy wool from small family farms that do not mistreat their animals, it is just more expensive. Other than wool I cannot think of another naturally waterproof diaper cover solution.
I think organic cotton prefolds with simple wool covers would be best but fitted diapers really are awesome. I like SwaddleBees Organic Cotton Velour diapers and Ecobaby Absorb-it-alls. For covers I have commissioned hand knit or crocheted covers from wahms. You can find them on Hyena Cart. OR I bought some 100% wool sweaters from thrift stores and made my own. I also really LOVE Little Beetle Organic Wool Covers.
Natural fibers may be greener but the synthetic fibers are more convenient (waterproof, wicking) and they are less costly. Either is pretty darn green though since they are reusable for one or more children for MANY years. You cannot even compare that to a wear once, throw away, disposable diaper.
#1 Diaper Free – The greenest option is to use elimination communication (EC). It is generally believed that infants have no control over the muscles used in elimination functions. The truth is that a newborn baby does have control over those muscles. Whether baby pees or poops in a diaper or in a container, the baby often does so consciously and deliberately. An observant and in tune parent can work with her baby on the timing and location of those elimination functions. The result is another way to bond with baby and the use of a few less diapers. Tons of parents swear by EC and there are several books written about it including: The Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative and Diaper-Free Before 3: The Healthier Way to Toilet Train and Help Your Child Out of Diapers Sooner.
What option did I choose? The first time around I chose #6. For my second and third children I chose #2, cloth diapers.
I have been seriously considering using cloth diapers when I have my next child, but I want to try them before I spend the $$ to buy a lot of them! I would LOVE prize #1!! Thanks :)
Love this! I get so annoyed by all the “you’re wasting water” comments when ever I talk about cloth diapers. Do people think dispossable ones are made with no water at all?
I would love prize #2
Cloth Diapering has become and addiction to me I love it.
thanks
I blogged
http://themommyfinds.blogspot.com/2009/02/cloth-diapers.html
I would love prize number one – thanks!
I would like either, I am adopting and have started to collect cloth diapers.
Im trying to win these for a friend – who has a 7 wk old baby girl. Im guessing she could use prize number 1 :)
I wish I had used cloth with my 2yr old daughter. But my sister just had a little boy and I would love to get the small yellow diaper cover and sports bag for her. I know next time around I will use cloth. Thanks for great giveaway. Anyone have suggestion on great cloth traiing pants? She is almost potty trained so cheapest option be great. Thanks agian
I am oldschool- have been using cloth diapers since I was a teenage sitter and then with my three kidlets. The new baby is introducing me to all the excellent new diapering products out there and she and I would love to try that medium AIO.
I am not quite at 1, I think I’m too lazy, but I do use mostly unbleached prefolds and terry flats, with a mix of covers, including a few wool covers. I try to only use second hand diapers, especially AIO’s, but I did crack and buy two bumgenius for overnight use. My favourite doublers are cotton terry bar towels.
Twittered and facebooked!~
I would love prize #1.
Thanks for the great offer.
I’ve been using cloth diapers since my (almost) 6 year old was 2 months old. LOVE them!
I’m about to order a bunch of diapers from Cricket”s Diapers in Appalachia somewhere. They’re hemp, made by local women who get health insurance. I’m really, really looking forward to them, but I do plan to use gel-free disposables that first week.
#2 is my preference!
Either. Just found out I’m pregnant and super excited to try cloth diapers.
Excellent post! My daughter is too big for either prize, so don’t enter me in the contest, but I’m going to post this on facebook and on my facebook “mommies for cloth diapers” page.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS POST!! I am almost 3 months pregnant with our first child and my husband and I have been trying to figure out what we our going to do. I have heard great reviews about Seventh Generation and gDiapers, but I just feel so overwhelmed with all the different options. Your post definitely helped put a lot of things into prospective, so I cannot thank you enough. I feel a whole lot better:) As far as which prize I would like to get if given the opportunity, gosh I have no idea since we do not know what I am having just yet. But I have a feeling it may be a boy so maybe option #2, but I would definitely take either one. Best of luck to all:)
This is so exciting! I would love to win prize #1!
i blogged about it at http://www.louisvillelaffins.blogspot.com
My first child is due just about any second. I have already gotten some bumGenius diapers to start out with. In addition to those, though, my mom and aunt are making diapers for me. They will, however, need covers. I like prize number 2 better for that purpose. I’m really not sure what to do for covers … there are just so many brands and tips … I just need one to get started so I can figure out what will work for us (without spending a small fortune).
