Though many have switched over to cloth diapers and cloth baby wipes to hold and clean-up their babies’ messes, the majority of people, if asked, would consider it green to the extreme to use cloth wipes to clean up their own restroom needs.

Jennifer Grayson of The Huffington Post responded to a reader’s eco-inquiry in her post, Eco Etiquette: Reusable Toilet Paper - Too Gross For Comfort. The question went something like this…a woman visited a friend’s apartment and when she went to use the restroom she couldn’t find any toilet paper - only “a stack of multicolored cloths in a basket”. Realizing she was supposed to use those to wipe herself clean she skipped the potty break until she got back to her own place. Her question to Grayson? “Are people really doing this? Isn’t it unsanitary?”

Grayson’s response? “Yes, people are doing this, though at present the practice of employing reusable cloth in lieu of toilet paper…seems relegated to what marketing gurus would call the ‘dark green’ consumer.”

To be upfront I don’t personally use reusable toilet paper, though I can’t say I haven’t considered it. I relish my soft, 2-ply Angel Soft, but wince when I read the Greenpeace’s recent release of its first Recycled Tissue and Toilet Paper Guide “Americans could save more than 400,000 trees if each family bought a roll of recycled toilet paper-just once.”

In an interview with James Malone of Georgia Pacific, which makes Quilted Northern, Robert Roy Britt reported that “…soft tissue comes from the first-generation paper made directly from trees, rather than recycled paper.”

Does this make me want to jump on over to purchase a package of family wipes? Maybe not. Okay, definitely not. But if you want the poop…er…I mean SCOOP on replacing toilet paper with reusable, washable toilet wipes, you’ll find answers here.

And if maybe you just want to switch your baby over and see if you can handle that much, we’ve got a few choices in cloth baby wipes for ya.

Time to sound out.
Have you made the switch?
Plan on it?
Think I’m crazier than a bald-headed triangle?

Happy Heiny’s One Size Diapers have become the “Go-To” reusable cloth diaper option for many celebrity moms. One of the largest manufacturers of modern, reusable cloth diapers, Happy Heiny’s is proud to spread the word that cloth diapering is JUST AS EASY as using disposable diapers–and better for baby’s health and the environment.

“‘Teaching parents today just how easy our reusable cloth diapers are is not an easy feat, but thanks to our rapidly growing pool of celebrity moms this feat is becoming much easier for us,’ states Linda Byerline, CEO of Happy Heiny’s.”

Byerline knows that “many parents will see a celebrity mom with her baby and see this cute diaper along with a comment from the mom stating how much they love their Happy Heiny’s and that they are just AS EASY as a disposable and all of a sudden they are online looking up Happy Heiny’s, doing their own research and trying out the product on their own.”

The celebrities are not paid to endorse Happy Heiny’s, but instead receive them at events like Jayneoni Moore’s Boom Boom Room Events, where the best of today’s baby products are gathered for the celebrities to peruse.

“We’ve had several opportunities to pay celebrities to endorse our products, but we believe that parents want to know the truth, they want to know a celebrity is really using a product, it is THE diaper in the diaper bag/changing station and not just being paid to say they are.” says Byerline.

Locally owned and Operated

Happy Heiny’s stands by their initial goal to keep their entire production local, stimulating the local economy and hiring local seamstresses. They also purchase USA made materials to produce their cloth diapers. They are the last remaining, large, reusable cloth diaper manufacturer with their entire production local; they are family-owned and operated.

“The Real Diaper Association announces the 100% Reusable Cloth Diapers Campaign to help parents choose reusable cloth diapers every time, all the time.”

The Real Diaper Association is asking you, the cloth diapering experts, for advice. RDA wants parents and caregivers to give personal testimonies and share their experiences for how they are overcoming/have overcame some of the difficulties of cloth diapering.

They anticipate gathering many valuable tips and techniques to share with new cloth diapering parents, or those who are struggling to make cloth diapers work for their families and babies, stories of triumph in using cloth diapers 100% of the time.

How Do You Participate?

Take time to visit their web page and respond to their first focus…night-time cloth diapering.

“RDA is looking for your tips to succeeding with 100% reusable cloth diapers all night. Tell us what works for you with nighttime diapering”

The nighttime diapering answers will be compiled into a tip sheet for parents, giving them a resource to help overcome their obstacles to using 100% reusable cloth diapers.

Jennifer Crossley, staff writer for the TimesDaily.com published an interesting article, Green bottoms up: Many parents returning to cloth diapers, last Friday. In it she described how cloth diapers are “en vogue with snaps and Velcro and other added conveniences” and that “The diapers ride the green wave for families hoping to cut back on the amount of waste they produce.”

It got me to thinking about this supposed “green wave” and wonder whether or not caregivers would continue to wrap their children in cloth diapers if there wasn’t a need for a “green wave”; for instance, if it was revealed that Climate Researchers Manipulated and Hid Data.

Why Not Cloth Diaper Your Baby for THEM - NOT the WORLD?!

