Since beginning my quest I’ve had the opportunity to try out and learn about many different types of natural disposable diapers.  These come in many shapes and sizes (literally!) but one thing that they all have in common is that they cost more than your regular drugstore brand.

Is the extra cost worth it, especially now that Huggies has come out with their own “natural” line?  At first blush the claims on the Huggies website sound promising! Daddytypes.com says it well, though, that “instead of sodium polyacrylate, they (Huggies Pure and Natural diapers) are made from recycled buzzwords”.  He goes on to point out that, “every phrase is loaded to the point of blowout: “includes,” not “made from”; “initial steps toward environmental improvements,” not “finally, good for the environment.”  Frankly, I’m always concerned when I see an asterix after a product name like “Pure and Natural” but can’t find the corresponding definition of that asterix anywhere on the site.

Let’s explore Seventh Generation next.  While we like the full disclosure model that Seventh Generation seems to follow on their website we do take issue with the common misnomer that these diapers are biodegradable.  They are perhaps biodegradable in the same way that a plastic water bottle is biodegradable.  While Seventh Generation certainly doesn’t make such claims about their own products they do sell themselves as a green brand.  Their claim to fame is that their diapers are “chlorine free”.  According to the manufacturers of Nature Babycare diapers, though, chlorine is rarely used by anyone anymore to whiten diapers.  So what are we getting when we purchase Seventh Generation diapers (which are dyed brown, by the way)?  Perhaps a bit of extra peace of mind that Seventh Generation seems to have  a real commitment to the environment (and to keeping a piece of this decade’s Table d’Hote: Greenwash Pie).

Is there an answer to all of this?  Especially in light of studies such the one published by German researchers, which have found that increased scrotal temperature (aggrevated by plastic disposable diapers) can lead to sterility in our males.  At Better Baby Bums we are just optimistic enough to believe that yes, there is an answer.  Jen and I both alternate between cloth diapers and biodegradable disposables on our own little ones.  When they are in disposables, which let’s face it, happens more often than not in my busy household, I am sure to put my little diaper-wearing baby  in a diaper that is not oil-based.  And yes, in case you haven’t heard this before, “conventional” disposable diapers are made out of oil and are, amongst other things, in essence plastic.

Our faves?

Broody Chick: these diapers are made from Ingeo fibres, which are produced from fermented (non GMO) corn.  They are the first and only disposable diapers that are completely biodegradable, right down to their absorbent core.

Nature Babycare: also corn-based, these diapers are slightly less biodegradable than Broody Chick.  The tabs need to be removed and the absorbent cellulose core won’t completely break down, but will rather provide some aeration to the compost.

Bambo: recipient of the prestigious Nordic Ecolabel, or Swan logo, to signify the high level of sustainability in the production of these diapers,  each step of the way.  These diapers are made from highly renewable bamboo fibres.

Earth’s Best: made from a combo of corn and wheat.  Less biodegradable than the first three brands as they still contain some petrochemicals.  For tricky-to-fit babies these are a great choice!

We are hopeful that more and more communities across North America will adopt a compost pick-up system which will allow these diapers to avoid having their final resting place be in landfills.  While you may have success composting the wet (not soiled) diapers in your properly managed backyard composter, the greenest way to dispose of these diapers is to bring them to a commercial composting system, such as those that many municipalities are now using for their yard waste.  In this environment they will receive the optimal temperatures and moisture level to allow them to properly decompose.  We would like to encourage you to contact your local government officials and request that they follow in the footsteps of a number of European communities in creating the proper composting facilities for all green waste.  In the meantime, we are confident that we are doing right by our kids by keeping them safely swaddled in any of the brands that we carry on our site.