A few weeks ago we published the conclusions of a study that stated that using cloth diapers causes us to contaminate the same as if disposable diapers are used. After explaining that depending on how they wash and use the environmental footprint of cloth diapers can be much greater than explained or much smaller, we wanted to interview an expert in cloth diapers to give us their vision about this study and to tell us more things related to these diapers.
Eloisa López She is in charge of Culitos de Tela, along with Elena López, and she is also a blogger mom we have talked about more than once in our weekly blog review, for her interesting entries in A different maternity.
What do you think of the study we discussed in which it is said that the same is contaminated with cloth diapers than with disposables?
I think it is a study that has many flaws in the starting hypotheses, so the conclusions are not the most accurate. First, it presupposes that cloth diapers are all cotton, and in addition to the worst grown, with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. It does not take into account that an increasing number of cloth diapers is made with much more ecological and sustainable fibers such as organic cotton, bamboo, hemp or tencel. In addition, a large percentage of cloth diapers present in the market are made with microfiber, which has a completely different origin. The study presupposes that diapers are bought new, in diaper packs and that they are diapers by size. When this is a very generic scenario and that responds little to reality. Most of the mothers we meet in the store prefer to buy diapers little by little and try them to see which one best suits their needs, and usually opt for one-size-fits-all systems. From our perspective, 90% of sales of cloth diapers (if not more) correspond to one-size diapers, which makes little sense to analyze diapers by size or extrapolate those results to the Spanish reality. Many mothers, in addition, begin testing one or two diapers that they have lent or left them and then many families choose to buy diapers partly new and partly second hand. Obviously, what no family does at the end of their son's diaper stage, is to throw the diapers in the trash ... There would be more missing !!! I personally have cloth diapers that have passed through my oldest son, some cousin, a family friend and then my daughter has used them, and now that my daughter no longer uses them, other children are using them. And I could still use them for a third child. You can lend, sell, give away, but really he who appreciates and uses cloth diapers I think he prefers to give a diaper in good condition rather than throw it away... And diapers, when treated well, have a much longer lifespan than the study presupposes. In the study, for example, they claim that the life of the covers is less than that of other parts of the diaper. Obviously, in a scenario where it is washed at 60 or 90 ° C and dried in a washing machine every day, the covers last less ... But it is that this use contravenes the instructions of virtually all manufacturers !!! Now we enter the wash, which seems to me one of the most conflictive parts, because it presupposes washing at 60ºC or 90ºC, with prewash in some cases, and also drying in a dryer. This is completely useless and a waste of energy. The diapers are washed perfectly at much lower temperatures and we occasionally recommend washing at 60 ° C. Occasionally it means every 5 or 6 months. That is, four or five times throughout the life of the diapers. Nor does it take into account what it costs to manage diapers at the end of their useful life. Disposable diapers take 400 to 500 years to degrade and that means an exponentially growing amount of waste in landfills. Going further, other studies show that between 2 and 4% of urban waste are disposable diapers. What is the proportional cost of waste truck waste, container maintenance, gasoline and landfill management? And all that over 500 years. The comparison is, in this case, overwhelmingly in favor of the fabric. In fact, many British city councils (the country where the study comes from) finance the first purchase of cloth diapers from families precisely because this cost is avoided. It is sad, but true, to think that the municipalities allocate money looking for short-term benefit and, in this case, they obtain it with the help of cloth diapers, for the reduction in the amount of urban waste. Of course, and although I would like it because it would be a much more coherent and effective policy in the long term, they don't do it to avoid the environmental impact or reduce the carbon footprint, they do it to save money. Finally, they also do not take into account the impact it has on the habits of families and children. Actually, the keys to lessen the impact on the environment are "reduce, reuse and recycle." And, obviously, with the cloth diapers the three erres are fulfilled: they reduce the use of raw materials, involve reuse and also many mothers make their own diapers by recycling old t-shirts or towels. Of course, if we apply these principles from the beginning of our children's lives, it will be much simpler to continue applying them in other areas of life.
In times of crisis as we are now, is it cheaper to use cloth diapers?