Respect for the earth is certainly one of the reasons for some of the personal decisions we make to recycle, reuse and reduce. It makes sense to protect what we’ve been given. It makes sense to not “use” more than our fair share and to give back whenever possible. It makes sense, global warming climate change or not.

However…why would THAT be the sole factor for cloth diapering my child? A consideration, yes. A final factor, no.

I would cloth diaper my children even if disposable diapers weren’t filling the landfills, plastics weren’t off-gassing, sodium polyacrylate wasn’t a chemical with disputed negative effects, and the economical “climate” wasn’t haphazard.

Why not respect children with the same conviction, urgency, and heart we put into all things GREEN? Why not choose cloth diapers on our babies because it wraps them in comfort. Why not choose cloth diapers on our babies because we wouldn’t dream of wearing paper and plastic underwear ourselves and want to afford the same comforts to our babies? Why not choose cloth diapers for our babies because we expect to change them regularly - don’t mind changing them regularly - instead of letting them sit in their own urine and waste for as much as a disposable diaper can hold?

Green Wave or Not - Cloth Diapers Respect our Babies!

Yes, cloth diapers are convenient. Yes, cloth diapers offer quick on-and-off closures with snaps or Velcro and are available in what seems to be an endless variety of highly absorbent, soft, plush fabrics. Yes, today’s cloth diapers are leakproof, easy to wash, easy to change, and are available in sizes to fit babies from birth to potty training.

But most of all…YES, cloth diapers give our children the respect they deserve - the respect we hope they offer us when the tables are turned and it is OUR diapers THEY are changing.

This week Katie Braun of the consumer reviews website, Viewpoints.com, named Cloth Diaper Blog one of the Top 10 Mom Blogs for 2010! You can check out the article over at their new blog, The Goods, here.

To be grouped with the likes of Cool Mom Picks, Dooce, The Mommy Blog, and several others, was nice.

Like all bloggers out there come to understand after they’ve blogged for any significant period of time, the content IS important. At Cloth Diaper Blog we write to share our experiences, as well as an almost ridiculous love of all things related to cloth diapers. It became a part of us when our children were still in cloth diapers and remains as much a conviction today as it was then.

We are committed to sharing what other moms have to say about cloth diapers in our Guest Blogger posts, sharing about ours and other cloth diaper giveaways across the web each and every Tuesday, and doing our own “FEED YOUR STASH!” Friday each week.

Thanks to Viewpoints.com for recognizing the effort we put in educating about cloth diapers and considering us an authoritative resource for moms and caregivers!

Here’s a bright idea you could easily replicate in your own town. Kingston This Week reported about Go Green Baby’s one hour cloth diaper swap in their home digs of Kingston, Ontario this past Saturday. Cloth diapering families within the community were invited to come and trade, sell or swap their used cloth diapers.

In keeping with the concept of “reusing” instead of consuming, parents brought cloth diapers their baby(ies) had outgrown, diapers that never quite fit right in the first place, or even cloth diapers that aren’t being used because their children had moved into potty training. Some came looking to trade them out with their baby’s next size, while others came to make a bit of cash off their cloth diaper stash.

There were even attendees wanting to check out cloth diapers for the first time.

New and used cloth diapers were brought in to exchange, sell or donate to other babies and families. The only requirement was to register ahead of time because of limited space in their brick & mortar store.

Gro Green Baby did serve as a host, but the swappers were responsible for setting their own prices, trade values, and accepting their own payments. All purchases were cash only and no commercial vendors were allowed.

If you are a cloth diaper advocate in your own hometown, this is a great way to spread the word about cloth diapers while giving other cloth diapering families an opportunity to get what they need for significantly less, or even free!

This morning Kids Today reported that Dave Milligan, sales development manager at Regal Lager, the exclusive distributor in the United States of the award-winning Bambino Mio cloth diapers from England, has been elected to the board of the Real Diaper Industry Association.

The Real Diaper Association has 12 voting members on their board of directors. Milligan will join board members Judy Aagard of Tiny Tots Diaper Service & Baby Boutique, Shayla Boyd-Gill of Alyahs Alternatives, Leah Carter of Better for Babies, Dennis Frederick of All Together Diaper, Jennifer Liptrot of Diaper Pin, Mandi Meidlinger of Jillian’s Drawers, Shirley Murdock of Bummis, Ann-Marie Speirs of Cozy Baby Boutique, Lori Taylor of Fuzbaby and Firefly Diapers, and Cari Wolverton of Papaya Patch.

Having been in the juvenile industry since 1989, Milligan brings 21 years of experience to the RDIA Board. Milligan told Kids Today that “Today’s parents are definitely concerned about their children’s future environment and want to make their contribution. And today’s modern cloth diapers have evolved tremendously compared to ‘your mother’s/grandmother’s cloth diapers’.”

“Combine that with the positive impact on the environment and substantial financial savings for the consumer, cloth diapers will continue to grow rapidly and give retailers a nice profit as well.” said Milligan.

