Why Use Cloth Diapers?

Several factors influence parents today to chose cloth diapers over disposables. Here are some broad categories of reasons why cloth may be preferred: comfort, health, style, frugality, the environment, and convenience.

Comfort--Imagine yourself wearing paper underwear...hmm, not too appealing. Now imagine wrapping your newborn's delicate skin in flannel, velour, or other soft fabrics instead of paper. Because most cloth diapers are sewn by work-at-home moms, you can get an even better customized fit with cloth than with mass-manufactured disposables. Did you know that you can find cloth diapers that have stay-dry liners, adjustable tabs, elastic (or non-elastic if preferred) waist and leg openings, and even breathable fabrics that are still water-resistant?

Health--Ever wonder what's inside the average disposable diaper? Just a teaspoon of the absorbent crystals can be fatal if swallowed, and they are no longer used in tampons due to toxic shock syndrome. The process of bleaching paper pulp to make diapers leaves behind dioxins, a group of chemicals banned from personal care products in Europe. And of course, some children are allergic to fragrances and other additives that are not required to be listed on the package. Most moms find that cloth diapering causes fewer rashes than disposables, providing they steer away from bleach, excessive detergent, and so forth.

Style--Cloth diapers come in any color you want, including cute prints and soft fabrics. Outer layers can even be made to work as part of your child's outfit! Just like the customizable options for obtaining the perfect fit, the design possibilities are endless if you chose handmade diapers...even the mass-produced cloth companies offer far more variety than disposables.

Frugality--Even factoring the cost of detergent, water, and energy, washing a load of diapers costs less than a dollar. In fact, most cloth diaper users recommend less detergent than regular loads (still gets diapers clean with less chance of residue). Flats, prefolds, and diapers made from recycled fabrics are all economical choices for buying diapers, and online tutorials abound for reducing the cost even further by sewing your own and most diapers last through multiple children and have a surprisingly good resale value. By comparison, even generic disposables cost about $10/week. Even choosing high-end diapers can still result in significant savings, as their purchase is a one-time cost.

Environmental Impact--Using cloth reduces the strain on our nations landfills, and reduces our consumption of paper and plastics. As for water usage, most diaper users plan on 2-3 loads a week, and flushing the solid wastes of toddlers perhaps twice a day. Altogether, water usage is comparable to having a potty-trained child, and waste water can be properly treated as a renewable resource via sewage plants or septic systems...after all, that's what happens when we flush our toilets or wash regular laundry! By contrast, the manufacture of disposables produces more harmful waste water due to the by-products of producing plastics and bleached paper pulp. Also, the majority of disposable diaper users throw away solid waste despite instructions on the package to flush excrement down the toilet. These instructions exist because the untreated solid waste that is sent to the landfill becomes a breeding ground for germs as well a source of groundwater contamination.

Convenience--Yes, convenience! If you find it a big production to go shopping with the kids, and hate hauling diaper trash out to the curb, washing diaper laundry can actually be more convenient. You can throw in a load whatever time of day you prefer; about 2-3 times a week. And in terms of long-term convenience, cloth diapered children tend to potty-train much earlier, about a year sooner on average.