Simple and Environmentally-Friendly Cloth Diapering

By: Melissa

If you've done any research you have found that the sheer volume of cloth diapers out there is overwhelming. When I started, I thought pins and prefolds were the only type of cloth diaper. I thought I needed rubber pants for the baby. Not so! A quick Google search of "cloth diapers" will return 1, 310,000 links (or it did for me just 2 seconds ago). There are several sites out there devoted to explaining the different types of cloth diapers and covers and the advantages and disadvantages of each. I spent years testing different brands on 2 children and trying out new systems. There were times I got all hyped up over a particular brand or style and spent money unnecessarily. I wish I had known then what I know now!

Cloth diapering does not need to be complicated. It does not need to be expensive or time consuming. It does not make you "cool" to have the most expensive boutique diapers.

What you Need
1.) A nice set of 12-18 natural fiber diapers
If you are good with the pinning and prefold, then more power to you. I've personally never been able to get the hang of them and opted instead for inexpensive, plain fitted diapers with snaps. Certainly more expensive than prefolds, but I felt it was worth my sanity, and it is still most certainly less expensive than disposable diapers over the years. I have used the same set of 18 diapers on 2 children, which has greatly increased my savings, and I plan to pass them along to another mother who will use them and then pass along to another and so on. The set I puchased cost me approximately $180. They will never clog up landfills as they are natural fibers and at the end of their useful years, they will biodegrade quickly and easily. Only the snaps will remain. I have bought my fair share of "PUL" diapers (diapers that have a waterproof layer of fabric with a polyurethane layer bonded to the fabric), but over time I have come to realize that while using that type of diaper over several children will save me money, it is still a plastic that will eventually end up in a landfill. I wonder about the manufacturing process of that type of fabric and how it affects our environment. Can you sew? You can save a LOT more money by making your own! There are several patterns available for home use, and if you have experience sewing clothing, they are also easy to design from scratch yourself.

2.) 2 or 3 Wool covers
Wool is natural, breathable, and easy to care for with little effort. It is 100% biodegradable, unlike the plastic covers. I say "2 or 3" because you need more than one to use when you are washing, and I'm adding a 3rd because I would recommend pants a more dense wool for nighttime. There are a multitude of styles- wraps, soakers (pull on), shorts, pants. Wool covers can be sewn by even the most inexperienced seamstress from old wool sweaters bought at thrift shops or recycled from your own closet for free! If you knit or crochet there are many patterns available online for home use.

Using natural fiber diapers and covers will help you leave the smallest possible imprint of your baby's diapering years on the environment. It's diapering you can truly feel good about. When sewing your own, using recycled materials is such a great option for this reason.

If you can sew, my first and foremost recommendation is to make your own! But if you cannot, then whichever brand or style you choose, try it first before committing full-time. Every baby is shaped differently and what works for one will not work for another. Reading reviews will make this very obvious- one review might have comments about how horrible the fit is and how the diaper leaks constantly, while another review of the same diaper states that it is the best diapers the reviewer has ever owned and a fantastic fit! Find what is right for your baby.

And in the meantime spare some landfill space, free up your bank account for other necessities, and give your baby a soft comfy bottom to sit on.