Thanks!
Prize 1 would be my choice. I wish I had known the alternati ves with my first.
I would love #1…can’t ever have too many dipes! Woo!
I’m trying to learn as much as I can about cloth diapering before we have our first child, so I would live prize #1!
I am trying to convince my husband of the merits of cloth diapering and prize #1 would help by letting us try them out before making that commitment.
We are pregnant with our 4th, our first 3 we used disposables :(
Now we are trying to acquire cloth for this one. We bought a wonder washer for the apartment and we will air dry them. I will love to win the first set. We are having a little girl named Willow Fae, she is due June 4th! We got to see her for a 2nd time today in the sonogram!
~Hyla
twittered!
twitter.com/ecoblog
Posted on my group facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=28147479735
Stumbled Thumbs up, I was the first to review this post
Linked from my Blog
http://greenearthjourney.blogspot.com/2009/02/cloth-diaper-giveaway-on-naturesmomblog.html
I would love either for my sis who is prego! She has been ‘trying’ for about 15+ years. Finally she tried accupunture and there ya go! I have really been talking up the cloth! =)
Posting on Diaper Swappers!!! Thanks, love, love, love this blog!
I would LOVE to win (1st would be my preference) and try cloth. My daughter just turned 1 and I wish I would have known more about cloth diapering a year ago. Would it be too much of an investment to start her in them now? Unfortunately she would still have to use disposables at daycare – which is the main reason I didn’t invest in the first place.
Don’t enter me in the contest, give it to someone else who needs it ;) I prefer wool to PUL, I just wanted to say great post and a couple of things you might not know:
Have you ever tried Nature Babycare diapers? They sell them at a store close to me. I use 7GEN as backups sometimes and thought I’d try Babycare since they compost…and they are TERRIBLE. HORRIBLE. They leak so much they are pointless and they are really crinkly and hard, like the baby is wearing construction paper. It’s bad. I was really excited when I first heard about them but they are going to have to do a lot more work to make them a viable option for anyone.
I also wanted to put a plug in for coverless cloth. While I do use covers on my fitted diapers (organic cotton/hemp from sustainablebabyish, greatest diapers EVER) when I’m going out or otherwise need real leakproof protection, my daughter just wanders around in a plain old fitted. I can tell she needs to be changed because the diaper gets slightly damp, and it’s much easier to get rid of rashes that come about from that lovely “toddler diarrhea” because so much air gets to her bum. I just wanted to say that for anyone who maybe stays at home a lot or something…you don’t *NEED* a ton of covers. I barely use any at all anymore. :)
I would like the second prize! I’ve been trying different cloth diapers with my daughter and trying to see which are my favorite!
I would love to win prize #2- For my grandson to be born by C-section on Feb. 24th. After his father, now aged 34, broke out with a terrible diaper rash and around the waist rash from disposables, I had to switch to cloth diapers. His pediatrician said he’d never seen a baby allergic to disposables before. Thanks for the chance to win.
I’d love to win prize #1. I cloth diaper my 3 month old part time, we just don’t have enough cloth diapers to last a full day. I’m hoping to be able to continue to build my stash and eventually get rid of the sposies altogether.
I’d love to enter for either prize. #2 for my 4 month old son or #1 for a friend due to have a little girl in March. I always knew I would use cloth diapers, but only recently found out how many options there were & how cute they could be!
I’d love prize number 1. I am glad there are so many more options now.
I’ve been wanting to try AIOs!
Thank you for mentioning my site in your article. But I didn’t say that a load of laundry costs .3 cents of electricity, I said it costs 3 cents. I also said that’s just for running the washer, and we also need to account for the energy to heat the water. The total cost per load is $0.14 to $0.69, depending on whether you wash in hot, warm, or cold, and whether your water is heated with electricity or gas.
Prize #1! i love that they’re actually cute
prize #2!
Great post! Thanks for getting the word out there!
