Every once in a while, in my search for the latest in cloth diaper news, I come across an interview or write-up that smacks of biased journalism.

When Dani Tobey, owner of babycottonbottoms.com in Colorado Springs, CO, gave an interview to her local paper, I can imagine she had high hopes for a fair representation of her start-up business.

However, Tobey’s interview with journalist, Amanda Brown, is anything but fair; the published article, YOUR SPACE: Mother is ’sitting on a whole lot of diapers’ reaks of an undercurrent of sarcasm.

From the start, Brown trips over her own analogy when she writes, “Dani Tobey figures she did a good thing by cashing in her 401(k) last year to invest in something that, well, wouldn’t go down the toilet.” Brown is speaking of Tobey’s investment in a large inventory of modern cloth diapers; the analogy doesn’t quite make it - disposable diapers don’t flush down the toilet - that waste ends up in our landfills.

Brown’s apparent bias against cloth diapers serves as transitions between interview quotes; lazy, underhanded ‘pokes’ typically reserved for playground bullies, not skilled newspaper journalists.

When Tobey says her new cloth diaper business is “…kind of recession proof, because people have to buy diapers” and that “People turn to cloth diapers to save money.” Brown’s assessment of this business model is “Yeah, but most parents want to toss, not wash, the output from their little bundles of joy. After all, dirty diapers are…just that.”

When Tobey makes mention of her Diaper 101 Classes…Brown reframes strong product support and pro-active customer service by hailing cloth diapers as “complicated”.

In spite of the “crud” found in this interview, the truth is that modern cloth diapers ARE DIFFERENT. And though the perspective shift is difficult for mainstream journalists to wrap their minds around, Tobey and other online and brick & mortar retailers of cloth diapers can help any who are interested.

…DISPOSABLES. With the recent influx of very fancy WAHM-made custom boutique cloth diapers hitting online cloth diaper stores, and advertising in organic or natural parenting magazines, it is easy to lose the perspective that cloth diapering can ease a stretched budget.

Many parents tell us the reason they choose to cloth diaper has less to do with a heightened eco-consciousness, but rather, tough economic times. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, middle-income families will spend more than $200,000 to feed, house, and school a child born in 2007 until their 18th birthday. Given these statistics, it is understandable why parents are looking for ways to cut child-rearing costs without shortchanging their kids.

Simple, Economic Chinese Prefolds

As with any other kind of purchase, parents can select the newest rage, fabrics, and trends, or opt for higher quality, but perhaps slightly less ‘fashionable’ Chinese Prefold Diapers and simple diaper covers. Eight years ago, when I began cloth diapering, we were a single-income family; my initial cloth diaper budget was less than $80.00, so I purchased two dozen Chinese Prefolds, a few Dritz diaper pins, and a half-dozen Bummis Whisper Pants. Later on, as the budget allowed, I purchased Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers for night-time cloth diapering.

In time I opened an online cloth diaper store and was able to try several different styles, but when my children moved out of diapers the part of our diaper stash ‘worn’ from repeated use were my simple, economical Chinese Prefolds.

Simple Cloth Diapers for a Stretched Budget

Chinese Prefolds are an economical boost in any diapering budget and a cost-effective way to ease into cloth diapering. Two dozen Regular 6-ply Chinese Prefolds now cost just under $60.00. To purchase a half-dozen cloth diaper covers in rotation can cost anywhere from $33.00 to just over $100.00; this makes for a total cloth diapering expense of $93.00 to $160.00, depending on cloth diaper cover choices.

The Regular Chinese Prefolds are my favorite size; whenever my babies outgrew them I tri-folded them and stuffed them into the stride of a cloth diaper wrap or into the pocket of a Fuzzi Bunz. A very economical cloth diaper choice, my babies’ prefolds moved through three different stages: first, folded down as a cloth diaper for a smaller baby; next, wrapped around a growing, medium-sized baby; and finally, as mentioned above, tri-folded into a wrap or stuffed into a pocket diaper.

