Clothaholics Anonymous

Hello. My name is Tara and I am a clothaholic. I have been a clothaholic for approximately 12 months. I surf the web for great cloth diaper deals. I have been known to sell old household items to make a diaper purchase. My husband doesn't even look at the paypal account anymore. He is too fearful to see all the fluff purchases. My mailbox always has a nice fluff package in it, and if it doesn't, I immediately have to rush home to check my tracking numbers! I am a sucker for anything cute or frilly and I think I may have a problem.

Here is a post for all your other "clothaholic" suffers. Post your fluff addiction stories in the comments here. We are all here to help each other!




Not sure if you are a clothaholic or not? Take this quiz to find out!

Have you seen the new Bummis Beautiful Basics packages? I think I am going to get one! ;-) 

Folding a Flat Diaper

Ways to Fold a Flat Diaper

KITE FOLD

 This is a simple way to fold the diaper for bigger babies about 6 months or older.

 

ORIGAMI FOLD 

 This provides a neat and trim coverage, and allows you to put the bulk of the diaper where you need it most! In the middle.

 

PAD FOLD

This fold can also be left in the rectangle and just placed in a cover (like a trifolded prefold). Or you can choose to fan it out in the back and fasten it with a snappi or pins. 

There are so many additional ways to fold a flat diaper. These are just some very basic and popular folds.

Check out YouTube for some step-by-step videos. Just search "How to Fold a Flat Diaper". There are literally hundreds of videos. 

One a Day Challenge!

Click the photo below to purchase your diaper and to begin the challenge today!!!!
Use code: TWOK5 at checkout for an additional 5% off!

Huggies- What is in your diapers?

I recently wrote Huggies (like I did with Pampers) requesting information on what their diapers are composed of. They gave a very good response with a list of quite a number of synthetic materials that they use in the diapers. 

Here is their response:

Dear Tara,


Thanks for your e-mail to Kimberly-Clark. We are happy to provide you with some information about the composition of HUGGIES® diapers.


The inside absorbent padding on HUGGIES diapers is made of wood cellulose fiber (a fluffy paper-like material) and a super-absorbent material called polyacrylate. Other materials include polypropylene, polyester, and polyethylene -- all synthetic materials designed to enhance the fit of the diaper and help stop leaks. The elastic strands in all HUGGIES diapers are made of synthetic rubber for a snug but gentle fit for baby.


In addition, HUGGIES diapers feature an all-over breathable outer cover. This innovative cover, made of polypropylene and polyethylene, incorporates Kimberly-Clark's nonwovens technology to provide protection against leaks while letting air flow through to baby's skin.


We hope that this information helps and that you'll visit our web site again soon.




Sue
Consumer Services, Kimberly-Clark Corp.
Lead the world in essentials for a better life.

I will be looking up some of the information on the materials they included in this article. I just posted on polyacrylate. 


I am really happy to see that Huggies, unlike Pampers, is giving this information to consumers. Shows at least that they are giving parents needed information when deciding what method they want to use in diapering. 

Huggies also provided information in their baby section on "how to diaper" on cloth. They even mentioned the use of cloth wipes. 

Between the two companies, Kimberly-Clark (Huggies) and Proctor and Gamble (Pampers) I feel that Kimberly-Clark is being a lot more informative and honest with their consumers. I know personally when I am needing to buy household supplies I will be looking for Kimberly-Clark products instead of P&G.



(Also please note that TBT and Dioxin which I recently wrote about are not "ingredients" in  the diapers. They are a bi-product of manufacturing and the only way to know if they are in the diaper is to test the diaper for the levels they are excreting.) 

Sodium polyacrylate

What is Sodium Polyacrylate?
It is the granular polymer inside of the disposable diaper that absorbs wetness. This is the polymer that allows disposables to hold so much liquid.

From the Material Safety and Handling Sheet:

SECTION 3 – HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
Emergency Overview
Sodium polyacrylate is a white, granular, odorless polymer that yields a gel-like material with the addition of water. It is insoluble in water and causes extremely slippery conditions when wet. Although not regulated as a hazardous material, the respirable dust is potential respiratory tract irritant. The manufacturer recommends an eight-hour exposure limit of 0.05 mg/m³.
Potential Health Effects: Eyes
Dust may cause burning, drying, itching, and other discomfort, resulting in reddening of the eyes.
Potential Health Effects: Skin
Exposure to the dust may aggravate existing skin conditions due to drying effect.
Potential Health Effects: Ingestion
Although not a likely route of entry, tests have shown that polyacrylate absorbents are non-toxic if ingested.
However, as in any instance of non-food consumption, seek medical attention in the event of any adverse
symptoms.
Potential Health Effects: Inhalation
Exposure to respirable dust may cause respiratory tract and lung irritation and may aggravate existing
respiratory conditions.


Doesn't sound too terrible, but when you consider it was once present in tampons, but was removed for causing Toxic Shock Syndrome sounds a little scarier.