Either prize would be awesome! =)
I just started cloth diapering! Am in desperate need of a wet back. So I’d take #2. :)
#1–MD’s are beautiful!
Hi! Just found your site and it is FABulous! Thanks for doing this. I am due in July and have a beginner stash of CDs. Would love to win the two AIO’s (pink/white).
Thanks!
Prize one is my choice
Sorry, pink and purple….
Thanks.
Love cloth diapering! Thanks for the great info.
I would love to win the yellow cover and wet bag
I just posted a facebook link. The giveaway wasn’t my motivation for the link, but was an added benefit! ;)
Tiffany, you are so awesome. I love this post! I want prize number 1 :)
Cheers,
Kristen
I would love #1! This is some great info & the prizes are adorable to boot!
I would love to win prize #2
Thanks
I’d love #1! Cute!
I’ve been using Baby BeeHinds since my son was born, and love them! But one thing I don’t have yet is a swim nappy. #2 please!
Although I’m planning on going with the diaperless EC method for my baby due in April, I do want back up cloth diapers so my pic is number 1.
I facebooked this http://www.facebook.com/people/Brettney-Perr/601188983 I’m going for option number 1
I also put out a tweet http://twitter.com/YeWenchie and I’m following your blog through blogger
I really want to win option number 1 =D
Oh! My pick is prize #1. Although they both look fantastic!!
Thanks for mentioning EC! I EC with my 8mo old son and we cloth diaper part time.I’d like prize #2.
Just stumbled! Prize #2
Hi, I absolutely LOVE the Monkey Doodlez patterns! SO CUTE!!
Thanks for a great giveaway. Love your blog, thanks for all the info you share!
I have baby #9 due in August and I would be thrilled to try prize # 1! I have cloth diapered all of my babies except # 7. Friends convinced me that I was just making my life harder than it needed to be and long story short, baby # 7 had the worst asthma out of all my kids! He nearly died at 7 months old. He was airlifted from one hospital to another. It was horrible. When I was pregnant w/baby 8 I started researching asthma & the only connection I could find that made any sense was the disposable diapers. So we are back to cloth and I love it! I know some think its hard but I actually found that I had missed the cloth diapers. BTW, #7 is doing excellent now. He is 51/2 years old now and we changed all of our household products to greener choices and started chiropractic treatment and it is miraculous how well he is doing.
I haven’t read about the diaper issue in years:) My first was in single use paper diapers (they aren’t disposable, they don’t disappear) we switched to diaper service when he was a toddler and #2 was a baby. Babies #3, #4 and #5 never wore a paper diaper. I recommend second hand if you can’t afford organic cotton. I was a tester for Bummis 19 years ago now when that company was just starting out:) Great topic, people need to keep discussing and understanding why using cloth is better for many different reasons:)
I would love prize #1!! I have 2 daughters that are both in cloth – a newborn (size S) & 18 month old (size M). I currently use prefolds with bummis or thirsties covers but have really wanted to try some AIO’s for when we go out (I think they would be easier than prefolds). This would be a great way for me to try some AIO’s. Thanks!!!!! : )
would love to win!! Just started a few months ago using lcoth diapers on my son :)
I’d love prize #1! This whole blog post is extremely thorough, well thought out and well researched! Thanks so much just for writing it. It’s been very informative. I’m gonna go spread the word about it in a few places. I’ll comment each time I do!
I’d love package #1!
We do a combo of cloth and EC. EC went a lot better with my second; now with my third, I’m having a hard time getting him to pee. So we also use cloth with prefolds and wool longies being my fave combo.
Anyway, if we win, I’d love #2 as my son is already grown out of small sizes at 3 months old. :)
I would love to have #2. I’m pregnant with our first child and we are committed to using cloth diapers and have been since before we were blessed with a healthy pregnancy. It’s so important for the environment, the child, and the budget. We don’t know yet whether we’re having a boy or a girl, but the yellow cover will be super cute and useful on either! :)
I’d love prize #2. It took a bit of convincing for my husband(the initial monetary investment) but we use bumGenius and love them!
Just facebooked the link–I’d like prize #2
#2 please! My little man would look adorable in the turtle “trunks”.
