Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers
Why should I use cloth diapers?
Don't worry, cloth diapering has modernized! The days of diaper pins, plastic pants, and soaking diapers in the toilet are over! Today's diapers have velcro or snaps; soft, breathable waterproof materials; and come in all kinds of fun prints and colors. If you wash your own clothes, you'll have no trouble with cloth diapers.
I'll give you three good reasons to use cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers. They're better for your pocketbook, better for the environment, and better for your baby! Plus, all of these same reasons apply to using cloth training pants for potty training or bed wetting issues.
Better for your baby
First and foremost, it's better for your baby. Cloth diapers are softer against your baby, and they also protect that brand new skin from the chemicals found in disposables. You've probably heard of Dioxin, the poison that was given to the president of the Ukraine a few years back. Did you know traces of that are found in disposable diapers? And while not conclusive in humans, studies have suggested disposable diapers may be linked to asthma and male infertility. Ugh. Plus, in my experience, babies who wear cloth diapers are less likely to get diaper rash.
Better for the environment
Using cloth diapers keeps an average of 2 tons of non-biodegradable waste per child out of our landfills. This does not include the environmental waste produced to manufacture the disposable diapers. Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills. Disposable diapers produce about 20 times as much waste as fast food trash in the U.S. 'Nuf said on that!
Better for your pocketbook
Although it requires more up front investment than using disposable diapers, in the long run, you can save an average of $2000+ by cloth diapering. The more children you cloth diaper, the more you will save by reusing your original supply. (See this chart detailing how much money you can save.) Even if you only cloth diaper one child, cloth diapers have an unusually high resale value and you can recoup a lot of your investment by selling the diapers. Believe it or not, cloth diapering is becoming a very "in" thing to do!
It's worth it!
It takes time to adjust to cloth diapers. You will see that they are softer, safer and much easier to use than you ever thought. Stay with it and don't give up! Your baby and our environment will thank you. Plus, it can be a lot of fun, even addictive! Just look at all the fun prints and styles available today!
More information
Be sure to check out the rest of our frequently asked questions about cloth diapering, and also see our getting started with cloth diapers and washing cloth diapers pages. We also offer cloth diaper packages to help you take the plunge!