When I added up the cost of disposable diapers, I could have quickly exceeded my diaper budget, with nothing to show for it in the end. Yet, with my initial cloth diaper purchase behind me I could toss in a few fancy diaper covers here and there without exploding my diaper budget; they were fun, colorful, and made for interesting discussions with perfect strangers when we were out and about running errands. Still, for the most part, I viewed cloth diapers and diaper covers as underwear, so prints were not as important to me as function.

As a single-income family, we had less ‘disposable’ income - certainly less income to simply throw-away on single-use items like disposables. Chinese Prefold Diapers and diaper covers were, and are still, a cost-effective, high-quality way to ease the budget while keeping baby dry and comfortable.

With a New Year fast upon us, there will be countless discussions about change - about making this next year the best year yet. Some want to lose weight, others want to improve relationships, still others want to be more disciplined in their approach to eating, exercise, and the balance of work. Resolutions are pondered and put on paper as many of us look for small, bite-size ways to improve the quality of our lives.

If you are a parent of a diapered child, I have one more suggested resolution to consider on your growing list; the choice to cloth diaper your baby. I challenge you to cloth diaper your baby, because face it - our baby’s current and potential health is more important than our own personal convenience.

The Leap to Cloth Diapering

In “Part 3: For my baby’s health” Virginia Blanco writes about The Leap to Cloth Diapering. Her daughter experienced uncontrollable diaper rash, so at her pediatrician’s recommendation, and after a bit of her own research, Blanco switched to cloth diapers.

“…disposable diapers contain in them traces of various toxic chemical substances which come from the processing of the paper and plastic used in their manufacture, to specific chemicals intentionally added to them.” - Virginia Blanco

The article details what Blanco learned about the potential health risks of disposable diapers, “It turns out disposable diapers contain in them traces of various toxic chemical substances which come from the processing of the paper and plastic used in their manufacture, to specific chemicals intentionally added to them.”

Knowing the research helped Blanco to make more informed choices and reduce her baby’s unnecessary exposure to harmful chemicals. And though she admits she has not completely eliminated the use of disposable diapers, she limits their usage.

Diaper Anatomy

When Darshani Sukumaran was looking for her own answers about disposable diapers, she actually cut the diaper open. In her article, The Anatomy of a Disposable -v- Cloth Diaper, she shares photos of the “very slimy to the touch” inner core of a disposable diaper where “the gel beads stuck to [her] fingers.” She follows that up with a photo of the inner layer of a “thick ‘prefold’ diaper made of 100% cotton.”

The gel beads Sukumaran refers to are also known as SAP, or Sodium Polyacrylate. The Real Diaper Association’s Diaper Facts describe SAP as “a type of super absorbent polymer, which becomes a gel-like substance when wet.” In their own research, RDA discovered “A similar substance had been used in super-absorbency tampons until the early 1980s when it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome.”

Sukumaran’s personal experience? “I have heard several mothers who use cloth diapers, who have used disposables for trips sometimes, say that the disposables have a much stronger odor than cloth, probably because of the gel that concentrates the urine. They also leak a lot more often than cloth diapers.”

Why risk it?

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I do understand the kind of money that disposable diapers generate. Blanco wrote that over 95 percent of U.S. families use disposable diapers; THAT is a LOT of money. The manufacturers of these diapers are going to drum-down, not drum-up, any negative side effects - it hurts their business not to do so. The same can be said of online cloth diaper store owners, of course. Obviously, the owner of this blog has a vested interest in cloth diapers, albeit a significantly less financial interest, as the owner of the online cloth diaper store, Soft Cloth Bunz.

Still, the facts are inescapable. For instance, there is a known relationship between diaper emissions and asthma. The Archive of Environmental Health published findings from Anderson Laboratories, Inc. on the acute respiratory effects of diaper emissions: “Disposable diapers should be considered as one of the factors that might cause or exacerbate asthmatic conditions.”

Other Diaper Facts can be found in Blanco’s sources, as well as at Real Diaper Association website.

