9 Eco-Friendly Baby Wipes For Planet Conscious Clean Ups
Wondering how you can choose the most eco friendly baby wipes?
Let’s start with what we don’t want: plastic (most baby wipes are made of it), harmful chemicals (bad news for delicate 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.
The good news?
There are plenty of planet-friendly alternatives out there for your baby.
Choose to reuse with Esembly’s GOTS certified organic cotton baby alternatives.
Brighten up nappy changes with Marley’s Monsters’ rainbow of reusable baby wipes.
If you can’t get past disposables (yet), Eco by Naty offers 100% compostable baby wipes made from natural fiber.
Jump to the backend of the article to find out how we got to the bottom of this messy issue and how we chose the best eco friendly baby wipes.
*This post contains affiliate links
QUICK LINKS FOR THE MOST ECO FRIENDLY BABY WIPES
Reusable Eco Friendly Baby Wipes
Compostable and Biodegradable Baby Wipes
Reusable Eco Friendly Baby Wipes
1. MARLEY’S MONSTERS
About Marley’s Monsters’ Eco Friendly Baby Wipes
For an eco friendly alternative to baby wipes, Marley’s Monsters’ reusable baby wipes are made from 100% cotton.
These 7”x 8” single-ply cloths can be used as baby bum wipes as well as tissues, face wipes, or toilet paper.
Handmade, they feature serged edges for durability.
Each set of 12 can come in a range of funky rainbow colors as well as organic white or natural colors.
About Marley’s Monsters
Marley’s Monsters is a women-owned family business based in Oregon (where they have a brick-and-mortar store).
They’re a one-stop-shop for eco home essentials including their reusable UNpaper® towels and toilet paper, bath and beauty products, cleaning products, and Mama and Baby collection.
Marley’s Monsters is BRING Rethink certified for their sustainability efforts which include plastic-free packaging and re-using scrap fabric.
Available: EarthHero | Etsy
Marley’s Monsters has featured in our articles about zero waste toilet paper and zero waste cleaning products.
2. ESEMBLY
About Esembly’s Eco Friendly Baby Wipes
Esembly’s eco friendly baby wipes are made responsibly in Pakistan from 100% GOTS certified organic cotton.
From your min-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.
Both their diapers and wipes are made from organic cotton and the TPU nappy covers are made of 100% recycled plastic to help tackle the plastic problem.
Esembly uses recycled paper packaging and plans to ditch plastic packaging from their skincare to explore re-fillable options.
Available: EarthHero
Esembly has featured in our article about eco-friendly diapers.
3. BURT’S BEES BABY
About Burt’s Bees Baby Eco Friendly Baby Wipes
Burt’s Bees Baby offers a selection of affordable baby washcloths made from 100% GOTS organic cotton.
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.
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 blankets to swaddling cloths.
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.
Available: Amazon
Burt’s Bees Baby has featured in our articles about organic sustainable baby clothes and organic baby blankets.
4. PACT
About Pact’s Eco Friendly Baby Wipes
You can swap wipes for washcloths with Pact’s GOTS certified organic cotton flannels.
Choose from waffle, ribbed, and combed cotton designs, all made in a GOTS certified factory in Turkey.
About Pact
You’ll find GOTS certified cotton in all of Pact’s clothing and homewares.
They partner with Fair Trade Certified™ factories to ensure high ethical standards.
Pact uses 100% recycled cardboard packaging and biodegradable plastic where necessary, and you can choose to carbon offset the shipping on your order.
If you have old clothes you don’t wear, pack them in your Pact shipping box and send it back to Pact to be donated to programmes serving the needy.
Available: Pact
Pact has featured in our articles about eco friendly towels and ethical kids clothing.
5. ETSY
Etsy isn’t only a fantastic resource if you want to support small business, but also if you’re looking for all manner of sustainable, handmade goodies.
You’ll find baby wipes made from various materials including organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp, with various sizes, colors, and prints.
Here are some of our favorite sustainable baby wipes by country:
Eco Friendly Baby Wipes USA:
- Creekside Kid: A large selection of GOTS organic cotton cloth wipes in various colors and prints.
- Wee Essentials: Organic, unbleached, and undyed cotton flannel wipes with serged edges in 3 different colors of polyester thread (remove the switching before composting).
- Gina’s Soft Cloth Shop: A selection of cloth wipes made from GOTS certified organic cotton and organic bamboo velour.
- Handcrafted Goodies: Organic hemp / cotton blend washcloths in various shapes and sizes.
