Which are better, cloth or disposable diapers?
Cloth diapers have significant advantages over disposables. Here are a few of the possible risks of disposables:
• Asthma: A recent study in the Archives of Environmental Health discovered that disposable diapers can cause "asthma-like conditions" in mice. Scientists exposed mice to three brands of clean, disposable diapers. After one hour, mice displayed "decreased breathing capacity."
• Sterility: Pediatricians from the University of Kiel in Germany recently found that boys’ testicles overheat in disposable diapers. Doctors measured scrotum temperatures of 48 young boys. Scrotal temperatures were hotter in disposables than in cloth diapers. Result: ‘The physiological testicular cooling mechanism is blunted and often completely abolished" during disposable diaper use. The doctors speculated that this may later affect adult sperm count.
• Diaper rash: Leaving a diaper on a baby for long periods can cause rash and infection. Using "super-absorbant" disposables, you may think that if the diaper feels dry, it's OK to leave on. It isn't. "Set-and-forget" diapering is unsanitary. With cloth, you know when to change. Historically, the incidence of diaper rash increased from 7% to 61% as parents switched from cloth to paper diapers.
Cloth diapers have significant advantages over disposables. Here are a few of the possible risks of disposables:
• Asthma: A recent study in the Archives of Environmental Health discovered that disposable diapers can cause "asthma-like conditions" in mice. Scientists exposed mice to three brands of clean, disposable diapers. After one hour, mice displayed "decreased breathing capacity."
• Sterility: Pediatricians from the University of Kiel in Germany recently found that boys’ testicles overheat in disposable diapers. Doctors measured scrotum temperatures of 48 young boys. Scrotal temperatures were hotter in disposables than in cloth diapers. Result: ‘The physiological testicular cooling mechanism is blunted and often completely abolished" during disposable diaper use. The doctors speculated that this may later affect adult sperm count.
• Diaper rash: Leaving a diaper on a baby for long periods can cause rash and infection. Using "super-absorbant" disposables, you may think that if the diaper feels dry, it's OK to leave on. It isn't. "Set-and-forget" diapering is unsanitary. With cloth, you know when to change. Historically, the incidence of diaper rash increased from 7% to 61% as parents switched from cloth to paper diapers.
How do our prices compare?
We compared average price per diaper of Stork cloth diapers to Pampers Swaddlers, Pampers Cruisers and Seventh Generation online at Diapers.com and locally at Harris Teeter, Target, Sam's Club and Whole Foods in Charlottesville, VA. All prices were collected October 27-30, 2013. Here's what we found:
Per-Diaper Cost Comparison
| Store | Brand | Store Size |
Size | Cost Per Diaper | Cost Including 5.3% Tax |
| Diapers.com | 7th Generation | NB | XS | $0.280 | $0.295 |
| Target | Pampers Swaddlers | NB | XS | $0.283 | $0.298 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Swaddlers | NB | XS | $0.330 | $0.347 |
| Average XS | $0.313 | ||||
| STORK PRICE XS | $0.250 | ||||
| Sam's | Pampers Swaddlers | 1 | S | $0.214 | $0.225 |
| Target | Pampers Swaddlers | 1 | S | $0.236 | $0.249 |
| Sam's | Pampers Swaddlers | 2 | S | $0.250 | $0.263 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Swaddlers | 1 | S | $0.259 | $0.273 |
| Target | Pampers Swaddlers | 2 | S | $0.265 | $0.279 |
| Diapers.com | 7th Generation | 2 | S | $0.280 | $0.295 |
| Diapers.com | 7th Generation | 2 | S | $0.280 | $0.295 |
| Diapers.com | 7th Generation | 2 | S | $0.280 | $0.295 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Swaddlers | 2 | S | $0.284 | $0.299 |
| Whole Foods | 7th Generation | 1 | S | $0.324 | $0.341 |
| Whole Foods | 7th Generation | 2 | S | $0.360 | $0.379 |
| Average S | $0.290 | ||||
| STORK PRICE S ** | $0.300 | ||||