This New Year consider a resolution much more precious than those extra ten pounds hanging around, choose to consider your baby’s health. As Blanco said, “Don’t follow trends just for the sake of convenience. Our children are too precious.”

Bumkins, one of the most recognized brands in the cloth diaper industry, has just released Version 2 of the popular Bumkins All In Ones. One of the first All In One cloth diapers on the market, Bumkins All In Ones have stood the test of time and use. The Bumkins NEW All-In-Ones‘ design is truly inspired - representing the best AIO styles and features merged into a single cloth diaper system.

Quick fitting and simple-to-use, Bumkins All In One cloth diapers have the most similarity to a disposable diaper, making them ideal for caregivers transitioning to cloth diapers for the first time. Because they are sewn as a single piece (100% cotton inner fabrics and PVC Free Waterproof outer exterior), and secure with ‘winged’ tabs, there is no need for diaper pins or diaper covers. Super trim by comparison to other cloth diapers, and yet, highly absorbent, Bumkins All In Ones fit nicely under baby’s clothes without the added bulk found in other cloth diaper systems.

Bumkins All In Ones Features

• The outer waterproof shell of the Bumkins All In One cloth baby diaper is FREE of VINYL, PVC, PHTHALATES, BPA and will stay silky-soft without cracking or breaking down. This durable outer material is machine washable and will remain bright for 200 washes!
• The inner absorbent material boasts six layers of PURE 100% cotton flannelette for maximum absorbnecy.
• A built in air flow panel keeps the Bumkins All In One thorough clean and quick drying.
• Gentle internal elastic is sewn at the legs and waist openings for superior leak protection.
• NEW! Generously sized rounded and overlapping Velcro closures provide a secure, yet adjustable, custom fit. The rounded tabs are more gentle on baby’s skin, without any pointy corners to stick into those precious belly and thigh rolls. SELF-CLOSING velcro flap back tabs are designed for snag-free laundering.
• NEW! The Front panel’s velcro strip is shortened to ensure, once again, that baby’s skin is ONLY exposed to 100% pure cotton flannel and the silky, waterproof, PVC-FREE outer fabric.
• NEW! The wider front panel allows for added leak protection along the front and sides of the diaper - giving baby more room to move about.
• NEW! Leak shield gussets are contoured and reinforced with internally sewn elastic, these gussets provide superior leak protection and a better fit at the thigh.

PLEASE NOTE: Bumkins has also added many of these new features into their Bumkins Diaper Covers.

Bumkins NEW All In One Diaper Testing and FEEDBACK!

The feedback we’ve already received is exciting. One momma of a one year old baby girl wrote, “Although the version one diaper is a good design and one of the best diapers I use, the second version is actually an improvement and not just a collection of updated and unnecessary ‘features’.

The first thing everyone seems to notice are the new and improved rounded closure tabs.

The first thing everyone seems to notice are the new and improved rounded closure tabs. The original Bumkins AIOs had logo covered, square tabs. “These tabs allow for a more secure fit and can even overlap one another!” writes another tester.

The wider front panel and new leak shield gussets of the Bumkins NEW All In One better prevent leakage. One mom wrote us…“The new leak shield gussets on the leg prevent wicking and leaking and also keep the diaper in one place to prevent what I call ‘bum creep,’ where the diaper is pulled-up by onesies and other articles of clothing.”

Least favorite of all the new features was the laundry tab. Whereas the traditional AIO laundry tabs are found on both sides of the diaper, the Bumkins NEW All In One has ONE laundry tab that connects to both closure tabs.

“At first, I was not thrilled with this design, but the more I used it, the more I could see the benefit…the connected tabs make a handle for easy dunking and spraying of a poopy diaper and insure that the entire inside of the diaper is open and easily cleaned.”

So far we’ve only heard one complaint - and with it came an ideal remedy…

“My only complaint with these diapers is their tendency to stain, however, that is to be expected with a cotton interior and can be prevented with the use of a stay dry liner and a laundry pre-treatment.”

