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Here are a few reasons why it’s better to choose cloth over disposable diapers:
BETTER FOR BABY
- Cloth diapers are healthier.
Have you ever changed your baby’s diaper and discovered little crystals on his bottom? That stuff is called Sodium Polyacrylate. Sodium Polyacrylate is what makes disposable diapers so absorbent. It absorbs up to 800 times its own weight in water, and turns liquid into gel -- which would make it really cool, except that Sodium Polyacrylate is the same chemical that has been banned in tampons in the 80’s due to its connection with Toxic Shock Syndrome.1
Disposable diapers are also chlorine-bleached (to make them white and appear “clean”), and contain traces of toxic chemicals like dioxin (which has been known to cause cancer, birth defects, liver problems and skin diseases2, and has also been linked to fertility diseases like endometriosis), and TBT or tributyltin (which causes immune system damage and disrupts hormones.3)
There has also been a recent study linking the use of disposable diapers to decreased fertility in males. Disposable diapers increase the scrotal temperature of boys, which could affect the normal production of sperm cells.4
Another study has found a link between asthma and disposable diapers. Researchers found that laboratory mice exposed to various brands of disposable diapers suffered increased eye, nose and throat irritation, including bronchoconstriction similar to that of an asthma attack, due to chemical emissions released from the diapers. Cloth diapers were not found to cause the same symptoms.5
- Cloth diapers are more comfortable.
If you have ever had the misfortune of needing to wear adult disposable diapers, then think about what it would be like to have to wear them 24 hours a day, for 2 years or more! For most (if not all) women, wearing disposable sanitary pads (which, by the way, also present the same health and environmental problems as disposable diapers) create the same discomfort. Imagine having to wear them every day for 2 years.
Disposable diaper ads would have you thinking that their diapers are made of cotton, when in fact they are made of wood pulp and plastic, which does not let the skin breathe. This prevents the ammonia, which forms when the baby urinates, from evaporating, potentially causing irritations. Cloth diapers are not only softer, they also let the skin breathe, which helps prevent rashes.
- Cloth diapers are cleaner.
Contrary to popular assumption, disposable diapers are not sanitized. Just because it looks white, doesn’t mean it’s clean! Conversely, cloth diapers are washed clean and they can be sanitized. Additionally, parents who use disposable diapers tend to leave them on longer on their babies than is healthy. Parents are led to believe by diaper manufacturers that as long as the diaper feels dry, it is clean and it is okay not to change it. This is not true. Whether you use cloth or disposables, diapers should be changed every 2-4 hours. Leaving a diaper on for prolonged periods encourage bacterial growth and contribute to skin irritations and rashes.
BETTER FOR PARENTS
- Cloth diapers are more economical.
The initial investment for cloth diapers may be expensive, but it becomes cheaper in the long run compared to disposables. Here is a full illustration of a comparison between the Cost of Cloth vs Disposables. To help minimize initial costs, you can start with just the minimum number of diapers required and then build your stash as needed.
Some diapers now also have a one-size-fits-most feature that allows you to adjust the diapers’ rise as your baby grows. This translates into more savings, since you don’t need to keep buying new sizes as your baby grows.
Another advantage of cloth diapers is that they can also be reused on your next baby, and when they outlive their usefulness as diapers, they can be reused again as household rags.
Even after factoring in the water, detergent and energy used in laundering cloth diapers, it still comes out as the more economical choice. (If this were not true, we would all be using disposable clothes.)
- Cloth diapers are convenient.
Modern cloth diapers of today are just as easy to put on as disposables. There is no need to fumble with pins, as snaps and Velcro have replaced them. There is also no need for rubber or plastic pants like those you see in department stores, which are hot and do not breathe. Modern cloth diaper covers are breathable and waterproof. As for the laundry required, we already do laundry regularly anyway, a few more loads really isn’t that hard.
Some people may have issues about poop in diapers. But really, it’s as simple as flushing the poop down the toilet (which you’re also supposed to do with disposable diapers anyway – but most parents either don’t know or don’t bother), and then storing the diapers in a dry pail until wash day. They're easier to wash than you think! It’s also more convenient to always have cloth diapers on hand than to constantly run out of disposables and have to go to the store just to buy them.
- Cloth diapers are fun!
Fun just doesn’t apply when it comes to disposables. Really, who gets excited about using Pampers? Cloth diapers, on the other hand, come in a zillion prints and colors, and in a variety of styles.
Shopping for cloth diapers is like shopping for clothes. You pick out the cutest ones and cannot wait to put them on your baby! As your child gets older, he or she can also join in the fun and assert independence by choosing which print or color to wear.
- Potty-training is easier.
Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see 4 or even 5-year-olds still in diapers. This is because wearing disposable diapers makes toilet-training more difficult. When a disposable diapered-child urinates, the diaper still feels dry, and the child is unable to make the connection that peeing will result in getting wet and feeling uncomfortable. This also translates into more expenses, since parents have to buy disposable diapers for a longer period of time.
Cloth-diapered children, on the other hand, learn quickly that it is better to pee in the toilet than in their pants.
BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
- - In North America alone, an estimated 29 billion disposable diapers are consumed each year, 92% of which end up in landfills.6
- - No one knows for sure how long it will take disposable diapers to decompose. But based on their material composition, it is estimated that it would take 500 years.7
- - Since most parents do not dispose of stool properly (i.e. flushing stool down the toilet), the disposable diapers that end up in the landfills often contain raw, untreated human fecal matter, which can be a breeding ground for a wide variety of viruses that cause illnesses. There is a possibility of the untreated sewage seeping out and contaminating ground water, and thus spreading diseases. Using cloth diapers ensures that fecal matter ends up where it belongs and is properly treated.
- - The production of disposable diapers generates 60 times more solid waste, consumes 20 times more raw materials, uses 2.3 times more water8, and generate more toxic pollutants than the production of cloth.9
- - Even after factoring in the water and energy used in laundering cloth diapers, it is clear that cloth is gentler to the environment.
SUPPORT SMALL AND MID-SIZED BUSINESSES
- Most of the modern cloth diaper sellers are work-at-home moms (WAHMs) – these businesses are mom-owned and -operated, many producing diapers right out of their homes. They are in indirect competition with big multinational corporations, whose disposable diaper industry exceeds billions of dollars. The objective of these WAHMs is not to mass-produce. Rather, their intent is to create wonderful products that are safe and healthy for children and for the environment.
References
Partsch, Aukamp, and Sippell. "Scrotal temperature is increased in disposable plastic lined nappies." Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel. May 2000.
Anderson, Rosalind, and Julius Anderson. "Acute Respiratory Effects of Diaper Emissions," Archives of Environmental Health, 54, October 1999.
Link, Ann. “Disposable nappies: a case study in waste prevention.” April 2003. Women's Environmental Network.
Lehrburger, C., J. Mullen and C.V. Jones. 1991. “Diapers: Environmental Impacts and Lifecycle Analysis.” Philadelphia, PA: Report to The National Association of Diaper Services (NADS).
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