Baby Diapers and Wipes

Love your diapers

Interesting discussion - really love the diapers but am really disapointed to hear about the wipes. Guess we will go back to the drawing board!

Diapers, Pulp, and Babywipes

I am light green so I don't really know much on GREEN yet.
What is the big deal about the wipes being made of poly? Is this not good for the baby or the Earth?
Also are you saying in the statement above the only reason you are not using organic cotton because it is too expensive?

Of Diapers, Pulp, and Baby Wipes...

Jenny's questions are good ones! I hope the following answers are helpful.

Q. I have been told that you dye your baby diapers to achieve the "natural" color, light brown/tan. Is this true? Is the dye a vegetable dye or other naturally derived pigment?

A. The color of disposable diapers is typically achieved through the addition of color pigments to their inner and outer cover materials. This is also true for Seventh Generation diapers. While most designs on the market use pigments that result in a white color, we use a combination of pigments that result in a light brown color. Without the addition of color pigments, these materials would be colorless, much like a plastic milk jug. We use brown pigments to help distinguish Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Diapers from others in the marketplace that are bleached with chlorine-containing substances.

All disposable diapers, including Seventh Generation’s, rely on man-made materials to deliver the high-level performance that parents expect of modern diapers. These materials are mostly petroleum-derived and are not renewable, which adversely impacts the environmental footprint associated with these products. At Seventh Generation, we are pleased to offer an alternative that is not bleached with chlorine, and are working hard to further improve the sustainability of our diaper products.

Q. Why are your baby wipes made from polyester and not cotton or organic cotton?

A. Our baby wipes are made from a mixture of rayon (derived from wood pulp bleached using a totally chlorine free process) and polyester.  This mixture offers excellent performance properties and is free of chlorine-containing substances, preventing chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as dioxins, from entering our environment.
  
While we would prefer a wipe substrate made entirely from renewable materials, we have not yet identified a material that is both effective and renewable.  Many renewable materials, like cotton or organic cotton, are prohibitively expensive.  Indeed, if you want to use cotton to clean your baby, we recommend that you use cotton washcloths, and reuse them!  That is far better for the environment!

Q. What is the source of wood pulp in your diapers?

A. The wood pulp used in our diapers is harvested from sustainably managed forests and processed totally-chlorine free.  Presently, the forests are PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certified.  Our supplier is in the process of obtaining Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.