As one of the ‘forefathers’ of this industry, Bumkins has longevity, experience, and considerable knowledge of their market. They can easily rule-out the passing fads for what they are, and yet, incorporate ideas and concepts that will improve their product. This is exactly what they’ve done with the Bumkins NEW All-In-Ones; caregivers talked and Bumkins listened. And boy do they have a lot to show for it.

Whether or not our country is in a “true energy crisis” is left to be seen, but as consumers, few of us in the United States have escaped the soaring prices at the gas pump, grocery stores, restaurants, etc…

Why the speedy rise in energy and transportation costs? Dow Chemical blames the cost of crude oil. Crude oil prices have doubled, even from this time last year, a 17 year high. To offset their soaring costs, Dow Chemical Co. announced a 20 percent price increase in their products, effective June 1, 2008.

Since Dow makes chemicals that go into everything from antifreeze and coolants, to toys, textiles, detergents and disposable diapers, it will come as no surprise that Americans are about to start paying substantially more to purchase basic staples and also, disposable diapers.

Dow is the biggest maker of polyacrylate, the absorbent chemical gel found inside every disposable diaper. When they raise the price of polyacrylate for their disposable diaper manufacturers, consumers will see the trickle down rise in pricing for disposable diapers.

They aren’t the only major chemical company affected either; just the first to announce a price increase-others are soon to follow.

How will this be reflected in the cost of diapering a baby in disposables?

A trip down the grocery aisle, plus a quick calculation of how many diapers a baby will go through in any given day, gives a rough expenditure of about 50 to 65 dollars a month spent on diapers–before the price increase. With Dow Chemical’s price increase of 20 percent on everything, YOURS and MY checkout receipt will reflect a rise of 10 to 18 dollars a month JUST IN DISPOSABLE DIAPERS.

For one reason or another disposable diaper prices have gone up considerably over the past few years. Day care providers who only 5 years ago paid about 22 cents a diaper for Pampers Cruisers^™ are now paying 34 cents for that same disposable diaper.

Beat the rising costs of disposable diapers - USE CLOTH DIAPERS instead!

Set aside any environmental argument you have heard regarding cloth diapers versus disposable diapers and simply focus on the FACTS - the actual COSTS. Following Dow’s announcement, cloth diapers have now become the most economical means to diaper your baby, period.

The Real Diaper Association has an excellent breakdown on the cost of disposable diapers in their Diaper Facts. According to the RDA, based on an average change of 8 diapers per day for a period of 2 years, a single baby will need about 6,000 diapers. Eight diapers a day might not seem like a lot, but 6,000 diapers certainly does-especially 6,000 disposable diapers with a trickle down price increase of about 20 percent.

Not only are disposable diapers expensive, but they are not a wise expense since a disposable diaper used just once is considered trash. Cloth diapers are REUSABLE; the initial investment pays you back, wash after wash, year after year, and through subsequent children.

Cloth Diapers cost less than one tenth the cost of disposables.

Based on estimations made by the RDA, the cost of using cloth diapers is about one tenth the cost of disposables. With the upcoming increased pricing, that will be less than one tenth. Now is the time for parents and caregivers to check out how far the cloth diaper industry has come in making modern cloth diapers that are easy to put on baby, easy to care for, much softer and more comfortable, and of course, considerably less expensive.

If you’ve been reading this blog long then you are well aware that we support cloth diapering. Not only that, we can’t imagine anyone wrapping their baby in anything BUT cloth diapers.

We’ve hit some hard topics here - about why someone would even consider cloth diapering, to how easy it is to use a cloth diaper, and we’ve even touched on different styles of cloth diapers and what works for which people.

So you just might be at the point where you are READY to try out some cloth diapers, and wow, you couldn’t pick a better time, because right now we have bought up the remaining stock of the Thirsties Pocket All In One Diaper ^V1 and we are selling ‘em cheap. HOW COOL IS THAT? A cheap price for a high quality diaper.

These aren’t seconds either - nope, these are THE Thirsties Pocket All In One Diaper ^V1. The designer took two of the cloth diapering community’s favorite diapers; the All In One Diaper and the Pocket Diaper and made it into one. Yep, that’s thinking.

