There are plenty of claims about the environmental impact of cloth diapers online. Big numbers, percentage comparisons, climate calculations. We thought we'd do something a little different: tell you what's actually true, without exaggerating.
It comes down to what ends up in the bin
A cloth diaper is reusable. That's really the only fact you need to understand the difference from disposables.
Every time you wash and reuse a cloth diaper, that's one disposable fewer that has to be made, shipped and thrown away. It adds up over a whole diapering period — and you notice it in the rubbish at home. Diapers are bulky. They take up space. Switching to cloth is one of the most tangible ways to reduce the amount of packaging and single-use material leaving your household every week.
It isn't a promise we're making — it's a logical consequence of the product being reusable.
A diaper that stays the whole way
Our cloth diapers are one size. That means the same diaper adjusts with snaps at the front and fits your child from a few months old until the diapering period is over — no one has to buy new sizes along the way.
When the first child is done with diapers, they're often still in good condition. Many of our customers use their diapers for siblings too. That means the resources used to make the diapers can be spread across an even longer period and more children — which of course affects the total waste per child.
There's also an active second-hand market for cloth diapers. Diapers that have looked after two children can live on with a third family. That's circular thinking in practice, not as a marketing phrase.
The material matters
Our diapers' inserts are made from a soft mix of bamboo and polyester — bamboo is a fast-growing grass with high absorbency. The diaper covers are made from recycled polyester (rPET, recycled material from plastic bottles) with a waterproof TPU laminate.
The materials are certified to OEKO-Tex Standard 100, which means they're tested for harmful substances — including phthalates — and meet the limit values.
We don't say that because it's a buzzword. We say it because it's a requirement we set for the products, and so that you as a parent know what's against your child's skin.
What happens when the diapering period is over?
The cloth diapers can be sold on or donated. There's an active second-hand market — diapers that have looked after one child often go on to another. It's a concrete, straightforward circular flow, with no middlemen.
We don't make our own climate calculations or compare ourselves with figures we can't stand behind. What we do know is that a product used by several children over several years leaves a different mark on the flow of resources than one used a single time.
What we don't say — and why
You've probably seen claims about how many tonnes of waste cloth diapers save, or how many per cent lower the climate footprint is. Numbers like that rest on life-cycle analyses that vary widely depending on the assumptions: wash temperature, where the electricity comes from, how long the diapers are used, whether they go on to a sibling.
We choose not to publish our own calculations that pretend to be exact, because we don't think it's honest. What we can say with certainty is that reusable diapers with a long life and OEKO-Tex-certified materials are a thoughtful choice for anyone who wants to reduce the amount of single-use products in their everyday life.
It's up to you to decide how much that weighs.
In summary
- Cloth diapers are reusable — that's the basis of all the environmental impact.
- They're one size and last from a few months old until the diapering period is over, without changing size.
- The inserts are a soft mix of bamboo and polyester. The covers are recycled polyester (rPET) with a TPU laminate.
- The materials are OEKO-Tex Standard 100 certified — tested for harmful substances, including phthalates.
- The diapers can be used by 2–3 children and sold on through the second-hand market.
- We don't make our own climate comparisons — only facts we can stand behind.
By Emelie, founder of Time Ahead Sweden — mum of three and curious about how we as parents can make thoughtful choices in everyday life.