9 Biodegradable Baby Wipes For Eco-Friendly Conscious Clean-Ups
So you’ve decided to take a diaper load off the planet by switching to eco-friendly diapers and biodegradable baby wipes—wait, are baby wipes biodegradable?
Traditional baby wipes, definitely not, but are any baby wipes biodegradable?
You bet your baby’s bottom!
Let’s start with what we don’t want: plastic (most baby wipes are made of it), harmful chemicals (bad news for sensitive skin), and non-recyclable packaging.
As well as causing gross blockages in the sewers (AKA ‘fatbergs’), wipes also wind up in rivers and oceans, harming wildlife and adding to microplastic pollution.
All things considered, conventional wet wipes are a bum deal for the planet, which is why we need to change over to these eco-friendly alternative to baby wipes.
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Our Top Places To Buy Eco-Friendly Baby Wipes For Planet-Minded Poo Clean-Up
We’re on the hunt for companies who continue to improve, even after their product is pretty much perfect, Kudos strives for enhanced technology, so their product develops along with your baby.
If you’re looking for zero waste baby wipes, Marley’s Monsters’ reusable cotton cloths are soft on the planet and softer still on baby’s bum,
Eco by Naty’s cruelty-free baby wipes are good for the planet and the animals on it, with their zero animal testing guarantee!
To learn how we wipe away the yuck of the diaper industry to find the best biodegradable wipes baby and mom both will love, head to the bottom.
The Most Sustainable Baby Wipes
Reusable Eco-Friendly Baby Wipes
Biodegradable & Compostable Baby Wipes
Reusable Eco-Friendly Baby Wipes
1. Marley’s Monsters
Marley’s Monsters’ Zero Waste Baby Wipe Alternatives
Price Range: $20–$38
For an eco-friendly alternative to baby wipes, Marley’s Monsters’ reusable baby wipes are made from 100% undyed organic cotton.
These 7”x 8” single-ply Organic Unpaper Towels can be used as baby bum wipes, as well as tissues, face wipes, toilet paper, or reusable paper towels.
Handmade in the USA, they feature serged edges for durability and come in sets of six or 12.
About Marley’s Monsters
Marley’s Monsters is a women-owned family business based in Oregon, where they have a brick-and-mortar store and make all products.
They’re a one-stop-shop for eco home essentials including their zero waste toilet paper, makeup wipes, eco-friendly tissues and more.
Marley’s Monsters is BRING Rethink certified for their sustainability efforts which include plastic-free packaging and re-using scrap fabric.
2. Esembly
Esembly’s Reusable Organic Cotton Wipes
Price Range: $14
If you want baby wipes without chemicals, you can’t go wrong with plain and simple organic cotton.
Esembly’s eco-friendly baby wipes are made responsibly in Pakistan from 100% GOTS certified organic cotton.
From your mini-me’s mealtime messes to diaper changes, each large 9” x 9” wipe can be used, washed, and reused for years.
About Esembly
This mum-owned brand is conscious of the materials they use, in both their reusables and skin care products.
Offering plastic-free baby wipes and diapers made of organic cotton, TPU nappy covers made of 100% recycled plastic, and recycled paper packaging, they’re helping tackle the plastic problem.
3. Gina’s Soft Cloth Shop
Gina’s Soft Cloth Shop’s Natural Baby Wipes
Price Range: $10–$11
Gina’s Organic Flannel Little Wipes are some of the best reusable baby wipes.
They’re manufactured in West Virginia with 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, complete with a long-lasting polyester thread along the outer stitch.
Even your messiest mess is no match for the Little Wipe, gentle enough for little hands but “thirsty enough to dry big hands, too”.
This 8”x8” workhorse of a wipe can be washed and dried with any laundry load and doesn’t require special care.
Choose from a rainbow of colors (or the rainbow pack) as the perfect addition to a here-comes-baby gift box.
About Gina’s Soft Cloth Shop
The saying “If you want it done right, do it yourself” rings true for Gina’s Soft Cloth Soap.
After searching through manufacturing companies in the US, Gina couldn’t find the level of care, detail, and pride she wanted when constructing her product. So, she opened up a sister company, Romney Cut and Sew.
All fabrics are bought from a Fair Trade factory overseas that values honest work and fair wages.