Thanks for a great giveaway! #1 would be perfect!
i would love #1
We do cloth diapers for our 17 month old and I’m currently buying our stash for our new baby due in May. :) I LOVE cloth diapering and never want to go back sposies again! If I’m chose, I would love prize #1 for the new baby. Thanks!
Oh, the swim diaper and wetbag! My lil man’s in swim classes, we just use a thirsties cover w/ no dipe underneath… I’d love a “real” swim dipe! How cute!
Excellent article! Ok, I think I might have to start knitting some wool diaper covers now…you’ve convinced me. We experimented with a bunch of different cloth options the first time around but never found a great system. I have plenty of organic pre-folds…maybe with some wool covers, it’ll work. We’ll see…though I am going with cloth for sure. I wish I had the guts to do EC but I don’t know.
Pregnant with #2 and would love to try out the AIOs your are giving away though! (Prize #1)
I facebooked it too! Before I even realized you were giving extra credit…I just think it is a great breakdown of the choices we have!
http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/2009/02/19/the-green-diaper-smackdown/#/profile.php?id=722795194&ref=profile
I’d love to win #1!
I just Twittered about this blog post:
http://twitter.com/KnitStorm
I would love package #1… should help when #5 & #6 arrive in June:) Also just gave you some props on Facebook and Twitter:)
I’m pregnant with #4. I am just potty training my almost 2 year old out of cloth diapers now. She uses cloth full time, day and night due to allergies to all the “crap” in plastic/paper diapers! I actually want to win these diapers (prize #1) for my younger sister who is pregnant with her first child and might need some convincing to use cloth!! Thanks for a great give away and all the facts.
Facebooked you. Thanks.
Those are cute! I’d like prize #2.
I would love prize # 2 :)
I twittered about the giveaway:
http://www.twitter.com/MistyNewsome
We cloth diaper but have never used All-In-Ones. The fact that they are waterproof is cool as well, as I haven’t found a cloth swim diaper that I love yet. I would love to win prize #1!
I’m just starting the process toward adoption and beginning my collection of baby things. My mom thinks I’m crazy that I want to cloth diaper, since she didn’t really have the option not too, but I can’t stand the idea of all those diapers in the landfill. Thank you for your informative article on some companies to look at as I start collecting.
I would love to have prize # 1. Thanks! :)
Wow. Cool prize. This is the first time I’ve been to your site. I’d like to win the monkey doodlez.
It is great that you have talked about all the options. I also used disposable for my first but switched to cloth for my second. Would love prize one since my daughter is too big for the small. i do have a friend who could use the smaller one.
I’d love to win prize 1! I want to switch to cloth diapers!
Would love prize #2! Thanks!
Hi- I loved this post because I am six months along and trying to decide which way to go! Very helpful! I also posted your post link to my facebook profile and my twitter account!! I would love prize #2 since I’m having a boy (first baby!) and we will be so active!
I would like prize No. 1. Would make a great gift for a good friend who is pregnant with her first baby!
I’d love Prize #1, girls rule!
thanks!
We have a newly adopted baby from Ethiopia and I would love to use cloth diapers for her. I love the #1 prize which would work well on her smaller bottom. Great site!
i was glad to find EC at the top of your list. thanks for suggesting the books – after months of doing pretty well, now that my 14 month old son is walking (running!) he simply doesn’t have the patience to sit on the pot. i am not sure what to do. he will walk away and pee or poo on the floor! we are using a combo of EC, cloth, and chlorine-free for naps and night time. (posted on facebook and my son’s blog – would love to try either, but at 24 lbs, i am afraid he may be too big?)
prize number 2 please…. please please please : )
http://lcahomeschool.blogspot.com/2009/02/diaper-giveaway.html
going for extra credit.. I really want that cover/swim diaper & wet bag : )
my tweet is here…http://twitter.com/lcadiapers
and on facebook…
: )
What an excellent giveaway! I’ve been dying to try Monkey Doodlez. We don’t know the gender of this next baby, but I want to take a risk and say I’d like to win prize #1.
I tweeted, too!
Stumbled this post as “sheandaru.” :)
I also posted this on facebook as Elizabeth Grant. Thanks again!
I would select prize #1
sh********@Ya***.com
twittered about the giveaway http://twitter.com/shopannies/status/1237208707
sh********@Ya***.com
I would pick prize #1. Thanks.
