Make Your Own: An Alternative for Baby Diapers?

A bit about baby diapers:

Very few parents are aware of the amount of waste generated by their children's diapers.

Fortunately, we are here to inform you about zero-waste alternatives that exist to be more environmentally friendly.

Indeed, there is a solution. These are cloth diapers.

First, it is important to know that there is no regulation regarding the composition of disposable diapers. Whereas a cloth diaper has a mandatory composition label. Do you find this acceptable?

Did you also know that disposable diapers alone account for 1000 kg of waste per year, whereas a cloth diaper only accounts for 50 kg (2.5 kg of fabric and 47.5 kg of organic materials), which is 95% less waste with this solution?

Furthermore, to manufacture disposable diapers, it requires 26,000 litres of water compared to only 11,000 for cloth diapers for their production and maintenance. That's over 50% less water consumption.

Regarding annual purchase costs, for disposables, the average budget is between £1,300 and £1,850 (€1,400 and €2,000), while cloth diapers cost only £850 (€1,000), including the water and electricity for washing them (on 90˚c cycle). That's an average savings of €700.

If you're still hesitant, now with these facts, we hope you will make the right choice in the interest of your wallet and the planet.

To DIY or Not To DIY?

Many people find that reusable diapers require too much effort and opt for the convenience of disposable ones. To minimize the inconvenience that cotton diapers might pose, you can purchase a dedicated pail for rinsing diapers and add boiling water to it. Stir with an old wooden spoon and pour the dirty water into the toilet. Additionally, you can wash the (rinsed) diapers in a washing machine on a vigorous cycle at 95°C with eco-friendly or homemade detergent to minimize the impact of toxic products on your baby's skin and reduce environmental pollution simultaneously. If you're concerned about the cleanliness of your machine, add vinegar to your machine cycle to disinfect the interior and also act as a fabric softener at the same time.

Have you ever tried reusable diapers?

Is it something you would recommend, or do you have other suggestions for our readers?