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Let me
start off by admitting that there is no "perfect diaper" for anyone, or for all
babies. But with all of the choices out there, I'm sure most people have a check
list of criteria that their diaper choice must meet. For many people,
environmental friendliness is at the top of the list. And before I go on...no
matter how much my husband insists...I am NOT a "tree hugger!!" Maybe a little
bit crunchy...or a little bit rock and roll...
All
cloth diapers are more environmentally friendly (EF) when compared to
disposables, but how do they all compare to each other? Believe it or not, there
seems to be a rift in the cloth diapering community when it comes to "natural"
diapers and "synthetic" diapers. Those who want to go natural are the true "tree
huggers" and prefer all natural everything from cotton diapers to wool covers.
And others are just glad to keep diapers out of the landfill and don't care what
their diapers are made from. But who is right?
Let's
compare a cotton diaper to a polyester diaper. There are obvious comparisons,
because most people realize that polyester is not a natural fiber and is made
from petroleum. But the catch that most people don't think about when it comes
to cotton...unless it's grown organically, it is very bad for the environment.
Cotton is a crop that requires LOTS of pesticides in order to grow well. If this
doesn't alarm you, please read
Growing Up On Chemicals - Our Children's
Toxic Environment, by Jane Sheppard.
Which is worse? I haven't a clue. But I do know if you want the MOST EF product
out there, you need to look for
organic cotton diapers.
If you want a diaper that is similar in use to a disposable, you will want to
look for pocket diapers like
bumGenius.
What
about hemp? Hemp is a very popular cloth diapering product, especially for the
real tree huggers. Most people assume that all hemp is organically grown, but
this is not so. Hemp is much easier to grow than cotton and does not require the
amounts of pesticides that cotton requires. But that does not mean they never
use pesticides. And if a product is not certified organic, you never know what
treatment the fabric has been through.
Hemp
brings up another aspect of EF that I haven't touched on yet. I personally do
not like hemp for diapering. One reason is that it tends to get stiff and hard
when wet. Another is that it does not hold up very well. No matter what a
product is made from, if it will end up in the trash sooner, it will have to be
replaced more frequently. Polyester far outlasts conventional cotton and hemp.
Organic cotton lasts a little longer than conventional cotton because their
fibers are not over-processed. On the flip side, a cotton diaper will break down
faster in a landfill, and I'm not sure how long it takes for a polyester diaper,
if it breaks down at all. But I also don't know of anyone who has actually
thrown out a polyester diaper! They seem to last forever.
So
what's the verdict? By far, if you are most concerned with EF and using natural
products, the clear choice is organic cotton, whether you use prefolds, fitteds,
or contours. An excellent choice in cover is wool, or many naturalists like no
cover at all. But past that, I think you need to go with the next item on your
list- whether fit, baby's comfort, longevity, or price- because it is a toss up
when it comes to EF. Hemp is a close second, but be sure to try it out before
you load up on it, and remember it does not hold up well with repeated washings.
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