Made up of three parts, with an option to stuff in a fourth, the Thirsties Pocket All In One Diaper ^V1 has an outer breathable, yet waterproof layer, an absorbent core center, and an inner lining of stay-dry microfleece that wicks moisture into the pocket diaper and away from baby’s sensitive skin.

Secures around baby with velcro sewn to wrap-around tabs, this pocket diaper is AS EASY TO PUT ON as a disposable. And let me tell you, with the way disposable prices are rising, you’ll be looking for alternatives soon if you haven’t already.

If you’re worried about those newborn blow-out leaks, check out the leg gussets on the Thirsties Pocket All In One Diaper ^V1! In all diapers (cloth or disposables, leg gussets are your final barrier against blow-outs, but the problem is that each baby is shaped differently. Disposable diapers are made of paper and aren’t adjustable enough, but cloth diapers can curve with your baby’s shape - especially the pliable leg gussets in Thirsties Pocket All In One Diaper ^V1 - they’ll seal in moisture and protect you and your baby’s clothing.

Thirsties Pocket All In One Diaper ^V1 are a sure fit for your wee little ones - wrapping baby in dry, rash free comfort from as small as 6 lbs.!

To top it all off, Thirsties Pocket All In One Diaper ^V1 are made right in the USA; they support fair trade! Not shipped here from China, not imported from Mexico. Nope, these cloth diapers are made by a group of skilled women working in the comforts of their own home.

Having had more than one child, I remember a time when preparing the nursery meant more than checking my cloth diaper stash and purchasing a bit more Lansinoh for that first month of sore nipples.

In fact, it meant MUCH MORE. First, there was the rush to purchase an ungodly amount of “things”, the stress of finding the right “this” and “that”, and building a registry for everyone asking me what our nursery colors were and what did we want/need. I fell right into the trap of “Oh my, there is so much to BUY!” with my first child.

By the time my second child rolled around the nursery was still an issue, but we had saved many of the baby things from our first, so there was less to purchase - and even less that we realized we actually needed. And? I learned about and began to use cloth diapers on my baby. The use of cloth diapers changed my perspective entirely.

Third kid? I told everyone that I had my breasts and my cloth diapers, and there really wasn’t anything else I needed. I did suggest they could take me out for dinner and a movie, but few took me up on that.

So, with this experience under my belt, I’m more than a bit amused, and somewhat perturbed, by what the media tells us we NEED. Have you seen some of the suggestions passed off as “Nursery Necessities”? You could feed a third world country with what the layette alone would cost you.

One website had an Expectant Mother Guide” that included a “”Buying for Baby” Checklist. Seriously, how are Fireplace Bumpers a necessity? What about wallpaper or borders? Necessities? Really? Baby can’t live without them?

The truth is you don’t need much.

In your baby’s first days he/she will primarily do one of two things - eat and excrete.

Have breast? Feed.

Have cloth diapers? Catch the poo or pee.

Outside of a car seat, a few onesies, a blanket or two and some really small socks, there is not much more needed to bring baby home, everything else is relatively non-essential and can be picked up here and there as needed.

So save yourself the stress-enjoy your pregnancy, gather up your cloth diaper stash and prep your nipples for breastfeeding.

And you’ll be not just ready, but relaxed and ready.

When I ran my own online cloth diaper store, I would often listen to parents and caregivers voice arguments against cloth diapering their children. For instance, they would say, “I really want to cloth diaper full-time, but that’s a lot more money than I want to spend.” I never felt it was my job to coerce them into the decision, so I encouraged them to sit down and figure out what diapering their baby would cost over the duration of that baby’s diapering years; reminding them to consider (if only in their minds) that future babies could be on the horizon; cloth diapers aren’t for one-time usage, like disposables. I told them to record all their numbers and make sure to do the same across any other diapering systems (cloth and disposable) they were considering.