I posted on Twitter. http://twitter.com/theladya/status/1237246237. Thanks.
LOVING the cloth. I would take #2 as I call my son Turtle!
i just posted about cloth diapers..I just recently got into it…I would love to win the AIO’s for my baby girl…thanks so much for the chance!
Great Review, love cloth diapering! Not to mention the money saved. Would Love rize #1
I’d go with prize #1. I’m hoping to try EC with this baby, but cloth is always good to have on hand.
Great post summing up all the options! We use half prefolds and half BumGenius for our son and love cloth diapering. I’d add to the advantages of cloth the fact that cloth WORKS BETTER! We’ve had so many more blow-outs when we’ve had to use paper diapers. Anyway, thanks, and prize #1 for us, please!!
I have always wanted to try cloth diapers. I’ve just never been able to convince DH to buy any. Since I’m a SAHM I figure at least while I’m at home I can use the cloth diapers. That being said, if I won I’d like the #1 prize package. :)
sharon(at)earthformed(dot)com
Thanks for the offer. I always enjoy your posts. (My pref would be the prize #1.)
Have a great week!
Monkey Doodlez are great! Prize #2 for out little guy!
Love the swim cover! I use cloth but not for swimming but I will now.
I fb’ed it too!
Thanks for the helpful article. I’m pregnant with our first and leaning towards the cloth diaper route.
Prize 1 to get me started. : )
When I’m done tryng to win I think I’ll check out her diapers. Need to get a few meds for son.
Would like to win the cover and bag.
Prize #1. Thank you!!!
I didn’t really know what to do with diapering at the beginning. I decided to not spend so much on the beginning and to see what worked for me. I bought a bum genius and a gdiapers starter pack. In the end I went for the gdiapers but use the bum genius inserts instead of the gdiaper inserts. This really helped to cut down on the expense of buying so many all in ones.
In the picture you posted there is a diaper with monkey faces on it, what brand is that?
Michelle, that is a Very Baby brand diaper in a monkey flannel print.
Thank You!! I love that you took the time to compare each option. I am due to have another baby boy in April, if he stays put that long, so #2 would be great. I am a little worried about 2 in cloth, but I am sure we can do it. lol
I’d love to win #1! I stumbled your blog so that it’s now one of my favorites!
I would love #1. I have been using seventh generation diapers for my daughter but for my second baby due in July I think I’ll try cloth if I get a washer as planned.
Thanks.
I’ll be a first-time mom in July and am excited about using cloth for my little one. Prize #1 would be perfect for me. Thank you for the information and the great blog!
I’d love #1
Either package would be fine! My baby is too big for the smalls and mediums but I have two dear friends that are due this summer. I have convinced them (YAY) to cloth diaper! This would be a great gift for either of them. one is having a girl, the other a boy! Thanks for the opportunity!
Ooh- with a new baby arriving anyday now (and my 1st cloth diapered baby), I would love the AIO package! Great post by the way!
I would love Prize #1! I’m trying to build up my stash for as little money as possible so hubby doesn’t have to work extra hours for me to stay home, so these would help. :) Thanks for the giveaway.
I’m due in August and I definitely plan to use cloth! Thanks for the informative post.
I submitted the link on the Baby Center Community August 2009 birth club – I hope that earns me this extra post! Oh, and I’d love prize #1.
I’m pregnant and planning on using all cloth, i can’t wait!
I really enjoyed your post! There are so many people who don’t even want to listen to the problems with disposables, and take that “study” too seriously.
I would like prize #2
Great summary of the various forms of diapering! I am expecting my first and have been doing quite a bit of research on cloth diapering…I’ll be bookmarking this page for future reference!
oops :o) Along with my comment, I meant to add that either of the prize packages are great, but if I get to choose, it’s #1
My husband and I have heavily incorporated the Diaper-Free with cloth diapers. We also are huge fans of your diapers and would love either prize t#1 or #2. I will definitely pass this article on to other parents I know. Peace
Thank youso much for this opportunity to win these great diapers! I am pregnant with my second baby and am switching from disposables to cloth. I have even started making my own pocket fitteds! I would love to win prize #1!
