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Last Updated on October 15, 2025

Did you know the average newborn goes through 10-12 diapers per day? That’s a lot of waste – and a lot of time spent in diapers.

Most babies have more sensitive skin than adults, as their skin hasn’t fully developed yet. The protective hydrolipidic film is still very thin, which makes infant skin more vulnerable to harsh external factors.

Best Non Toxic Diapers For Babies

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links; for more information please see my disclosure policy.

Those external factors include diapers. Babies spend a lot of time getting in (and out) of them. So it’s important to choose non toxic diapers that are gentle on both skin and planet. Here are the best non toxic diapers on the market.

which diapers are the least toxic?

The diapers that are least toxic include ones made from plant-based or cotton materials. Look for brands that omit harsh chemicals like chlorine, phthalates, and PFAs.

Many diaper components are made up of plastic, which is hard to avoid in the name of efficiency.

That being said, it’s best to choose diapers from brands that minimize the amount of plastic in their products. Plastic materials can emit VOCs known to harm health.

Here are some general guidelines to adhere to when choosing diapers:

  • Choose diapers that disclose the ingredients (some don’t!). Avoid anything with fragrance, lotion, or other skin-conditioning adhesives.
  • Look for brands that minimize the amount of plastic in their products.
  • Consider cloth diapers, ideally made from organic cotton.
  • Opt for brands that use unbleached pulp or pulp bleached without chlorine
  • Try to choose plain, undyed diapers with minimal designs (dyes can be contaminated with toxic heavy metals).
  • Check for certifications like Forest Stewardship Council or EWG certified.
Best Non-Toxic Diapers For Babies

is Huggies or Pampers less toxic?

In terms of being less toxic, Huggies has stated all of their diapers are free of fragrances, phthalates, parabens, and elemental chlorine. They’ve also partnered with Terracycle to offer plastic film recycling options.

Pampers diapers are made without parabens, natural rubber latex and elemental chlorine. But only their Pure diapers are made without fragrance (and many mothers online have complained of Pampers’ strong scent).

However, Pampers’ factories are zero manufacturing waste to landfill and they use FSC certified wood pulp.

Both brands list their ingredients on their websites, so definitely read them for yourself before making a purchase. Just be mindful both brands also use colorants and printing inks to make designs and/or color change technology.

which diaper brands are safe for babies?

The diaper brands safe for babies are listed below. There’s a mix of disposable and cloth diapers, so there’s something for everyone.

However, be mindful that every baby is different and what works for one, doesn’t always work for another. For example, certain brands may fit your baby like a glove, whereas others may be too big: It’s all about experimenting and finding what works for your baby.

You can use this list as a starting point to help you choose a better, safer choice for your child. None of the brands listed here use fragrance, parabens, or other harsh chemicals.

I’ve gone ahead and highlighted some of my favorite features of each brand, but it isn’t an exhaustive list. Be sure to check out their websites for more information.

Also, if you cloth diaper, don’t forget to consider eco-friendly baby detergent brands because you’ll be doing a bit more laundry!

Healthy Baby: Best Non-Toxic Diapers For Babies

1. healthy baby

  • Offers disposable and cloth diapering options
  • Six sizes, not including newborn (N or N/1)
  • Plant-based materials including organic cotton + FSC certified pulp
  • 12 hour leak protection
  • No chemical wetness indicator
  • EWG certified
Dyper: Best Non-Toxic Diapers For Babies

2. dyper

  • Disposable diapers
  • Six sizes, not including newborn (NB)
  • Plant-based materials, including FSC-certified pulp
  • 12-hour leak protection
  • No inks, prints or dyes
  • Offers REDYPER service to compost diapers through weekly pickup
Cotorie: Best Non-Toxic Diapers For Babies

3. coterie

  • Disposable diapers
  • Seven sizes, not including newborn (N or N+1)
  • 25% plant-based, made with wood pulp from sustainably manages forests
  • 12-hour leak protection 
  • Wetness indicator
  • Cruelty-free
  • OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 Certified
Esembly baby: Best Non-Toxic Diapers For Babies

4. esembly baby

  • Cloth diapers
  • Two sizes, based on pounds
  • Made of organic cotton + upcycled TPU
  • Recommended to change an awake baby every 2-3 hours
  • Wet bags sold separately to hold dirty diapers while out
  • Pre-loved options to buy and sell available
Terra: Best Non-Toxic Diapers For Babies

5. terra

  • Disposable diapers
  • Six sizes
  • 85% plant-based, including FSC-certified pulp
  • 12-hour leak-proof protection
  • Plant-based wetness indicator
  • Ink on product + packaging is food grade
  • Packaging is made from recyclable kraft paper + rice
Freestyle: Best Non-Toxic Diapers For Babies

6. freestyle

  • Disposable diapers 
  • Six sizes
  • 7-layer protection for 14x better absorption
  • Delivered in 1 month long supplies 
  • FSC certified pulp
  • EWG verified

Which of these sustainable diaper options would you choose? Let me know in the comments!