What did they discover? If the question was simply the difference between a cloth diapering package such as the Thirsties Fab Fitted Diapers in a full-time package of 12 fitted diapers to a package of 12 disposable diapers, then yeah, diaper to diaper the expense was higher. If however, they considered the price of that same fitted diaper 6 years later, on their 3rd child, to the disposable diaper that was used once and tossed in the trash, then…maybe not so much.

Often I wouldn’t even have to touch on the reduced environmental costs of cloth diapering before they realized I wasn’t pulling their leg; they could see there truly was an opportunity to SAVE MONEY when diapering their kiddos.

If whoever purchases the diapers in your home takes advantage of discounts found in cloth diapering packages, like the newest Thirsties Fab Fitted Diapers package, you WILL WIN OUT financially.

Don’t forget, when running those numbers to figure in the washing and drying, the detergent, the electricity, the labor, the “anything else you can think of,” right down to production, cloth diapers are less expensive and more environmentally sound.

No, full time cloth diapering doesn’t cost too much. What costs too much is full-time disposable diapering. And that costs all of us, not just you.

I talk a lot about disposable products, because obviously I am an advocate for cloth, but it goes beyond that. Disposable products are just one more indication that we’ve become a “ME” society - that we don’t care for each other or even what we’re leaving behind for our own children and their children. It used to be that we were handing down a heritage…now our heritage is a bunch of junk…literally.

While I was probing the internet for statistics on disposable diapers, I came across a write-up by Karen Klages of The Chicago Tribune. She wrote:

“If someone were to load all of the disposable wipes purchased by consumers in North America last year onto 18-wheel semis, the caravan would number 9,000 trucks and stretch for 68 miles. And it would be carrying 83,000 tons of these seemingly ephemeral cloths which are anything but fleeting.”

Did you gasp? I did when I read it. Now, she’s referring to ALL disposable wipes, not just baby’s wipes, but still…my family’s baby wipe usage doesn’t need to add further to those statistics; thank goodness for cloth baby wipes.

Intrigued by this research, I set out on another path and came across some hefty complaints about disposable wipes from those that maintain our city’s sewage systems.

“Thicker than toilet paper, the wipes do not disintegrate when flushed. As their use has become more prevalent, the wipes are clogging treatment plant pumps and costing communities extra money in overtime and equipment repairs.”

And you know why they are getting clogged, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT DISINTEGRATE LIKE TOILET PAPER. Right - as in, they aren’t so eco-friendly. They don’t belong in the sewage system and they don’t belong in landfills either.

THERE IS A CHOICE.

The choice is cloth baby wipes and either water or, if you want an easy time of it - an all natural spray like bumGenius! Bottom Cleaner. The name alone will get a smerk out of ya each time you spray it on your baby’s bum. Spray the Bottom Cleaner on baby’s bottom and then wipe clean with any reusable cloth baby wipe or dry, soft cloth. It is unnecessary to wet your baby wipe when using the bumGenius Bottom Cleaner.

But do not get me wrong - you can use a worn, soft piece of flannel and warm water too. There doesn’t have to be anything fancy about making the switch to cloth baby wipes from disposable wipes, you just need to make the switch.

You can actually take an environmental stance with what you use to wipe your baby’s bum…who would have thought?

Cloth baby wipes can be purchased in nearly any online cloth diaper store; you can also cut up some used/recycled flannel baby blankets, worn wash cloths, even pick up some clearance flannel at year’s end in the fabric shops or better yet, garage sales, to make into sweet little wipes. Use them over and over and your pipes and landfills will thank you.

In her article, Cloth vs. disposable: The Diaper Dilemma, Rebecca Vidra asserts that using cloth diapers, instead of disposable diapers, is not the greener choice.

She writes, “The bottom line, environmentally, is that there is no significant difference between cloth and disposable diapers. When you consider the materials, water, energy, and transportation costs to produce and maintain the diapers, it’s a wash.”

Though hers is an article and not a research paper, it seems she would have included a link or citation of the “life-cycle analysis of diapers done by independent parties” on which she bases her claim that switching from disposable diapers for the remaining 12 months of her child’s life “wouldn’t have a significantly smaller environmental impact.”

