Working-class parents are increasingly worried about diaper affordability, with national diaper banks estimating that 1 in 2 American families with children can’t afford adequate diapers.
Meanwhile, middle-class families under less immediate pressure of diaper need are increasingly concerned over the quality and safety of diapers on the market. As more parents seek out diapers free of potentially harmful chemicals, more companies are creating diapers that meet that need.
The Question of Fluff Pulp
The industry term for the moisture-absorbent material inside your baby’s diaper is “fluff pulp.” Most parents’ and doctors’ concerns over standard disposable diapers have to do with how the pulp is made. Most single-use diapers (as well as feminine hygiene products) on the local supermarket’s shelves have fluff pulp containing varying amounts of chlorine dioxide and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, which advocates of healthier options have dubbed “forever chemicals.”
In 2019, France’s Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) identified potentially harmful chemicals – including PFAS, formaldehyde, and pesticides (due to contamination during manufacturing) in 23 diaper brands.
Sufficient exposure to these chemicals has been shown to contribute to long-term health conditions such as a weakened immune system, diminished vaccine efficacy, developmental delays, and cancer. However, it is unknown to what extent the dosages present in disposable diapers could be harmful, though ANSES did recommend stricter regulation of diaper manufacturing processes in the EU.
In Search of Safer Diapers
Though some global manufacturers labeled the ANSES report “alarmist,” its findings have contributed to a growing market for diapers free of hazardous chemicals amid calls for greater transparency in diaper manufacturing. While some parents have turned to cloth diapers, others seek disposable diapers made from organic cotton, bamboo, or other organic materials.
Another driver of this market shift is the desire for hypoallergenic diapers that keep a baby’s skin soft and rash-free. This desire spurs creativity in diaper design and the sourcing of diaper materials.
One company, Parasol Co., has introduced fluorine-free diapers that use dual-layer SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer), a more breathable back sheet, and a soft, friction-reducing top sheet to increase softness, absorb more moisture quickly, and prevent rashes on sensitive skin.
The SAP comprises two layers: one to absorb moisture quickly and a second to retain it (to prevent leaks). Launched in 2016, Parasol Co.’s diapers are designed in America and manufactured in Czechia, using materials sourced from Japan.
Founder Jessica Hung, a first-generation Taiwanese American immigrant, says her passion for creating hypoallergenic, baby-safe diapers has seen her and her company through many challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic to continuing supply chain disruptions and tariffs.
“What really kept us going was the product,” Hung says. “All the efforts I put into the product in these ten years–that’s all.”
The Future of Baby Care
Not all parent concerns involve health risks or sensitive baby bottoms. The high volume of disposable diapers reaching landfills also causes more environmentally conscious families to hope for new approaches to diapering their children. In both cases, consumer demand is shifting.
Millennial parents are often informed and intentional about the products they purchase and use, especially those that come into direct contact with their babies’ skin. Responding to this demand, developing new diaper brands and designs has become a growing focus within the baby care industry.
As consumers demand safer, more sustainable options, the era of mass-market diapering is giving way to a new age of conscious, transparent baby care–one that balances affordability, sustainability, and safety, one diaper at a time.
