Are there pesticides in cotton baby clothes/diapers?

Question: Hi, I am looking to cloth diaper my first two children. I am trying to buy only organic diapers (the part which will touch their skin) but they are more expensive and less readily available than diapers with 100% cotton interiors. I am wondering, can I "wash out" the chemicals used to make this kind of cotton? I have to prep the diapers anyway and wash them 5 times to get the absorbency up and working... 

Would love to know if these chemicals can be washed out. Also, can fire-retardants be washed out? 

THANKS so much, 
Robyn

Answer: Cotton FABRIC does NOT contain pesticide residues. These are removed during processing. This has been laboratory tested in Germany. Cotton BATTING DOES contain pesticide residues, if it is not organic, as it is not as processed as cotton fabric. So it is imperative to buy organic cotton batting, as in a mattress or pillow, but not important to buy organic cotton diapers or clothing. 



The problem with cotton fabric is the finishes, such as a permanent press finish, which releases formaldehyde. Most fabrics of any kind have a "sizing" applied, which washes out in the first wash. Five washes is plenty to remove sizing, but no amount of washing removes permanent press. Dyes are also not a concern if they are "colorfast," that is, they don't bleed when you wash them. 


The reason to buy organic cotton is that conventionally-grown cotton uses a huge amount of the most toxic chemicals, which get into our air and water and soil, and indirectly into our bodies. But the amount of pesticide residue from conventional cotton fabric is nothing.
Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

How does one get chemicals out of cotton baby clothes and diapers?

Cotton FABRIC does NOT contain pesticide residues. These are removed during processing. This has been laboratory tested in Germany. Cotton BATTING DOES contain pesticide residues, if it is not organic, as it is not as processed as cotton fabric. So it is imperative to buy organic cotton batting, as in a mattress or pillow, but not important to buy organic cotton diapers or clothing. 



The problem with cotton fabric is the finishes, such as a permanent press finish, which releases formaldehyde. Most fabrics of any kind have a "sizing" applied, which washes out in the first wash. Five washes is plenty to remove sizing, but no amount of washing removes permanent press. Dyes are also not a concern if they are "colorfast," that is, they don't bleed when you wash them. 


The reason to buy organic cotton is that conventionally-grown cotton uses a huge amount of the most toxic chemicals, which get into our air and water and soil, and indirectly into our bodies. But the amount of pesticide residue from conventional cotton fabric is nothing.

Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

Are Polyurethane Diaper Covers Safe for Babies?

PUL is short for PolyUrethane Laminate, which is a fabric that has been heat-laminated to a layer of polyurethane. Diapers are usually made from laminated cottons, polyester knits, or poly blends. 



Polyurethane is a pretty toxic plastic. You can read more about it at www.polyurethane.org. This is an industry-sponsored website. In particular, click on the link for "Hyperreactivity and Other Health Effects of Diisocyanates: Guidelines for Medical Personnel". 



This plastic is more toxic than I would want to put next to a baby's tender skin.

Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

What Are Some Natural Alternatives to Pull-Ups?

QUESTION:

“I am potty training our 2.5 year old...I wanted to know what is a natural alternative to pull-ups?? I tried to say the old G-diaper was underwear but it didn't work...what do you do at nap time...I just used a Seventh Gen. diaper.”

ANSWER:

Go for a cloth training diaper. Cloth is a great option because children can more easily feel when they are wet so they train faster (cloth diapered babies have been shown to train earlier, too – up to 6 months earlier than average!) There may be an economic advantage, too. Instead of having to buy disposable pull-ups after each accident, you can just wash the cloth ones and reuse them.

There are many options available, but here are a couple that stood out to me because they were a happy medium between a diaper and training pants (which is what traditional disposable pull-ups function as). They are also safer products made with more eco-friendly materials.

• ImseVimse Training Pants are functional and stylish and are made with organic cotton. Kids love the trim and comfortable fit. Organic cotton knit outside with two layers of absorbent organic cotton terry on the inside, and one inner layer of PUL. ImseVimse training pants protect clothes from getting wet when small accidents happen. Recommended for day-time use only. Tips: For older children and heavy wetters, increase absorbency by adding one of our organic diaper liners. For extra protection, try adding a diaper cover for nap-time or as needed.
• Little Beetle Learners are 100% certified organic, fair-trade cotton velour. With 3 cheerful colors to choose from, the Little Beetle Learners are made of two layers of soft and thirsty organic cotton velour, with a 3rd layer hidden in the wet zone. These organic training pants are 100% natural fiber with no PUL or synthetic water proof layer. Pull on design is easy for small children to master, while side snaps make it easy for mom or dad to remove in the event of a larger accident. These trainers can even be used as a diapering system with the addition of a doubler and diaper cover.

Still, some parents aren’t fond of having to launder soiled training pants and prefer a disposable option. But, you know what? After searching the internet for quite some time, I couldn’t find a single disposable option from one of the natural diaper companies that was the pull-up style. Hmph!

New idea: potty train in one day so you don’t need to find trainers. Anyone ever tried the Potty Training in One Day program with Potty Scotty and Potty Pattie?

This answer was provided by our fabulous Senior Editor, Janelle. See all of our questions and answers at Get Answers. Do you have a question? Let us know!