| Sam's | Pampers Swaddlers | 3 | M | $0.254 | $0.267 |
| Sam's | Pampers Cruisers | 3 | M | $0.260 | $0.274 |
| Target | Pampers Cruisers | 3 | M | $0.273 | $0.287 |
| Target | Pampers Swaddlers | 3 | M | $0.282 | $0.297 |
| Sam's | Pampers Swaddlers | 4 | M | $0.292 | $0.307 |
| Sam's | Pampers Cruisers | 4 | M | $0.293 | $0.309 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Cruisers | 3 | M | $0.309 | $0.325 |
| Target | Papmers Cruisers | 4 | M | $0.312 | $0.329 |
| Diapers.com | 7th Generation | 4 | M | $0.320 | $0.337 |
| Target | Pampers Swaddlers | 4 | M | $0.336 | $0.354 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Swaddlers | 3 | M | $0.340 | $0.358 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Cruisers | 4 | M | $0.385 | $0.405 |
| Whole Foods | 7th Generation | 3 | M | $0.419 | $0.441 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Swaddlers | 4 | M | $0.428 | $0.451 |
| Whole Foods | 7th Generation | 4 | M | $0.481 | $0.506 |
| Average M | $0.350 | ||||
| STORK PRICE M ** | $0.375 | ||||
| Sam's | Pampers Cruisers | 5 | L | $0.333 | $0.351 |
| Sam's | Pampers Swaddlers | 5 | L | $0.340 | $0.358 |
| Target | Pampers Cruisers | 5 | L | $0.364 | $0.383 |
| Diapers.com | 7th Generation | 5 | L | $0.370 | $0.390 |
| Target | Pampers Swaddlers | 5 | L | $0.380 | $0.400 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Swaddlers | 5 | L | $0.483 | $0.509 |
| Whole Foods | 7th Generation | 5 | L | $0.564 | $0.594 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Cruisers | 5 | L | $0.395 | $0.416 |
| Average L | $0.425 | ||||
| STORK PRICE L ** | $0.450 | ||||
| Sam's | Pampers Cruisers | 6 | XL | $0.434 | $0.457 |
| Target | Pampers Cruisers | 6 | XL | $0.460 | $0.484 |
| Diapers.com | Pampers Cruisers | 6 | XL | $0.480 | $0.505 |
| Diapers.com | 7th Generation | 6 | XL | $0.500 | $0.527 |
| Harris Teeter | Pampers Cruisers | 6 | XL | $0.527 | $0.555 |
| Whole Foods | 7th Generation | 6 | XL | $0.764 | $0.804 |
| Average XL | $0.555 | ||||
| STORK PRICE XL | $0.500 |
**Stork new pricing effective 8/1/2015 - prices have been raised slightly to keep up with linen cleaning costs.
Do cloth diapers help with toilet training?
Prices are based on entire diapering life-cycle - newborn diapers through large/toddler size. Average does not include the fact that your child will likely potty train up to a year earlier in cloth diapers.
Many Stork babies "graduate" in roughly 2 years. Statistically, babies toilet train up to a year earlier in cloth diapers than they do in disposables. A baby’s average stay in cloth diapers is 24-30 months. The average stay in disposables is 36-42 months.
Which is better for the environment?
In 1991, two studies funded by the disposable diaper industry compared the ecological impact of cloth versus disposable diapers. Both concluded that there was little difference in environmental impact. But, a subsequent study from an independent environmental agency re-evaluated the same data and found that cloth diapers use 3.5 times less energy, 90 times less raw materials, and 2.3 times less water than disposables. An analysis of all three studies for the Canadian government found that the latter study, which favored cloth diapers, more appropriately represented the ramifications of diaper use.
The bottom line:
For us, the advantage is clear. And we continue to make our business better by researching new ways to make cloth diapers the healthiest, most convenient, most environmental choice for your child. Moreover, all Stork laundering complies with the strict cleanliness and sanitation guidelines of the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
For us, the advantage is clear. And we continue to make our business better by researching new ways to make cloth diapers the healthiest, most convenient, most environmental choice for your child. Moreover, all Stork laundering complies with the strict cleanliness and sanitation guidelines of the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