There are many studies and a few LCAs (Life Cycle Analysis) now being used regarding the disposable and cloth diaper argument. To get a full story of the disposable diaper industry’s deep desire to undermine the cloth diapering industry, check out The Politics of Diapers: A Timeline of Recovered History, which covers the history from 1961-2000, and shows many of these studies.

The disposable diaper industry likes to encourage the statistics found in their own studies, funded out of their own pockets, but it is my opinion to get a truly independent study, one can’t commission it and finance it. A non-biased party must initiate the study so the findings can be separate from the paycheck.

Just seems reasonable, don’t you think?

However, Procter & Gamble, have paid for “independent analysis” - once with Arthur D. Little, Inc. who took on the job to analyze the LCA for both disposable diapers and cloth diapers (reusable diapers). What do you bet he came up short on any actual difference about disposables being more sustainable?

Yep, you guessed it.

In 1991, Carl Lehrburger undertook a life-cycle analysis of diapers, his second study for NADS (National Association of Diaper Services). Even though it was recognized as the most detailed study, up ’til that date, of the environmental impact of single-use diapers, I still recognize that it was done FOR NADS, and so again, though I believe the statistics should be considered, they should also be closely scrutinized.

Lehrburger found that, compared to reusable diapers, throwaways generate seven times more solid waste when discarded and three times more waste in the manufacturing process.

Source: A Tale of Two Diapers. Mothering Magazine, Issue 138. Peggy O’Mara.
http://www.mothering.com/guest_editors/quiet_place/138.html

In 1992, Procter and Gamble hires Franklin Associates, Ltd. and wouldn’t you know, “disposable diapers are preferred”. The research does recognize disposables produce more solid waste, but says cloth diapers produce more waterborne waste. You can read more of the findings here.

The fact is a truly INDEPENDENT study was needed, and in May 2005, we thought we’d get it from the British Goverment, or rather The Environment Agency of the UK. Their 4 year study, “Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies in the UK”, concluded…

“For the three nappy systems studied (disposables, home laundered and commercially laundered), there was no significant difference between any of the environmental impacts – that is, overall no system clearly had a better or worse environmental performance, although the life cycle stages that are the main source for these impacts are different for each system.”

The report was reviewed and described as a wasted opportunity by The Women’s Environmental Network. The review turned up more than a few inconsistencies in how the findings were gathered. For instance,

“Over 2,000 parents using disposable nappies were surveyed. By contrast, most of the survey results for reusable nappies were drawn from a sample of 117 parents, further reduced to 32 because users of terry towelling nappies were relied on for most assumptions. This resulted in as few as two respondents being used for certain key assumptions.” Read the full response from WEN.

How can 2,000 disposable nappy using parents compare to 117 cloth diaper using parents? And then, to know that number was reduced to 32? Something was amiss.

The Real Diaper Association also responded to the British Report in their members’ newsletter.

“Study shows careful laundering can reduce environmental impact. Even using the study’s self-acknowledged weak assumptions, the conclusion does not reflect the significant reduction of environmental impact resulting from use of energy-efficient washing, as shown within the body of the report. The report shows that users of home-laundered cloth diapers can reduce environmental impact up to 38% through their laundering choices. Energy rating, washing temperature, and number of diapers laundered have a significant impact on the numbers.”

And the debate goes on.
And the answers are as muddied as they were a decade ago.
The landfills are more full and the water is more polluted.
Yet still, whether or not Vidra’s baby is diapered in disposables made from chlorine-free bleach and whether or not the pulp was taken from “sustainably harvested forests”, the fact remains:

• A single use item, disposables are THROWN AWAY after each use.
• Sustainably harvested forests are STILL HARVESTED after all. The forests simply don’t grow back overnight.
• The landfills ARE full.

And for Vidra, who has vowed not to purchase anything NEW? It seems cloth diapers would keep her aligned with that goal, whereas “environmentally less harsh” disposable, throwaway diapers do not.