It is a known skin irritant! Because it is able to absorb so much liquid it actually can dry the skin out. This is the most likely culprit for diaper rash in disposable diapered babies. It can strip all the natural oils from the skin causing irritation.

Ultimately it is unknown as to what long-term effects it can have on our children. 

Huggies

I have emailed Huggies to see if they are going to be more forthcoming in the release of their product ingredients. I can say just based off of their website I feel they may shine a little better light on the subject than Pampers. I was happy to see that on their website in their "baby" section they have the "how-tos" for babies. In the section on how to diaper they do include cloth diapering and even use of cloth wipes. That is more than I can say for Pampers. So a slightly more positive impression than I got from Pampers, but we shall see. :-) They still quote the flawed U.K. disposable vs. cloth environmental impact study which is disappointing. (More info here on that study)

Tributyltin (TBT)

So what is Tributyltin (TBT)?

in short, it is a highly toxic biocide.The European Union has decided to specifically include TBT compounds in its list of priority compounds in water in order to control its fate in natural systems, due to their toxic, persistent, bioaccumulative and endocrine disruptive characteristics.

Greenpeace toxics expert Thilo Maack said "Fact is that TBT is one of the most toxic substances ever made, and it is being spread through the environment. It can be absorbed through the skin and contaminates the environment as well as people," he noted.This environmental pollutant has a hormone-like effect. The smallest concentrations of TBT can harm people's immune systems and impair their hormonal system.

Tributyltin compounds are moderately toxic via both ingestion and dermal absorption. The tributyltin compounds may be strongly irritating to the skin in humans, especially the hair follicles, and skin exposure may result in chemical burns in only a few minutes if the concentration of tributyltin is high enough. Shipyard workers exposed to TBT (occupationally exposed to dusts and vapors) developed irritated skin, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and flu-like symptoms. Other mucous membranes such as the eyes and nasal passages may also become irritated upon exposure. Tributyltin compounds are listed as endocrine disrupters by the EU and as a "known" endocrine disruptor by the Illinois EPA.

Is this something we want on our babies skin??

I know I don't! What is scary to me about this particular chemical is that it is known to be absorbed via the dermal tissue. So that means that if this is in our baby's diapers which touch their skin, they are absorbing some of this toxic substance. It is an endocrine disruptor with hormone-like effect. It can impair hormonal and immune systems as well as cause chemical burns and rashes. 

Why are companies still allowed to distribute a product like this?? 

Because the companies are downplaying its significance. Greenpeace did a study on disposable nappies in the U.K. in 2000 and found the following:

The new test, during which several parts of "Pampers Baby Dry Mini" were analysed, found the highest contamination in the belt section of these nappies. "Pampers Baby Dry Mini" contained up to 38.4 micrograms of TBT per kilogram, a much higher level then in the first tests of a pool sample published last Friday. (1) Furthermore the inner and outer layer were found to be contaminated. Greenpeace also found other organotin compounds in the Pampers, including DBT and MBT. If all discovered organotin compounds were added, a total of 53.2 micrograms per kilogram were found. 

Greenpeace's scientific test results contradict a statement by Procter & Gamble, in which the company denied that its nappies were contaminated with organotin compounds. Greenpeace toxics expert Thilo Maack said: "The reaction of Procter & Gamble is a scandal. The company is downplaying the danger instead of actively searching for the source of TBT in Pampers. It is absolutely irresponsible to expose babies to these extremely toxic substances".


Conclusion: 

Parents need to be aware of the "ingredients" that are in everything that they put on their child's skin. The companies are not going to be forthcoming with the information (see previous article Pampers Response to ingredient request ) so please do your research! I personally am very disappointed with Proctor and Gamble's irresponsible actions with regards to their products. I feel that we as consumers have a right to know what goes into these products and what potential harm they could pose to our children. They can get away with putting a number of toxic substances in their diapers without having to release that information to the public because it is a "trade secret". So consider using cloth diapers if you are not already! At least then you will know what is going on your baby's bottom.

Dioxin

• Dioxins are a group of chemically-related compounds that are persistent environmental pollutants.

• Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer.

• Due to the omnipresence of dioxins, all people have background exposure, which is not expected to affect human health. However, due to the highly toxic potential of this class of compounds, efforts need to be undertaken to reduce current background exposure.

• Prevention or reduction of human exposure is best done via source-directed measures, i.e. strict control of industrial processes to reduce formation of dioxins as much as possible.

Dioxins are environmental pollutants. They have the dubious distinction of belonging to the “dirty dozen” - a group of dangerous chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants. Dioxins are of concern because of their highly toxic potential. Experiments have shown they affect a number of organs and systems. Once dioxins have entered the body, they endure a long time because of their chemical stability and their ability to be absorbed by fat tissue, where they are then stored in the body. Their half-life in the body is estimated to be seven to eleven years.