It is always cheaper to wear cloth diapers, both in times of crisis and in times of economic and financial bonanza. The difference is that today people are more willing to listen to different alternatives that will save them money. That is to say, five years ago most people were "scandalized" when they heard about cloth diapers and automatically thought it was a delay or a return to the past that only increased the workload of the family. However, today most people have a more open attitude, especially future parents who try to adjust as much as possible the expenses derived from the arrival of a new child to the family. In our store, in Madrid, we give free talks for parents who want to inform about this option and more and more families come with their second child than knowing the money it costs to use disposable diapers, they look for information on cloth diapers to consider least this possibility with his second son. It is also true that every day there is more information, more blogging mothers who wear cloth diapers and spread their experience with them on their blogs or social networks, which contributes to improving the social image of cloth diapers. More and more people today understand that cloth diapers are a modern, healthy, economical and ecological option, that they are a real, practical and simple alternative to disposable diapers and, therefore, the number of people who are They approach this option. Returning to the issue of cost, cloth diapers cost more or less the same now than a few years ago. Obviously, with the rise in VAT the price has risen slightly. Light and water also rise and that also influences the final cost of using cloth diapers, but the difference is not so significant. In addition, today there is a greater choice and variety in the offer of diapers and that allows families to opt for a greater number of possibilities and for all budgets. In addition, with cloth diapers you always have the option of “do it yourself” (do it yourself -diy- that the English say). Many mothers take old towels or used shirts and sew their cloth diapers. In these cases, the cost is practically zero financially and can be a very satisfactory process. To make an economic calculation we take on average that each child uses 7 diapers a day (an average between the 10 or 12 that newborns use and the 5 or 6 daily used by an older child) and will use them for two years and a half (a minimum calculation that allows us to estimate that children will wear diapers for about 1,000 days). With this calculation we get that each child will use a minimum of 7,000 diapers until he controls the sphincter completely. As for the price, we take a reference of 20 cents per diaper. There are cheaper and there are more expensive. Those of small sizes are cheaper than those of larger sizes, but we make this average. The resulting calculation is that each family invests at least 1,400 euros to buy diapers and throw them away. On the other hand, with cloth diapers you can use one-size fits between 300 and 400 euros, depending on the options chosen. I'm talking about 20 one-size diapers (one-piece or two-piece system) that can be used from birth (or two months in children born younger) until the end of the diaper season. If we take into account that very little detergent is used to wash diapers (a boat that cost me seven euros) has lasted almost 9 months, and what can be spent on electricity and water, I add about 100 euros more to this expense, making a total of 400 or 500 euros in cloth diapers. In short, a difference of at least 900 or 1,000 euros. Obviously, all this expense is for the first child. For example, if they take advantage of a second child, the economic calculation is abysmally in favor of the fabric. Or if they buy second-hand diapers, or sell them at the end of their use, or lend them to us a cousin, sister or neighbor, or if you have sewed them yourself.
The OCU analyzed several brands of disposable diapers a while ago and in the comparison introduced two fabric models, which were not too well positioned. Do cloth diapers really work worse?
The study that the OCU made years ago in a comparison between cloth diapers and disposable diapers was made from a deep ignorance of how cloth diapers are used, which, from my point of view, the conclusions were not valid. First, they compared a cloth diaper of one size (a single diaper that grows as the baby grows) with disposable size diapers (size 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) and that, from my point by sight, is to compare things that are not comparable. Obviously, a one-size garment will fit any person worse than a garment of their size. As is the case with cloth diapers, you cannot compare aspects such as the adjustment or the volume of diapers when you have a one-size diaper on the one hand and a size system on the other. On the other hand, cloth diapers and, in general, all natural fibers absorb the more washings they carry. When I read his study, I had a “reasonable doubt” about knowing if they had really washed the diapers several times before using them or if they had used them as is. Finally, and it's something we always explain to mothers, cloth diapers fit differently than disposable. Disposables are usually adjusted to the thigh, while the cloth ones have to be adjusted to the groin. If they don't fit well, the diaper performance is not the same ... And obviously, comfort for the baby either.
There are many people who do not know the operation of cloth diapers and immediately rejects them because of "I will have to clean them". What are the main barriers that people put to these types of diapers and how do you respond to them?
Most of the doubts that arise about cloth diapers come, as you well say, from a deep ignorance of what "modern" cloth diapers are like. The image that many people have of cloth diapers comes from 40 or 50 years ago, when the diapers were washed by hand and had to be boiled to “sanitize” them. In addition, the covers were like rubber and did not perspire. Of course, they gave a lot of work. But, it seems that people forget, when this image is made, that today there are washing machines. No one washes cloth diapers by hand anymore, the washing machine washes them. Of course you have to clean them, just as you have to clean the culete to our children, but that is why we do not stop loving them. We also do not give up the comfort of cloth underwear because we have to wash it, even if we occasionally have to rub a stain on our favorite panties or briefs. Or we don't give up wearing soft cotton clothes with them because you have to wash it. No one has ever thought of selling “wear and throw away” baby clothes, but everything will go on. The biggest barrier is ignorance and the best antidote is the information. I will tell you that, from our perspective, we have perceived that every day there is more information about cloth diapers! They even talk about them in the mass media! And that is why every day more people consider it as a real alternative to disposable diapers.
Another problem that people usually put on is what to do with the poops. We always say that there are two options: As I wrote in a post some time ago, it is not necessary to be neither superman nor superwoman to decide to wear cloth diapers.
We thank Eloísa who has given us her time and knowledge to be able to offer a lot of information to our readers of Babies and more.
