Thread: Why Choose Cloth

This summer I am planning on having a booth at the local Saturday Market. I make mostly cloth diaper and diaper bags. I wanted just a short piece on some various reasons to choose cloth diapers over disposable. I think it comes across more as scare tactics than just open ended information. Plus I'm not very good at putting the scientific or medical writing into laymans terms.

Why Use Cloth Diapers?

Cloth Diapers Save Money

The average American household spends at least $2400 on diapers for 3 years of diapering. With cloth diapers you can spend as little as $300 on prefolds and covers that will last through potty training. For ease you could spend closer to $700 and buy all in ones. About 8.8 millions of babies are currently in disposables times an average of $800 a year on diapers then you find that Americans spend about 7 billion dollars on diapers every year. If everyone of those families switched to cloth they would save more than 6 million dollars, which is enough to feed about 2.5 million children for a year that would otherwise be living in poverty.

Cloth Diapers are Better for Baby

Disposable diapers contain dioxin, a bi-product of the paper bleaching process, a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer linked chemicals. It is banned in most countries but not the US. They also contain tributyl-tin (TBT), a toxic pollutant know to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals. They contain sodium polyacrylete, a type of super absorbent polymer that becomes a gel like substance when wet. A similar substance had been used in super absorbent tampons until the 1980's when it was revealed that it increased the risk of TSS. In May 2000, Archives of Disease in Childhood published research showing that scrotal temperature is increased in boys wearing disposable diapers and prolonged use of them will blunt or completely abolish the physiological testicular cooling mechanism important for normal spermatogenesis.

Cloth Diapers are Better for the Environment

Cloth diapers are reusable so that saves thousands of pounds of garbage from the landfill. They may also be reused for several children. Then they make great cleaning rags. Although they don't know for certain they figure it may take 250-500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose. Disposable diapers are the 3rd largest consumer item in landfills and represents about 4% of solid waste. Disposable diapers generate 60 times more solid waste and use 20 times more raw materials including crude oil and wood pulp than cloth diapers.


For more information or if you are interested in trying cloth for yourself visit my site hyenacart.com/cottagebabies or email me at cottagebabies@gmail.com

Well done -- you make your case and present it in language that is intelligent but accesible. Since everything you say is true, it doesn't come across as scare tactics. What's more, in the wake of last years many consumer product horror stories, not a bit of it sounds unreasonable. This, in short, is good ad copy.

You should toss in a reason that appeals to thrift and 'making baby happier'. Perhaps here:

If everyone of those families switched to cloth they would save more than 6 million dollars, which is enough to feed about 2.5 million children for a year that would otherwise be living in poverty.

Add in how the saved money could go to Christmases, birthdays and even college funds for the buyers own child. Then you have the triple shot: altruism, personal savings, and a brighter future!

The one other problem may very well be the scientific language. Here are a few suggestions (up to this point, the language is interesting and will impress the potential customer):

A similar substance had been used in super absorbent tampons until the 1980's when it was revealed that it increased the risk of TSS.

Toxic Shock Syndrome? Rather than the acronym, I suggest the full phrase. Unless it's a VERY common acronym, it may simply confuse the reader.

In May 2000, Archives of Disease in Childhood published research showing that scrotal temperature is increased in boys wearing disposable diapers and prolonged use of them will blunt or completely abolish the physiological testicular cooling mechanism important for normal spermatogenesis.

In May 2000, Archives of Disease in Childhood published research showing that, due to the higher temperatures caused by disposable diapers, their prolonged use could result in serious future reproductive harm in boys. (For more details on this, see the website below.)

Otherwise, I think you have an excellent, informative and very persuasive handout/flyer here.

Best,

-G.

I love the way you presented your arguement- but one thing to keep in mind is most people's counter to yours.


"But cloth diapers are nasty/unhygienic/inconvenient!"

Perhaps offer some cleaning tips?

You information is great, and clearly written, but I am wondering how you are going to present it.

If this is going to be for a sign on your booth, then 98% needs to go. Stick with the bullet points and maybe one additional sentence.

If this is for a handout, I'd just try to trim it back a little.

Leyline, thanks, those are great points, and easy changes too. That's always a plus, I don't have a huge amount of time.

Jinn, I do have cleaning instruction sheets to accompany any purchases. Also having used the diapers myself for my own children I can offer lots of advice and personal experience.

Lester, I was planning on having it as a handout. Printed up it's just under a page, I though that would be a good size. I'll see where I can trim though.