Gina recommends you try these paper towel alternatives, and if they’re not for you, she offers a 100% refund.
4. Burt’s Bees Baby
Burt’s Bees Baby’s Environmentally Friendly Baby Wipes
Price Range: $8
Are Burt’s Bees baby wipes biodegradable?
Considering the Burt’s Bees Baby line includes affordable baby washcloths made from 100% GOTS organic cotton, yeah, baby!
They come in a variety of cute prints, including plenty of bee designs.
Each 9” x 9” terry cloth is smooth on one side, looped on the other (for stubborn messes), and neatly finished with an organic trim.
These sustainable plant-based baby wipes are meant to be reused until potty training (and beyond!)
About Burt’s Bees Baby
Burt’s Bees Baby is an offshoot from the main Burt’s Bees brand.
They’ve kept all the same sustainability credentials and used them to create a range of natural and ethically produced products for your little one, from organic baby blankets and swaddling cloths to sustainable baby clothes.
Alongside organic cotton, their buttons and thread are made from recycled polyester.
They work with factories that minimize waste, use renewable energy, adopt water-saving methods, and treat their employees fairly.
The brand gives back through volunteering at events like beach cleanups and donating a portion of sales from the Baby Bee Box (a starter kit that includes eco-friendly reusable wipes) to Save the Children.
5. Creekside Kid
Creekside Kid’s Eco Baby Wipes USA
Price Range: $12–$58
Creekside Kid focuses on your whole family.
They offer GOTS-certified organic cotton wipes, nursing pads, panty liners, and diaper liners for your complete postpartum journey.
The biggest dilemma Creekside Kid offers is choosing which adorable print or pastel stitch in which size you’ll choose at checkout.
These wipes come in 5”x6”, 5”x7”, or 6”x8” and packs of all sizes to suit your changing needs.
About Creekside Kid
Creekside Kid works out of North Carolina, inspiring families (and assisting them) in a more natural journey by incorporating eco-friendly products at an affordable price.
According to a plethora of Etsy reviews, owner Claudia is a pleasure to buy from, remedying any issues and supporting her customers in their zero-waste journey.
Biodegradable & Compostable Baby Wipes
6. Eco By Naty
Eco by Naty’s Best Biodegradable Wipes
Price Range: $4–$13
Eco By Naty creates unscented certified compostable baby wipes made out of natural fiber.
The wipes contain 99.5% natural ingredients and are Cosmos Natural certified by Ecocert and “Okay Biobased” certified by TÜV Austria.
Water makes up 98.4% of the ingredients, and you won’t find any synthetic perfumes, dyes, or GMO ingredients.
They’ve been dermatologically tested as gentle for your baby’s sensitive skin.
Note: While these wipes are marketing as “flushable”, we never recommend flushing wipes because all sewer systems are different and better to be safe than sorry.
About Eco By Naty
Family-owned Eco By Naty is a leading brand for biodegradable nappies made from plant-based ingredients sans chemicals and perfume.
Naty works with responsible suppliers who follow its code of conduct, uphold workers’ rights, and take steps to reduce their environmental impact as per their sustainability report.
Their products use FSC-certified wood pulp and neither ingredients nor final products are tested on animals.
7. Kudos
Kudos’ 100% Biodegradable Baby Wipes
Price Range: $6
Are you searching for biodegradable, compostable wipes to add to your changing table?
Kudos to you!
Kudos’ hypoallergenic baby wipes take the guesswork out of what to use on your baby’s most sensitive skin, made of 99% purified water and VEOCEL lyocell fabric.
EWG verified, these wipes are certified free of concerning chemicals.
About Kudos
Created by MIT engineers — and moms (who geek out on baby diapers and wipes, so you don’t have to!), Kudos offers a biodegradable option for on-the-go families who don’t want to compromise health in haste.
In addition to baby-safe wet wipes, Kudos has created a sustainable diaper, the first with organic cotton touching 100% of your baby’s sensitive skin.
Not only are their baby diapers and wipes eco-friendly, but their packaging is petroleum plastic free, consisting of PE sugarcane bags.
Kudos sustainably sources their materials, with Lyocell coming from sustainably managed forests.