Dioxins are unwanted by products of a wide range of manufacturing processes including smelting, chlorine bleaching of paper pulp and the manufacturing of some herbicides and pesticides. Short-term exposure of humans to high levels of dioxins may result in skin lesions, such as chloracne and patchy darkening of the skin, and altered liver function. Long-term exposure is linked to impairment of the immune system, the developing nervous system, the endocrine system and reproductive functions. Chronic exposure of animals to dioxins has resulted in several types of cancer.

The developing fetus is most sensitive to dioxin exposure. The newborn, with rapidly developing organ systems, may also be more vulnerable to certain effects.

Is this something we want on our babies bottoms? I know I don't!

**info found on WHO website 

Common Chemicals in Diapers

I was going to take the list of chemicals that are in Pampers disposable diapers and research them. However, since Pampers does not want to give that information, I will use the list of chemicals provided by LiveStrong instead. There list includes those chemicals that are commonly used in diapers. This does not mean they are used in every diaper, but are commonly used in disposable diapers.

Here is the list:
1) Dioxin
2) Tributyl-tin (TBT)
3) sodium polyacrylate
4) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
5) dyes, fragrances, plastics and petrolatums

Tomorrow I will start with Dioxin!

**Any disposable diaper company that does not use these chemicals feel free to email me a list of the ingredients that you do use- tara@diaperparties.com

Pampers response to cost analysis study.

I recently also wrote Pampers asking to see a copy of the cost analysis study that they did on cloth vs. disposables. In their FAQ page they quote a study saying this:

Are disposable diapers more expensive than cloth diapers?
Disposable diapers provide great value for consumers, and are not necessarily more expensive than using cloth diapers. A cost comparison shows Pampers diapers total expenditure for consumers range at the low end of the cheapest home-laundered cloth diapers, and cost roughly half the price of a cloth diaper wash service.

I simply asked for a link to or copy of the cost comparison study they are referring to. This is their response.


Hello Tara,


Thanks for contacting Pampers.


We appreciate your sharing your comments on the topic of cloth versus disposable diapers. We believe this choice is an individual decision – we merely wish to provide the information we have to date on the environmental impact of our products. We realize more information needs to be added, and we’re in the process of updating our website.


Thanks again for your feedback. I'll be sure to share it with the rest of the Pampers Team.


Heather
Pampers Team


Again, the impression is they are hiding something or the study is so off-base they are scared to show it.  If their study was legit they would be passing it out for free to everyone. I hate it that companies can get by spouting off any facts they choose without having to cough up any facts to back it up.

Pampers Response- What is in your diapers?

So I recently wrote Pampers asking them if they could give me a list of the ingredients in their diapers. This is the response I got:


Thanks for contacting Pampers.


We generally only provide ingredient information on our products if it is in relation to an allergy of some kind. If this is the case, we ask that you have your physician get in touch with us listing the ingredients you’re allergic to and the product you use that might contain them.


Please have your doctor send a written request on office letterhead to: P&G, P.O. Box 599, Cincinnati, Ohio 45201. Or, if you prefer, fax it to us at: 1-513-983-2881.


Thanks again for writing.


Heather
Pampers Team


So basically they aren't going to tell you! So this would lead one to believe maybe there are some things in there that one could conceive as "bad". This seems incredibly wrong to me. Food companies have to list all ingredients in their products, but diaper companies can fill their diapers with all types of chemicals and label them as (fragrance, dyes, preservatives, ect) and not have to disclose them. That is just wrong. Obviously if they had nothing to hide they would have simply provided me with a list of commonly used chemicals or ingredients.    
  

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Did you know?

It takes 440-880 lbs. of fluff pulp and 286 lbs. of plastic (including packaging) per year to supply a single baby with disposable diapers.

Planet Wise Wet/Dry bag

 

Shop HERE!

Another reason to cloth diaper- as if you needed another :)

Pampers Prices Increase!

Pampers as well as some of their other household goods will be increasing. One reason I am really happy I cloth diaper my babies. And another good reason you should start if you haven't already! 

How It's Made! Disposable Diapers!

How It's Made video

Please note all the plastics and polyblends used! And they say that it is debatable on whether cloth is actually more environmentally friendly than disposables!

YES! Cloth does require water to be cleaned. And you must wash them each time they are soiled. However, when producing disposable diapers look at all the energy consumption (aside from landfill waste!). Those machines must produce 2 tons of diapers for each baby! Not to mention all the individual pieces of the diapers are also produced somewhere. For example the plastic. And all the natural materials used are consumed (ie. pulp). This is just showing how the diaper is assembled. It doesn't show any of the bleaching of the materials or the production of the materials used to make the diapers. And what about the plastic bags the diapers come in?? Or the paper boxes?? 

Basically, we have energy consumption at every facet of the production not to mention chemical waste (bleaching of the cloth and plastics in particular).  

And I know....cloth diapers must be manufactured as well. (actually they don't if you get a handsewn diaper). Even when they are manufactured they are only manufactured ONCE! Not for each time a baby potties!  

So let's get real. There is no comparison! There is just no real study done to show the real face of disposable diapers.