HYDERABAD: We are all familiar with the diaper ads that promote disposable diapers with cooing babies and the many benefits of staying dry. However, we seldom think of what it costs both to us and the environment. In the three active years of a baby’s life in which the parents use disposable diapers, they spend over Rs 60,000 on them. Meanwhile, the plastic waste created by the diapers will drop some jaws. Consider that the average baby goes through atleast eight to ten diaper changes every day for the first few months. This amounts to approximately 550-600 diapers in three months. A single disposable diaper takes upto 500 years to fully decompose and they are the third largest consumer item in landfills worldwide
Enter the sustainable and ecofriendly option to the conventional disposable diaper - the cloth diapers.
Taking into consideration the traditional Indian household’s use of cloth for children instead of diapers and combining it with innovation, a few brands have created sustainable diapers that serve the purpose perfectly. Anuradha Rao, founder of the company Bumpadum, specialising in sustainable diapers says, “The biggest complaint on regular cloth used for babies is the cleaning-up after and the wetness of the same. But today’s cloth diapers are manufactured to be absorbant and easy to clean, making it the best of both worlds.”
Jyotsna Pakala, a mother of a two-year-old toddler, was disturbed by the amount of plastic waste that was created by diaposable diapers and decided to switch to an ecofriendly option. She says, “The biggest obstacle is the cleaning alone. It isn’t difficult but it’s a change you have to make when you switch from disposable diapers. Once that falls into rhythm, it is a much more economical and safe option for the baby,” she says. The idea of plastic rubbing against a baby’s skin causing rashes is the biggest obstacle of those who use disposable diapers and that is completely eliminated with the use of cloth diapers. “The cleaning too is pretty easy considering that all you need to do is place it under running water beforehand andthen throw it in with your laundry. The old process of scrubbing is completely eliminated with our diapers which are lined with micorseal,” says Anuradha.
There are more innovative and parent-friendly versions popping in the market as well. The Todler Thing another sustainable diaper brand has come up with three variants of the cloth diaper. A Toddler Thing’s diaper has two elements, the colourful diaper body, and an insert. They currently have three types of cloth diaper products; (i) pocket diapers, the basic model which has a pocket where a microfiber insert should be placed, as well as external snaps for a bamboo insert if required. (ii) All-in-one diapers, which have a microfiber insert stitched inside and has elastic on the sides as an extra layer of protection to prevent leaks. (iii) Bamboo all-in-one diaper, where the insert stitched inside is bamboo insert.
Although they are expensive in comparision to disposable diapers - Rs 600 to Rs 900 a piece - it is a long term investment. An average of Rs 60,000 is spent on disposable diapers in the three years of the baby’s diaper-using days, whie sustainable diapers with their 100-200 use lifespan only cost a parent Rs 15,000 in the same time. “The penetration of disposable diapers in the last five years has been quite low. The traditional India still believes in the age-old methods. Adding this to modern innovation, no parent will have to compromise on the health and hygiene of their child,” says Anuradha.
For the parents and parents-to-be out there, with the climate change and the urgent need to take care of our environment in mind, it’s probably time to move on to ecofriendly options.
— Srividya Palaparthi
srividya.palaparthi@newindianexpress.com
@PSrividya53