How To Find Green Disposable Diapers

Many parents who have chosen to use prefold cloth diapers know that there are times when you simply can’t use them. Maybe you are on the road and having a soiled diaper sit in a hot car just isn’t an option. Or you have company and didn’t run the washing machine. Or heck, you and your baby went to a play date and you didn’t bring enough cloth prefolds with you.

Is there a green disposable diaper for these situations?

There is. If you do a little research, you’ll find that you many choices that will work for your baby and keep you in harmony with your environmentally conscious ideals.

Disposable diapers contain a chemical-based gel that absorbs fluids. But these chemicals can be awfully harsh – not only for a baby’s sensitive skin, but also for the earth itself. When you start looking for alternatives, keep your eyes peeled for Sodium Polyacrylate or – as it’s known in the diapering world – SAP.

There are studies that indicate that this absorbent gel can perform just fine in a diaper and that it doesn’t have any carcinogenic qualities. It’s easier on the planet and on your baby.

Still, you might want to skip a diaper with any gel in it at all. If that’s the case, you’ll find some options out there. But you should remember that if a diaper doesn’t have any absorbent gel in it, then you are going to have to change the diaper a lot more often. This might remind you of your cloth diapering regimen, but the upside is that you can simply throw away the diaper when you are finished with it.

You also want to consider diapers in which the primary ingredient is wood pulp fluff or something similar. This material is soft and naturally absorbent. In this regard, it has a lot in common with the hemp or cotton that make up your favorite cloth diapers. Be sure that the wood is harvested in a sustainable way and that no chemicals or dyes are used in the conversion process from lumber to pulp.

You can also purchase reusable diaper covers – latex free and dye free – that can be used with either cloth inserts or disposable inserts. Be sure the disposable inserts are biodegradable. The benefit to this model of diapering is its adaptability. It fits your changing circumstances.

The bottom line is that you don’t have to feel guilty for keeping a pack of disposable diapers on hand. After all, it makes good sense for your family. With a little research, you will find that you can purchase environmentally-friendly disposable diapers that won’t force you to compromise your green ideals. You win, your baby wins, and Mother Earth wins too!