Why Cloth Diapers? 

When you think of cloth diapers, what comes to mind? Old sheets, clothes pins, poop explosions? These are all valid associations with cloth diapers, only they’re not exactly relevant anymore. 

Cloth diapers have come a LONG way from safety pins and white sheets. Don’t get me wrong, those classics are still available if they’re your style, but most cloth diapers are now more comfortable, decorative, cheap and environmentally friendly.

My family has been cloth diapering for about a year now! We started when my little one was about two months old. Most of our cloth diapers were thrifted and gifted so it was easy for us to get started with very little investment. 

Once we got the hang of it, we invested in a few more sets of our own to build up our stash. Once you have about 15-25 diapers…THAT’S IT! Seriously, for the duration of your child’s diaper years, you’ll never have to purchase another diaper. 

Here are three main reasons why I love cloth diapers and think you will too! 

1.    Convenience

No more middle of the night store runs for diapers. It’s the worst feeling isn’t it? That panic when you realize it’s 11PM and you’re placing on the last diaper from the 168-pack that cost you $40.  

One of the best parts of cloth diapering is the convenience of knowing that they’re already available. Of course, the diapers require washing to make sure they’re ready to wear, but you don’t have to worry about going out to purchase new diapers…unless you can’t resist the cutest new designs, of course.

2.    The cost savings

According to research, the average baby uses 8 to 12 diapers a day, so a box of 96 disposable diapers would last me 8-12 days.

Browsing through a local store, a box of 96 diapers costs about $25. Doing the math, you can quickly see how parents spend $750 – $1,150 in the first year on diapers alone.

Cloth diapers, on the other hand, are cheaper in the long run. 

It is best to start with about 15-25 cloth diapers. This will give you enough to wash every day or every other day. If you were to buy all new diapers on an online store, such as Amazon, you’ll find yourself paying about $35/6-pack on the low end. 

If you bought 24 cloth diapers total, or four 6-packs, you would be spending about $140 for the duration of your child’s diapering years. On the higher end, you could find yourself paying about $400 depending on the material, design, etc. 

There is a HUGE cost difference between disposables and cloth diapers. 

3.    Environmental savings 

Approximately 20 billion diapers are added to the landfill each year. Once added to the landfill, it could take about 500 years for disposable diapers to decompose.

In addition, disposable diapers are filled dyes and chemicals which can be harmful for the skin and cause more diaper rashes and allergic reactions.

According to research, disposable diapers use 20 times more raw materials, two times more water, and three times more energy to make than cloth diapers.

Cloth diapers can be a fun way to reduce your impact on our environment and provide a toxic-free diaper to your little one. If you’re not sure if cloth diapers are for you, try slowly incorporating them into your routine! It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. 

Do a little research on cloth diapering, and you may discover that it could work for your family! Cloth diapers are fun, cute, and relatively easy (once you get the hang of it!).