Reducing waste one dirty diaper at a time

By Angeliz Venter

We started our diaper journey by purchasing a massive amount of cloth diapers intending to use cloth diapers full-time and when travelling, but we soon realized that this is a very unrealistic expectation for our family (even though a lot of other parents can successfully do it). We still wanted to have the least amount of waste when we switched over to disposable diapers for traveling and that’s when I found Eco Boom and even started using them more at home!

Let’s start from the beginning and learn more about Eco Boom as a brand. They are internationally certified with many different certifications and have a wide range of biodegradable and eco-friendly products on their website ranging from baby diapers for female hygiene products! The most shocking fact is that it takes up to 500 years for a “normal” disposable diaper to decompose and an Eco Boom product decomposes in a matter of days! All their products are hypoallergenic and antibacterial, making them the perfect fit for a family with sensitive skin, especially newborn babies! Their products are also Chlorine, Phthalates, Dioxin, Alcohol, Latex and Fragrance free. What I also love about Eco Boom is that they understand as new parents we are unsure about diaper sizing, therefore they have a 3-size sample pack where you can try the different size diapers to make sure you purchase the correct size.

Here is a few facts and benefits if you use Eco-Boom diapers:
• Biodegradable bamboo fiber sheets with an FSC-certified wood pulp to absorb all liquid.
• Luxuriously soft and extremely absorbent.
• Soft frontal tape provides a quieter release during night-time changes.
• An ultra-breathable back sheet made from 100% Bamboo fibers allow fresh air to circulate and keep your baby’s skin dry.
• A wetness indicator lets you know when it’s time to change your baby’s nappy.
• No Inks, fragrances or latex.
• These nappies are SGS Certified to biodegrade 70.1% in 147 days.

At home we use reusable wet wipes, but when traveling or skipping a wash day due to a hectic loadshedding schedule, we always have an extra pack of Eco Boom wipes nearby.
o Eco Boom bamboo baby wipes are Made with 100% non-woven bamboo fabric, which allows internal air circulation.
o With a 7-step filtration system to make the liquid edible grade, they are suitable for most baby skin types.
o They are free from alcohol, perfumes, lotions, preservatives, latex or artificial additives, and feature 99.5% RO water for your baby’s sensitive skin.
o They are FSC certified and have approvals by the FDA, OK Bio-based and OEKO-TEX.
o Eco Boom Bamboo baby wipes can biodegrade 100% in up to 90 days

Another aspect of Eco Boom that I love is that it is biodegradable, which means instead of just throwing your diaper that contains plastic away, you can remove the plastic stickers on the side of the diaper, keep it outside in a separate bin / big container and mix it into your compost. I love sustainability and reusing things, so this is something we love doing!

Since we started using disposable diapers, we have also tried other brands, because honestly as first time parents we did think twice about the price of the Eco Boom diapers, but we soon realized that Eco Boom is the only disposable diaper that doesn’t leak when heavily saturated, it is most definitely the softest diaper out there and doesn’t feel like plastic, it doesn’t irritate our son’s skin and quite surprisingly doesn’t smell that bad when it is full. We’ve realized that the number of extra diapers we use due to leaks and then having to wash and change his clothes are much more that the extra amount we pay for an Eco Boom diaper. The wipes are also a winner for us after also trying other brands to compare. The wipes stay moist and the best part for me is that it doesn’t disintegrate or rip apart when I am taking one out as many other biodegradable wipes do. All in all, we will continue to buy Eco Boom diapers and wipes! You can find them on www.eco-boom.co.za, TakeAlot, selected Dis-Chem and Baby City stores nationwide.