- Remiuseables: Solid or patterned single-ply flannel wipes available in sets of 10 or bulk buys of 100.
Eco Friendly Baby Wipes Canada:
- Cheeks Ahoy Handmade: Eco friendly baby wipes made from 100% cotton, a hemp / organic cotton blend, or an OEKO-TEX® certified bamboo / organic cotton blend. Available in undyed or many colorful variations.
- Seven Lambs Organics: Two-sided organic cloth wipes made from organic bamboo velour and organic cotton terry.
Eco Friendly Baby Wipes UK:
- Naturally Evergreen: Reusable wipes made from undyed organic hemp that gets softer with each wash.
- Bee Happy Eco Products: Soft, brushed GOTS organic cotton wipes in a variety of different prints or undyed.
Eco Friendly Baby Wipes Australia:
- Bird In Milk: Handmade 2-ply reusable made from 100% organic cotton jersey in a selection of fun prints.
- Olive and Miles Co: Double-sided cotton and bamboo terry toweling washcloths in a variety of earthy and floral prints.
Compostable and Biodegradable Baby Wipes
6. ECO BY NATY
About Eco By Naty’s Compostable Baby Wipes
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 GM ingredients.
They’ve been dermatologically tested as gentle for your baby’s delicate skin.
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.
Available: Eco By Naty
7. CHEEKY PANDA
About Cheeky Panda’s Biodegradable Bamboo Baby Wipes
If you’re looking for biodegradable wipes in the UK, 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 biodegradable baby wipes.
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.
Available: Ethical Superstore (UK)
8. NATRACARE
About Natracare’s Organic Compostable Baby Wipes
Natracare’s organic biodegradable baby wipes are made from 100% certified organic cotton infused with organic essential oils and plant extracts.
Free from parabens, preservatives, and SLS. The wipes are certified organic by the Soil Association and the USDA.
Again, Natracare classifies their wipes as compostable but without a certification.
These wipes are packaged in recyclable BPA-free plastic.
About Natracare
Natracare has been making eco friendly period products for three decades.
Their award-winning pads, tampons, liners, and wipes are made from natural materials and free from plastic and harmful ingredients.
To tackle period stigma, their #RenameDontShame campaign calls for supermarkets to change signposting from “feminine hygiene” or “sanitary products”, to less shameful and gender exclusive terms like “period products” or “menstrual products”.
As members of 1% for the Planet, Natracare partners with nonprofits like the International Fund for Animal Welfare and The Gaia Foundation.
Available: iHerb | Amazon
9. WOTNOT
About Wotnot’s Compostable Baby Wipes
For biodegradable wipes in Australia, look at Wotnot’s 100% bamboo vegan wipes enhanced with natural vitamin and E and organic Aloe Vera.
They’re not animal tested and are dermatologically approved for sensitive skin.
Larger 20 x 20 cm sizes will no doubt make the clean up a little easier.
Their eco baby wipes are compostable but they’re also not certified.
About Wotnot
Wotnot offer a range of baby products, sustainable beauty and sun protective products.
They donate a proportion of proceeds to Bear Cottage and Women’s Community Centres.
Available: Flora & Fauna (AU) | Amazon (US)
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, plan ahead by buying 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 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, pack plenty of wipes 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 baby wipes for 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 eco friendly baby wipes for dust cloths, eco friendly mop pads, shoe wipes, and more.
Compostable Baby Wipe Tips:
1. Never flush compostable or biodegradable baby wipes:
Lots of people ask, “Can you 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.
2. Do compost them (but only 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, sending them to a high-heat industrial compost (if you have such services nearby) is ideal. 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, go ahead and put them in your compost bin along with other home compostable items.
3. Recycle the packaging responsibly
Usually, this means recycling the plastic packaging in a specialized soft plastics collection.
HOW WE CHOSE THE BEST ECO FRIENDLY BABY WIPES
Wondering what makes baby wipes eco friendly?
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 manufactured, so we look for mention of fair trade, b corp certification and an ethical Code of Conduct.
Other green business practices to make baby wipes eco friendly include supporting carbon offset programs, sustainable packaging, and renewable energy manufacturing.
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.
So, are baby wipes biodegradable?
Typically, no. Most conventional 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.
Sidenote: this doesn’t mean you should toss them in the trash, because even if they break down faster, a landfill’s anaerobic decomposition releases tremendous amounts of methane gas.
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 baby wipes.
What makes baby wipes compostable, then?
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 wiped out, just take one step at a time and remember every little change 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 wipes and create a healthier world for our little ones to grow up in by sharing this article with your parenting peers.
