How to Buy Organic Diapers

Cloth diapers use fewer raw materials and create less waste than disposable diapers. Some cloth diapers consist of synthetic materials such as polyurethane linings or bleached, conventionally grown cotton. Organic diapers provide an environmentally sound solution.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Buying Organic Cotton Diapers

1. Determine the type and size of diapers you want. Purchase prefold diapers for flexibility, affordability, and longevity. Some prefold diapers last from an infant to a potty-trainer. Prefold require pins or a Snappi fastener.

2. Use fitted or one-size cotton diapers for greater ease of use with built-in snaps or hook and eye fasteners. Fitted diapers come in many sizes.

3. Visit online diaper forums for more affordable (and broken-in) used diapers. See Resources.

4. Buy enough organic diapers to last you between washes. For laundry every 2 to 3 days, most newborns need 20 to 30 diapers. Older babies require fewer diapers. See Resources for retailers.

5. Prep your diapers. Organic, unbleached cotton's natural oils require several washes to remove. Wash the diapers in hot water 4 to 7 times to remove the oils and prevent "repelling." Fully prepped prefold diapers appear bumpy, quilted and plush.

Buying Organic Diaper Covers

1. Buy organic diaper covers. Organic diaper covers come in wool or natural, recycled fleece. Organic wool's natural waterproofing and non-toxic fibers complete your organic diaper collection.

2. Treat your wool covers with lanolin. Many covers come pre-treated with lanolin. Soak for 15 minutes in a wool wash with added lanolin or manually add liquid lanolin to the water

3. Get 2 to 3 organic wool covers, because wool doesn't require washing after every use due lanolin. Pre-wash your covers and hang them to dry

4. Visit online diaper forums for more affordable used organic wool covers. Buy lanolin wool wash or liquid lanolin, available from most organic wool diaper cover retailers.

Tips & Warnings

• Snap closures create less bulk in the diaper than a hook and eye option, but are more difficult to use at first. Curious toddlers also have a hard time opening snap closures, so select snaps to prevent your child from removing their own diaper.

• In a pinch, melt your pure lanolin nipple cream.

• Air out your wool covers after each diaper change. Wash and treat with lanolin every few weeks.

Resources

• Better For Babies for organic Little Beetle diapers and wool covers
• EcoBaby for organic cotton diapers
• Tiny Birds Organics for organic cotton diapers and wool covers
• Diaper Swappers for online cloth diaper forums and used diaper sales