The post 6 Best Non Toxic Diapers For Babies appeared first on Going Zero Waste.

6 Best Non Toxic Diapers For Babies

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Green Living

Pizza Boxes Are More Recyclable Than Ever

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15 hours ago

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February 5, 2026

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Back in 2020, the Recycling Partnership and WestRock released a scientific study demonstrating that used pizza boxes are recyclable, even when greasy and contaminated with cheese. Since that research was published, the findings have driven significant improvements in recycling program acceptance nationwide.

The basic results are clearly favorable for greater acceptance of pizza boxes for recycling. The typical pizza box has 1% to 2% grease content by weight, which is about one-tenth the acceptable level for cardboard (corrugated paperboard) recycling. The study looked at the impact of greasy boxes on mixed recycling loads that include 8% greasy pizza boxes with varying levels of greasy contamination from between 3% and 40%. The recycled materials produced were still viable for packaging use, well within the tensile strength required for packaging.

Recycling Acceptance Has Expanded

Since the study was released, pizza box recycling acceptance has grown substantially. According to the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), 82% of Americans now have access to a community recycling program that accepts pizza boxes—up from 73% in 2020. AF&PA member company mills representing 94% of old corrugated container consumption now accept pizza boxes with no observed impacts to operations or finished product quality.

The AF&PA’s guidance is unambiguous: “Corrugated pizza boxes are successfully recycled every day at paper mills throughout the country. Our industry wants these boxes back to recycle.”

Since about 3 billion pizza boxes are used in the U.S. each year, the improved recycling processes can capture roughly 600,000 tons of cardboard annually that could be turned into new boxes, paper towels, toilet paper, and other paper products.

What To Do Do With Your Next Pizza Box?

Our guidance is based on the research and current program acceptance:

For most Americans: Your recycling program likely accepts pizza boxes. Remove any leftover pizza, flatten the box, and place it in your recycling bin. Light grease stains are acceptable; the science confirms they don’t affect the recycling process.

If your box has a waxed paper liner, remove it before recycling: The box itself can be recycled as normal cardboard.

If your program prohibits pizza boxes: Don’t send materials your program won’t accept. Instead, check the composting options below or contact your local recycling coordinator to share the Recycling Partnership’s toolkit and AF&PA research. Citizen requests carry a lot of weight at local departments of sanitation.

If your box is heavily saturated with grease: Consider composting instead of recycling. While typical grease levels are fine for recycling, boxes that are completely soaked may be better suited for composting programs.

The Recycling Partnership tested a variety of grease- and cheese-contaminated pizza boxes. Only the box on the right approached unacceptable recycling results.

What About The Cheese?

You might ask, “Isn’t cheese a barrier to successful recycling?” Cheese tends to solidify and get screened out during the pulping process,” according to the 2020 report. The researchers tested sending boxes heavily contaminated with cheese through a recycling process and found that it did not significantly reduce the resulting paper fiber’s viability for reuse. Paper mills have become increasingly adept at screening out chunks of cheese during processing.

Composting: A Great Alternative

When recycling isn’t available, or your pizza box is heavily soiled, composting provides an excellent alternative that keeps cardboard out of landfills while creating nutrient-rich soil. Many cities now accept pizza boxes in curbside organics programs:

New York City requires all residents to separate food scraps and food-soiled paper from trash as of April 2025. Pizza boxes are explicitly accepted in the brown bin program.

California jurisdictions statewide must provide organics collection under SB 1383. Food-soiled pizza boxes can go in compostables carts.

Portland, Oregon updated its guidelines under the state’s Recycling Modernization Act. As of July 2025, empty pizza boxes with minimal grease are recyclable, while greasier boxes can go in yard waste bins.

King County, Washington accepts pizza boxes in composting, noting that food-soiled paper can be composted, though clean cardboard is better recycled.

For home composting, tear greasy cardboard into small pieces to speed up decomposition. The cardboard provides essential carbon to balance nitrogen-rich food scraps, improving compost quality.

How to Check Your Local Guidelines

Domino’s partnered with WestRock to launch Recycle My Pizza Box, which lets you enter your ZIP code to find specific recycling guidance for your area. The site also provides template language you can share with local recycling programs that haven’t yet updated their guidelines.

Advocate for Change

If your municipality still lists pizza boxes in the “no” pile, you can help drive change:

The progress since 2020 shows that advocacy works. Communities from Anchorage to New York have updated their programs based on this research.

Eat happily—that box can become the next pizza box you receive, or any number of other paper products that keep valuable fiber in circulation.

Learn More

Editor’s Note: Originally published on July 28, 2020, this article was substantially updated in February 2026.

