More specifically: what to do with it when your tiny human keeps producing it like an overachieving yogurt machine on a mission to test your laundry limits. If you’re a parent with even a glimmer of eco-guilt (hello, climate anxiety!), the thought of stuffing thousands of plastic nappies into a landfill over the next couple of years might make you want to scream into your compost bin.
Fear not. There’s a world beyond the soggy, saggy world of disposable diapers. And yes, it’s a bit squishier, sometimes messier, and occasionally makes you feel like a medieval laundry serf. But it’s so much kinder to the planet—and your wallet.
So let’s dive in, cheeks first, into the wonderful world of planet-friendly diapering. Trust me: you and your baby’s bum are going to be just fine.
Cloth diapers used to mean giant safety pins, rubber pants, and a high chance of peeing directly into your lap. But these days, cloth nappies are high-tech bum couture.
We’re talking plush layers of bamboo, adjustable snaps, cute patterns featuring sloths doing yoga. They’re basically yoga pants for butts that don’t know how to walk yet.
You can choose from:
All-in-One (AIO) diapers (like the iPhone of cloth nappies—fancy, sleek, and expensive)
Pocket diapers (you stuff absorbent inserts into a “pocket” like a weirdly intimate sock)
Prefolds and flats, for the DIY gods among us who can fold linen into swan-shaped absorbency masterpieces
Yes, you’ll be doing more laundry. Yes, you will touch poop. But let’s face it—you were going to touch poop anyway. It’s basically your side hustle now.
People fear cloth diapering because they imagine themselves stuck in a Dickensian nightmare, hunched over a washboard scrubbing fecal hieroglyphics off cotton.
Relax.
You don’t need to hand wash anything unless you’re into that kind of thing (no judgment). Modern machines do the dirty work. You toss the diaper in a pail with a lid (and preferably a filter unless you enjoy Eau de Butt), and then wash every 2–3 days. Pre-rinse. Hot wash. Dry. Repeat until potty training or your soul gives out—whichever comes first.
Eco-tip: Use biodegradable detergent and line dry when the British weather allows (so basically two days a year).
If washing poop cloth doesn’t spark joy for you, there’s a middle ground: biodegradable disposable diapers.
These aren’t your average landfill loafers. Brands like Eco by Naty, Bambo Nature, and Dyper offer nappies made with renewable materials like bamboo and corn starch.
They break down faster and leave less plastic behind—but here’s the catch: most only truly biodegrade in commercial composting facilities. Which, unless you live in a place where “organic waste pickup” isn’t code for “it all goes to landfill anyway,” might not be available.
Still, they’re a step up from conventional nappies that basically become tiny synthetic sarcophagi entombing ancient poop for the next 500 years.
Hybrids are the “choose your own adventure” of diapering. They combine a reusable cloth cover with a disposable insert, giving you the flexibility of disposables with less guilt and less laundry.
Perfect for:
Daycare days
Traveling
Parents who want to feel green without actually owning a diaper sprayer
gDiapers and GroVia (see their vid here) lead the pack here, and while the inserts still generate some waste, you’ll cut your impact significantly. You’ll also cut down your chances of finding a rogue diaper in the washing machine. (We’ve all been there. It’s like discovering a wet loaf of bread where joy used to be.)
If you’re going eco, go all the way. Ditch those plastic-packaged baby wipes and switch to reusable cloth wipes or compostable ones.
Pro tip: A flannel wipe dipped in warm water cleans better than most wipes on the market. You’ll feel like a posh butt butler.
As for creams: some mainstream brands mess with cloth diaper absorbency. Look for natural, cloth-safe options. Bonus: fewer unpronounceable ingredients near your child’s most sensitive square inch.
Yes, cloth diapers cost more upfront. Like, “How is this thing smaller than my sandwich and still costs $7?” kind of upfront. But over time, you’ll save hundreds—even thousands—especially if you reuse them for multiple children or resell them later in the booming black market of slightly pooped-on cloth nappies.
Also, you’ll no longer have to face that weekly existential crisis of, “Why did I just spend £12 on something my baby poops in and I throw away?”
Babies use on average 5,000–6,000 diapers before potty training. Every year, over 3 billion disposable nappies end up in UK landfills alone. That’s more than a million tonnes of poo-containing plastic burritos. And they don’t biodegrade. They just sit there. Forever. Judging us.
So even if you switch just part-time—say, cloth at home and disposables on the go—you’re making a big impact.
And hey, every cloth diaper saved is one less future archaeologist wondering why ancient humans wrapped their children’s poop in plastic.
Going eco with diapers isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes it’s stains and weird smells and Googling “why does my diaper smell like yogurt and regret?” at 2 AM in the morning.
But it’s also doable, kind to the earth, and—believe it or not—kind of fun. Sites like ETSY offer a fabulous variety and they make a great gift. You’ll become the person who gives advice to strangers about hemp inserts and detergent pH like it’s normal. (It is now.)
So whether you go full cloth warrior, part-time hybrid ninja, or just choose greener disposables, your baby’s butt—and the planet—will thank you.
And in case you’re not convinced yet, here are some facts:
Now, go forth and wipe wisely.
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