8. Ecoriginals
Ecoriginals’ Eco-Friendly Baby Wipes Australia
Price Range: $25–$150
Ecoriginals combines the best-in-class ingredients and materials into one baby-approved wipe.
They’re made out of 100% bamboo fibers, and if you’re like us and wondering, “Are bamboo baby wipes biodegradable?”, know that theirs are within 3 weeks.
Made with purified New Zealand water and enhanced with organic aloe vera extract, Vitamin E, chamomile essential oil, and soybean amino acid, even their regular wipe is packed with skin-nourishing ingredients.
Reap the benefits of their Manuka Honey wet wipes (sourced with MG650+ potency rating) that are naturally anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory.
Add extra Vitamin E and essential fats to your baby’s sensitive skin with their Goats Milk wet wipes.
Their entire selection of diapers, swim diapers, change mats, and wet bags ensure you’re surf-ready and sustainable.
About Ecoriginals
Beginning in Byron Bay in 2011, this husband and wife team was searching for eco-friendly options to no avail, so they created their own.
As with any journey, there comes a beginning, middle, and hopefully, a finish line. Ecoriginals is on the same path with their zero waste journey.
Striving for a 100% plastic-free diaper is on the agenda, but their plastic-free baby wipes are already there.
Ecoriginals isn’t messing around when it comes to offsetting their plastic use and company emissions.
Planting mangroves in Madagascar, building ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities, and Gold Standard certified solar power installation in India prove this company is serious about your baby’s health and the planet on which they toddle.
9. Cheeky Panda
Cheeky Panda’s Eco-Friendly Baby Wipes UK
Price Range: £30–£48
If you’re looking for the best biodegradable baby wipes UK readers can buy, Cheeky Panda’s are made from 100% sustainably sourced bamboo with a solution of purified water, aloe vera, and fruit extract.
These biodegradable bamboo baby wipes are also compostable—though they aren’t certified.
The wipes are certified vegan and cruelty-free and have been dermatologically tested by SGS and are naturally hypoallergenic.
The plastic packaging is PET7 recyclable.
If you want to buy biodegradable wipes in bulk, Cheeky Panda sells theirs in boxes of 12 or 24 packets.
About Cheeky Panda
This Certified B Corp is all about the (sustainably sourced) bamboo, used to make toilet paper, tissues, and wet wipes for all uses.
They donate to three charities: the World Land Trust, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and Toilet Twinning.
Their supply chain is carbon balanced through their support of the World Land Trust to protect and restore rainforests in Vietnam.
Top Tips For Using Sustainable Baby Wipes
Reusable baby wipe tips
If you’ve got big zero waste baby ambitions (go you!), opting for the reusable wipe route is essential.
In the beginning, logistics might seem clear as mud (or other things of a similar color…).
That’s why we’re going to share some first-hand know-how to help clean up the whole situation, baby’s bottom included.
1. Make sure you have plenty
A rule of thumb is that you’ll need 24-36 eco-friendly wipes to see you through until potty training.
If you end up using them for everything like we did (faces, fingers, in the bath), it’s best to grab more.
If you also want to keep face wipes and bum wipes separate, buy different colors to tell them apart.
2. Wet wipes with water
Wet your baby’s eco-friendly cloth wipes with water for maximum cleaning effectiveness.
3. Be prepared for on the go
The best travel eco-friendly baby wipes are the reusable ones you actually remember to bring, so always replenish the supply of cloth wipes in your day bag before you head out.
Once used, store them alongside dirty / wet diapers in your wet bag and remember to transfer them to the wash basket when you get home to wash with cloth nappies.
You might instead choose to use disposable, organic compostable baby wipes when out and about if it feels easier, especially to begin with.
4. Plan ahead for holidays and camping
If you’re having an eco-friendly baby wipes camping dilemma and not sure how to manage, there are a couple of options.
If you opt for reusable wipes, pack plenty and research laundering options in advance. You can either boil a kettle for handwashing or plan to make a laundromat pit stop.
If that all sounds too daunting, opt for biodegradable options for eco camping or traveling, but ensure you know of the proper means to dispose of them (i.e. not in the trash or toilet).
5. Repurpose post diaper wearing
Once your little one’s out of diapers, there are plenty of handy ways to repurpose reusable wipes for dust cloths, eco-friendly mop pads, shoe wipes, and more.