I would love either prize #1 or #2. I am actually looking for a brand of organic cloth diapers right now that I can use on my baby when its born in August. thanks for all the information on the diapers.
I have an 18month old daughter that I both CD (mostly when out & about) & EC (full time at home,except when sleeping)!! And it’s awesome! :-) Great post!!
I’m expecting our 3rd child in May and would love to try to CD, just haven’t, need a push! I would love to win the prize #1, that would be a start!
I reviewed this on StumbleUpon for you!! ;-)
We CD my daughter and both my husband and I agree we wouldn’t do it any other way! I would love to try different brands though…
I would love to win #1 for baby #2 who is on the way! I did #6 fully with my first but with this baby I plan to do #2 and a little of #1 (I have read a lot about it!) Great post and tons of info! Thanks for the chance!
kayceewilliams at gmail dot com
I tweeted about this giveaway!
http://twitter.com/iloveyouhecried/status/1260726442
kayceewilliams at gmail dot com
I stumbled this giveaway! (username:iloveyouhecried)
kayceewilliams at gmail dot com
I posted on Facebook about this giveaway!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5207622
kayceewilliams at gmail dot com
Sooo who won? :)
The winner of prize pack #1 is Nicole, comment #93!
The winner of prize pack #2 is Yara, comment #95!
Just an FYI. I saw a published article in the Green Guide about the Nature’s Babycare diapers being free of the SAP gel as you mentioned, but when I contacted the company they confirmed they DO use SAP gel, but “less than the usual amount”. Just like gDiapers & 7th Generation, they say it’s completely safe, but obviously that’s not a very natural ingredient. I only use cloth myself now, but wanted to give that heads up to anyone choosing those because they thought they were gel-free, since they aren’t.
I became more aware of landfill waste when I was pregnant and learned about the major drawbacks of using disposable diapers. I didn’t think twice, of course, and only use cloth diapers. But then I also realized that I was significantly contributing to landfill waste every month by using disposable tampons and pads. Now I have a menstrual cup (the Diva Cup) and would never return to disposables! It is wonderfully comfortable, completely reliable, and a timesaver because I can keep it in for up to 12 hours. And because it’s reusable, I am saving about $175 a year. I feel better about my eco-footprint and the fact that I’m helping to leave a healthier planet for my baby!
This is SO HELPFUL, thanks! I’m going hybrid for my newborn – the first few weeks of recovery are too tiring for some of us to deal with cloth, so i am doing at least a few weeks of biodegradable. What is especially nice is what we have in san francisco – a company that composts biodegradables itself, since even biodegradables take longer to breakdown in a landfill. Gdiapers are great, but only one option in an emerging market of green “pocket diaper” options out there. So there is now a huge choice of cloth, reusable pocket diapers with biodegradable inserts or cloth inserts. There is also a subtle distinction available in your #2 – you can go “prefitted cloth” or “prefolds” with the prefolds a bit greener than the prefitted, because the prefitted eventually wear down in the wash and you have to throw them out- so you can’t pass them on to siblings/friends (“reuse”) the way you can with simple prefolds. But the break down takes years, and prefitted cloth are so so easy.
We love our GDiapers with cloth inserts. We use a flushable insert at night only.
Oh I should add that a pee insert can be composted. We have had them break down in 10 -15 days.
Great website, lots of good information! However, I would like to comment on point # 4- diaper services. With new technology with high efficiency laundry machines, and ozone machines, your comments about diapers services are not accurate. Most services now use only high energy efficient machines and vehicles, some are now using ozone machines and therefore do not require any hot water, and many do not use bleach anymore due to advances in fabrics and use of Hydrogen peroxide, oxy-bleaches etc as an alternate. Waste water goes into the sewer system to be properly treated, not going into “waterways” as you mention.
It is important for parents to ask the questions and do their homework when researching cloth diaper services, and outweigh the cost to disposables and washing their own. Cloth services should never be compared to tied to “greener disposables”. At the end of the day, a disposable diaper, no matter how green, requires lots of depleting precious resources, energy, packaging, etc all for a product used once and thrown away. Many are not properly disposed of, therefore end up in our eco system. We are using up resources faster then we can replenish them. Disposable diapers support and unsustainable system :(
Great points! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. :)