Thankfully, there are alternatives!
Top Alternative:
Organic Unbleached Cloth Diapers are still the best option if water conservation is not an issue. This way parents can minimize the exposure to chemicals used in processing.
New to Cloth Diapers? See this new parent’s Guide to get your questions answered. Also, do check out organic unbleached diapers offered by EcoSnug here.
Hybrid Diapering Strategy:
However, shifting to cloth completely is not seen as a viable option by many parents. But trust me cloth diapering is like a habit that once you start (experience the goodness of it) you will feel bad turning your back on it! That said you don’t have to see this as zero sum game. Do a mix of Cloth and disposables with whatever proportion that suits the weather of life your are in right now. When choosing to use disposables , choose wisely :
- Fragrance & Dye Free Diapers – These can irritate sensitive skin and may contain allergens. Also fragrance are generally trade secrets – so you don’t know what has gone in it.
- Elemental Chlorine Free(ECF) or Total Chlorine Free(TCF) – Look for labels that say ECF or TCF
- No Parabens
- Change often – Though this will increase your baby’s carbon footprint but it would reduce the risk of rashes
- Usage Strategy – Use Cloth Diapers for the day & disposables for travel and night.
- Give ample diaper free time in the day
Why Not Bamboo Disposables?
You might be wondering I have not added Biodegradable Bamboo based Disposable diapers in the list of alternatives. That’s on purpose!
Most Bamboo diapers are actually bamboo rayon/viscose whether disposable or cloth , made through chemical-intensive processes. Unless it clearly labelled mechanically processed bamboo or certified TCF (Totally Chlorine Free), the eco tag is mostly marketing fluff. Heavy Bleaching also changes the properties of the bamboo fibre.
The Bottom Line:
The diaper market in India is 1.73 billion USD in 2025 and is expected to increase to 3.1 billion USD by 2033. Assuming the average cost of one diaper ranges between 8-10 INR, this translates to increase from 14.4 to 18.0 billion diapers to 25.88 to 32.36 billion disposable diapers4. So the number of diapers used are going to get almost doubled in just 8 years.
And with that the exposure of babies to chemicals and the burden on environment is bound to increase. From the chemicals that touch our baby’s most sensitive parts, to the forests cleared and the landfills piled high — the real cost of disposables goes far beyond their price tag. The lack of regulation and transparency only adds to the problem, leaving most parents unaware of what they’re really choosing.
Thus, Diapers may seem like a small part of parenting — just one of those many things we deal with every day. But as we’ve unpacked here, the impact they leave behind is anything but small.
But this isn’t about guilt. It’s about awareness. And action.
If you’ve read this far, chances are you care — and that’s the first step. Whether it’s switching to cloth full-time, doing a cloth-disposable mix, or just being more mindful of the kind of disposable you pick — every small change counts.
Because in the end, what touches your baby, touches the planet too.
Let’s choose better. For them. And for the world they’ll grow up in.
This piece was the last in the Disposable Diaper Series. You can check out the previous Blog Pieces here :
Also, Check out our New Parent’s Guide to Cloth Diapering and explore EcoSnug’s organic unbleached diapers today!
And Subscribe to the blog and join this growing community of change makers, learners, and question-askers.