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How To Dispose Of Biodegradable Baby Wipes
The best eco-friendly wipes are those that we dispose of properly. Even earth-friendly baby wipes can become not so earth-friendly if still tossed in the trash.
Even if they break down faster, a landfill’s anaerobic decomposition releases tremendous amounts of methane gas.
Here are some tips:
1. Never flush disposable baby wipes
Many people ask, “Can I flush biodegradable baby wipes?”.
The short answer is no. Never flush wipes—even the ones that say “flushable”.
Wipes just don’t break down quickly enough in the sewage works and are the cause of 90% of sewer blockages in the UK.
If you’re on septic, you won’t find biodegradable baby wipes safe for septic systems, either.
2. Compost them without the poop
The best place for compostable baby wipes is in the compost. Not the trash can.
However, it does depend on what you’ve used them for. If they’ve been used for wiping poopy bums, you don’t want that poop going in your indoor compost bin (which you’re then going to spread over veggies!).
In these cases, send them to a high-heat commercial composting facility (if you have such services nearby). Otherwise, consider starting a separate compost bin that you allow to reach higher temperatures and won’t use the compost yield on anything edible.
If they’ve just been used for sticky hands and faces, put them in your indoor compost bin along with other home compostable items.
3. Recycle the packaging
Usually, this means in a specialized soft plastics collection.
How We Chose The Best Eco-Friendly Baby Wipes
Wondering what makes baby wipes eco-friendly? And which baby wipes are best for the environment?
Here’s the lowdown on what ticks the sustainability boxes for planet-friendly wipe-ups.
1. Reusable baby wipes
The most eco-friendly baby wipes are reusable. But not all reusable cloth wipes are created equal.
If you want to know how to make baby cloth wipes eco-friendly, there are a few things to consider.
Natural, organic materials are the most sustainable fabrics, like GOTS-certified organic cotton cloth wipes or those made from organic bamboo fabric and hemp fabric.
We also want to make sure that cloth wipes are ethically and environmentally manufactured, so we look for ethical manufacturing certifications, carbon reduction efforts, carbon offset programs, and sustainable packaging.
2. Compostable baby wipes
For single-use wipes, we want to be sure they’re made from the most eco-friendly materials possible and that they’re actually compostable not just biodegradable.
What’s the difference between biodegradable and compostable?
Biodegradable means a product can be broken down naturally by microbes, back into its natural elements like carbon dioxide and water.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that something breaks down safely. Depending on what an item is made of, it may leave behind toxic residues.
Are baby wipes biodegradable?
Typically, no. Most traditional baby wipes contain plastic, and it can take 100 years for them to break down in landfills.
What makes disposable baby wipes biodegradable?
The best biodegradable baby wipes are made from 100% natural fibers like cotton, wood pulp, and bamboo, with no added toxic ingredients.
How long do biodegradable baby wipes take to decompose?
The speed at which things biodegrade is extremely variable, depending on materials and environmental conditions.
Some biodegradable baby wipe brands run tests by simulating landfill conditions. Baby Dove’s wipes, for example, were found to biodegrade in as little as 6 weeks.
Although Baby Dove biodegradable wipes are made from plant-based fibers and will break down in landfills, they’re not compostable. Nor are the vast majority of biodegradable wipes.
Are baby wipes compostable?
Compostable means an item fully breaks down into its non-toxic natural elements in about 90-180 days.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of greenwashing here. Many companies claim their biodegradable baby wipes are compostable without the certified testing to back up that claim, which could lead to major problems for home composters.
The best compostable baby wipes are those which are certified as being 100% home compostable, meaning you can safely add them to your compost bin and use the compost to grow veggies or an apartment garden.
Final Thoughts On Eco-Friendly Baby Wipes
As a parent, we know you’ve got your hands full and piling on low waste living efforts can feel overwhelming.
If you’re feeling quite literally wiped out, just take one step at a time and remember every little change to sustainable and organic baby products makes a difference.
Switching to eco-friendly baby wipes—especially the reusable kind—is one relatively simple way to clean up more than your baby’s bottom.
Help us wipe out the plastic from conventional baby wipes and create a healthier world for our little ones to grow up in by sharing this article with your parenting peers.
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