Why don't Kudos diapers have bamboo?
Bamboo. Is “in”. Literally. Toilet paper, paper towels, t-shirts, sleep sacks, baby wipes, bed sheets, and of course diapers. It's fast-growing, sustainable, and feels soft. So, bamboo is the perfect choice for eco-conscious parents. Right? Not quite.
Our Kudos team spent a LOT of time researching diaper materials. When we looked into bamboo vs. cotton for our liners, we found some not-so-green truths about the trendy plant.
- “Softening” bamboo requires harsh chemical processing
Ever see or feel a bamboo plant? It’s hard. Almost like wood. In order to turn that into a soft, silky fabric it must be processed into bamboo viscose. This requires a significant amount of harsh chemicals (including highly toxic caustic soda and carbon disulfide).
- We don’t love the workplace conditions
Not only is bamboo processing a source of environmental pollution, research shows it can be neurotoxic for workers exposed to the chemicals involved.
- Surprise! A lot of “bamboo” fabric is really rayon
Most bamboo brands don’t write the truth on their labels. The truth is rayon. According to an FTC report about the mislabeling of bamboo, “most ‘bamboo’ textile products, if not all, really are rayon, which typically is made using environmentally toxic chemicals in a process that emits hazardous pollutants into the air.”
Rayon is made from a variety of wood and plants. But, because of its harsh processing (like bamboo) there’s no trace of the original wood and plants in the finished “soft” material.
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These 3 not-so-green truths are the reason why Kudos chose 100% cotton for our diaper liners:
- Cotton is natural, breathable, and clinically tested and proven by dermatologists for even the most sensitive skin.
- Our cotton doesn’t require harsh processing to feel soft. It’s made with a mechanical cleaning operation. We never use chlorine bleached or treat it with harsh chemicals.
- Kudos diapers are proud to be OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified! The non-toxic gold standard for baby safety and comfort.