The Real Diaper Association’s Mission Statement is to “improve business conditions in the cloth diaper industry by sponsoring research, supporting business education and networking, and engaging in promotion and advocacy.” Bengt Lager, Regal Lager president, said, “Manufacturers, retailers and diaper services are working together in the Real Diaper Industry Association to continue this momentum and make cloth diapers the preferred method of diapering.”

When Jennifer Palmer interviewed Morgan Harris for her article, Cloth is back as diapers go ‘green’, in the NewsOk, she wrote, “When Morgan Harris decided to cloth-diaper her son, Spencer, there was no place in Oklahoma City she could go if she wanted to look at the products before buying.”

As a previous owner of an online cloth diaper store, I completely understand the frustration involved with trying to sell a hands-on item without the advantage of a brick & mortar store. As Harris discovered, online shopping can, at times, seem overwhelming.

“Harris, 30, wants to promote use of cloth diapers to other Okalahoma City parents through the retail store she’s opening next month, Green Bambino.” writes Palmer. The store will be located at 5113 N. Shartel Ave. and stocked with several different styles and brands of cloth diapers, as well as cloth diapering accessories, eco-friendly laundry detergents, baby carriers and organic gifts and toys.

“If they can touch and feel and see how easy they are to use, says Harris, “they’ll be cloth diaper fans.”

After she opens her doors, Harris intends to host cloth diapering classes where she can serve as a resource for the many questions parents have about cloth diapering - from how to wash to which diapers to select. She also intends to offer a gift registry for new and expectant mothers.

In addition to selling an eco-friendly product, Harris is building her store with a focus on sustainability; this is incorproated in the store’s design, paint choices, sealants, display cases, etc…extending the “green” element in every aspect she can.

“Old doors and recycled glass are being transformed into shelving and an old postal sorter has new life as a display cabinet. All items have been sourced locally.”

With 70 Facebook fans already waiting for her doors to open, she is generating a good deal of interest from like-minded mamas with an interest in cloth diapers and related products!

Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood, in her Sunday, January 10, 2010 “Running with Needles” post, Woolies help moms go green with cloth diaper covers, featured Sarah Eddy, owner of Chickadee and Me.

Chickadee & Me an environmentally-minded endeavor, offering a kind of “upcycled diaper cover” style called “woolies”.

Made from the softest recycled wool sweaters she could find, these “woolies” are designed to pull over cloth diapers, but Eddy also suggests the woolies can be worn over disposable diapers as clothing.

According to Ackerman-Haywood, Eddy experimented with several cloth diaper brands and styles before pulling our her sewing machine and making her own appliqued diaper covers “…in a range of styles including brieflike ’soakers,’ capri-length ’shorties,’ full-length ‘longies’ and even ‘footies’ that cover the child from waist to toe.”

Chicadee & Me Woolies are sold on Etsy where the applique designs range from cute cupcakes to scottie hottie; definitely something for every baby’s bum - whether committed to cloth diapers or simply wanting a cute wool pant to pull on baby.

Monday, January 4, 2010, Vincenzo Ravina of TheChronicleHerald.ca Metro introduced his readers to Kristen Bassett, owner of Banana Bottoms, a home-grown cloth diaper business. In his article, Mom gets to bottom of diaper debate, he calls Bassett a “one-woman assembly line.”

“Ms. Bassett said she started making the cloth diapers almost 12 years ago, but she’s only made a business of them in the past few years.”

Sewing “cute and fashionable” cloth diapers at home is not as easy as it sounds; there are patterns to trace, snaps to apply and sewing…lots and lots of sewing. Bassett says it takes a full hour to sew one of her organic cloth diapers from start to finish. While she is building a local client base in Canada, she has been utilizing Etsy to sell her cloth diapers.

Are People Really Choosing Cloth over Disposables?

“Cloth diapers are increasing in popularity”, Ms. Bassett said. While initially she noticed “her customers tended to be people who were switching to cloth diapers after having a baby or two and using disposable diapers. Now, she’s getting more people deciding to start their newborns out with cloth diapers, never having tried disposable diapers.”

Ravina reported that a cloth -v- disposable diapers breakdown by Environment Canada’s EnviroZine said that disposable diapers “represent a burden to municipal landfills and continue to deplete natural resources,” but that “concerns raised with cloth diapers are water and air pollution” - this was based on just how those families were washing and drying their diapers.

“Environment Canada said a baby will need between 5,000 and 7,000 diaper changes in the first two years of life.” That’s a lot of diaper changes - which is why Ravina’s take is that “The debate may come down to the pocketbook for most parents.”

Is the Cost Difference Substantial?

While Ms. Bassett’s cloth diapers are $21 each, they are reusable. Pampers disposable diapers cost, on average, $0.40 each, but are not reusable. Even with the lower end of the scale in diaper changes, parents will throw away $2,000 on disposable diapers, whereas a full-time cloth diaper stash at Ms. Bassett’s store will about $630 for 30 diapers.

There are several cloth diapers that sell for less - though they are mass manufactured and with less adorable fabrics and customizations. Either way, cloth diapers are a marked savings over disposable diapers, and they can be used on subsequent children.