The Evolution of Cloth Diapers
By Patricia Price – Luvs Jurn3
I am often approached by others that see my sons diaper and am always asked the same question, “what’s he wearing?” After my reply of “his diaper,” they give a rather confused look followed by many, many questions. The days of folded pure white thickened cotton, and dare I say, dangerous, safety pins are long gone. Just read the most recent advertisement from Urban Fluff’s new diaper line, “Hot designer prints, completely innovative design
with snap-in waterproof liner, contoured quilted soaker, this diaper is the ultimate in style meets function and comfort.” In short: These are not your grandmother’s cloth diapers, or your great-grandmothers depending on your age!
Cloth diapers were the standard in child care until the 1950s, when the invention of the disposable diaper revolutionized the industry. Disposables quickly rose in popularity, eclipsing their more old-fashioned counterpart. But in the late 1990s, as concerns about the environment began to grow, cloth diapers started to come back.
Cloth diapers today come in a collection of styles, as well as colors: two-piece systems that include a pre-folded cotton diaper and a polyester laminate cover, pocket diapers with an absorbent cotton or hemp insert that is stuffed into an impermeable outer layer, and all-in-one diapers, which are exactly how they sound. This means that cloth diapering no longer means painful finger pricks or thickened flat cotton; cloth diapering today is much more convenient and stylish! There’s even a choice to combine cloth and the convenience of disposables, while still making less of an impact on the environment. You can go fancy or second-rate, penny-wise or couture. It’s simple. It’s adorable. It’s fun. To top it off, it’s great for the environment. Cloth diapers have definitely come a long way!