The post Pizza Boxes Are More Recyclable Than Ever appeared first on Earth911.

https://earth911.com/how-to-recycle/yes-pizza-boxes-are-recyclable/

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Green Living

Best of Sustainability In Your Ear: REC Solar and Trinchero Family Estates Electrify Winemaking

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2 days ago

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February 4, 2026

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Energy is required at every step of the food and beverage industry supply chain, from growing grapes to bottling and delivery, making it a significant source of emissions and a prime target for climate innovation. On this episode of Earth911’s Sustainability in Your Ear, we explore how wineries and other producers are turning to clean, renewable energy to cut costs, reduce emissions, and future-proof their operations. We’re joined by James Presta, Business Development Manager at REC Solar, and Mario Trinchero of Trinchero Family Estates, a storied family-run winery in California’s Sonoma County. REC Solar and Trinchero teamed up to bring solar energy to one of the country’s largest winery operations, showing how collaboration between energy experts and agricultural producers can drive meaningful progress toward a carbon-neutral future.

James Presta, Business Development Manager at REC Solar, joined Mario Trinchero of winemaker Trinchero Family Estates on Sustainability In Your Ear.

James explains that a decentralized electric grid is emerging—powered by modular solar installations and guided by power purchase agreements (PPAs) that lock in long-term energy prices. When networked together, these individual installations can form a resilient web of renewable power. Solar, wind, and geothermal systems will provide flexibility and stability in a world of climate extremes—if we act quickly enough to scale them. Mario reflects on the motivations behind his family’s move to solar: sustainability is not just good business, it’s essential to preserving the land and legacy that define the brand. By using solar energy in its winemaking process, Trinchero has cut emissions and operating costs while strengthening its commitment to environmental stewardship. We also delve into the mechanics of PPAs—a modern-day version of the 1930s rural electrification initiative that brought power to American farms. But now, companies like REC Solar—not government agencies—extend the grid through private partnerships. These agreements offer fixed pricing, shared risk, and maintenance contracts, but it’s critical to understand the provider’s long-term plans. A strong PPA can unlock the potential to electrify entire supply chains, eliminate dependence on diesel generators, and drive innovations where wires have never reached. And the potential for abundant, clean power is growing. What could we build if we end up with more energy than we need? As James and Mario suggest, the answer may be anything we can imagine with the right infrastructure—without the pollution that defined the last century. Learn more about REC Solar at recsolar.com and about Trinchero Family Estates at tfewines.com.

Editor’s Note: This episode originally aired on May 26, 2025.

The post Best of Sustainability In Your Ear: REC Solar and Trinchero Family Estates Electrify Winemaking appeared first on Earth911.

https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-rec-solar-and-trinchero-family-estates-electrify-winemaking/

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Green Living

Sustainability In Your Ear: Milwaukee’s Kevin Shafer on Circular Thinking in Wastewater Management

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4 days ago

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February 2, 2026

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Every gallon of wastewater flowing through a municipal sewer contains recoverable energy, nutrients, and water—assets that the linear “flush and forget” model has long treated as problems to dispose of rather than value to recapture. Meet Kevin Shafer, who has spent more than two decades proving otherwise. As executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) since 2002, he’s transformed an agency once mocked as a symbol of government waste into a national model for sustainable infrastructure, and last year, Veolia designated it as America’s first “eco factory.”
Kevin Shafer, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, is our guest on Sustainability In Your Ear.

Milwaukee’s circular approach actually predates the term by nearly a century. In 1926, the district began producing Milorganite—Milwaukee organic nitrogen—a fertilizer made from dried biosolids that most utilities simply spread on fields or incinerate. Today, that product returns $11 to $12 million annually to the city’s budget while keeping waste out of landfills. Kevin explains that this foundational commitment to doing the right thing has shaped MMSD’s culture ever since: ‘We just always look at those type of approaches. It’s foundational to the district.’

The district’s eight digesters at its South Shore plant now generate 80 to 85% of the facility’s electricity from biosolids, with enough material left over to continue making Milorganite. Kevin calls it Cradle to Cradle in action, referring to the philosophy pioneered by architect William McDonough, who visited MMSD in 2006 and was intrigued by work that predated his framework by decades. The district is also partnering with regional breweries and food processors, accepting their organic waste streams for co-digestion. This reduces disposal costs for industry partners while increasing energy production—a synergy that Kevin sees as the future of utility operations.

Looking ahead, Kevin’s 2035 vision targets 100% renewable energy and a 90% carbon reduction compared to 2005. He argues that utilities should see themselves as anchor institutions with generational responsibilities: ‘I won’t be here 50 years from now, but MMSD will be.’ That long view has attracted new partners. ‘All of a sudden they say, oh, here’s someone that’s thinking a little bit differently about something, and maybe we can help them, or they can help us.’ The key barrier to scaling the circular economy, he believes, isn’t technology—it’s institutional culture and a narrow focus on regulatory compliance rather than systems thinking.

You can learn more about the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District at mmsd.com.

The post Sustainability In Your Ear: Milwaukee’s Kevin Shafer on Circular Thinking in Wastewater Management appeared first on Earth911.

https://earth911.com/podcast/sustainability-in-your-ear-milwaukees-kevin-shafer-on-circular-thinking-in-wastewater-management/

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