Cloth diapers are sustainable and eco-friendly, and the number of stylish choices for cloth diapers these days allow them to actually be an accessory to an outfit. Some may think that cloth diapers should not be seen, but have you seen the choices? Those super cute diaper covers make you want to forget the pants! Don't believe me? Check out the stylish choices available on the Thirsties website.
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| Photos courtesy of Thirsties, Inc. |
There are many different choices for cloth diapers in the market these days, but Thirsties is one of my favorites for many reasons. My good friend Erin Kimmett started Thirsties some years ago, with $100, a sewing machine, and a kitchen table. (I just love these stories about how people start their businesses in a garage, or in their kitchen! Oh, she sold the business, and started Eco Enclose with her husband Dave! Wonderful people, doing great things for the earth.) Anyway, she built her company into one of the most popular cloth diaper brands in the world! Her quest for creating sustainable cloth diapers was an inspiration. The Merrill family who now owns the company is continuing to do so, going as far as to recycle the fabric scraps in the warehouse. I worked for the company for 5 years, and am impressed at the level of honesty, consideration, and sustainability the company upholds. Below is how Thirsties helps to decrease their footprint:
• Their warehouse is 100% powered by wind energy.
• All carbon created in the transport of Thirsties products is 100% offset by Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
• All fabric and components are sourced as locally as possible, thereby cutting down on unnecessary transportation (not from China).
• All cutting and sewing is completed locally as well so as to keep transport fuel consumption to a minimum (not from China).
• Retail product packaging is produced in the USA with wind energy from FSC-certified paperboard.
• Reduce, reuse and recycle! Packaging materials are reused and recycled. Any new packaging is made from the highest post-consumer content available. Our new EcoEnclose Poly Mailers are 100% biodegradable and break down even in landfills!
• All in-house printing is done on recycled paper with 100% post-consumer content. Thirsties hang tags are printed in the USA on paper made with 35% post-consumer content.
• We choose fabrics and design diapers that dry quickly and remain soft even when hung to dry to encourage our customers to retire their dryers.
• We are proud to be a member of the Green America Green Business Network™, the oldest, largest, and most diverse network of socially and environmentally responsible businesses in the US.
• The catalog is printed on FSC Certified 55/30% post-consumer content with soy inks which are VOC free.
• All products are packed in boxes that are made of 100% recycled content
• 100%of our scrap fabric is recycled and re-purposed for insulation and other uses.
I have wrestled with the fact that many cloth diapers are made from polyester/PUL, and other man-made materials. (I tend to be a purist and like all things natural and organic.) Thirsties does not offer any organic options at the moment, but hopefully someday that can change. They do offer a Duo Hemp Prefold, which is a wonderfully soft and absorbent cotton and hemp fiber diaper. The company works very hard at being sustainable, and if they offered organics that would just top the cake! There are pure and natural diapering options out there for those who only want natural materials. Wool covers and organic cotton diapers are available, which are as pure as you can get. As always, pay attention to the sustainability of the company and if imported, whether the products are Fair Trade. You can find ratings for cloth diapering products on www.diaperpin.com.
Need some facts on cloth diapers and the environment?
"Sixty times more solid waste and twenty times more raw materials, like crude oil and wood pulp, are used in the manufacturing of disposable diapers. In fact, 25 million trees are consumed and manufactured into baby diapers each year! As the third largest contributor to our landfills, all the toss-away diapers of today will still remain intact 500 years from now." Many people do not think about that, or choose to ignore it. Imagine, how many diapers are in the landfills right now!
I used cloth diapers for my 3 children, and I would do it all over again. The #1 worry that parents experience when contemplating cloth diapers is how to wash the diapers. Don't worry, the manufacturer or boutique employees can help with any questions you have, and Thirsties' Customer Service is one of the best in the business! They also have articles on the blog for help with cloth diapering (I used to write them!) They are with you every step of the way. Yes, it is more work to wash the cloth diapers, but if you are using a well fitted and absorbent cloth diaper, you can avoid many leaks that can be experienced with disposable diapers.
The benefits of using cloth diapers are numerous, and look "Oh so cute" on the bum!
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