The Best Non-Toxic Diapers: One Mom’s Review

If you’ve got a little one coming your way, odds are you’re building a stockpile of one item: Diapers. Diapers. And more diapers. 

Among the hundreds of decisions parents will make, diapers are a big one. After all, diapers are the item your baby will wear the most, and they protect a very sensitive area for little ones. 

It’s easy to feel a lot of pressure to find the best non-toxic diapers that work for your baby and your budget. I have a six-month-old daughter (I’ll refer to her as Kay) who loves to put diapers to the test. So we did just that, and tested out some of the most popular non-toxic diapers. 

P.S. Many of the brands below carry wipes too, but if you’re interested in a more detailed breakdown of what to look for in non-toxic disposable baby wipes, check out this guide. And for organic reusable reusable baby wipes, click here. Lastly, here’s our guide to cloth diapering brands!

This guide contains product recommendations, and we may receive compensation through affiliate links or editorial fees. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!

“Organic” and “Natural” Disposable Diapers Don’t Actually Exist

Before you can decide which diapers are the best for your little one(s), it’s worth understanding that 100% organic diapers aren’t actually a thing.

A couple of brands use a bit of conventional and/or organic cotton in certain parts of their diapers, but that’s not what the majority of the diaper is made out of.

This is mostly because no one has yet figured out how to make an organic diaper that has the qualities parents have gotten used to in disposable diapers: super absorbent, leak-proof, fits well, etc.

Instead, your best options for disposable diapers are ones that are made out of plant-based synthetics and other natural materials, that are free from mystery additives like fragrances and lotions, and ideally have some sort of third-party certification and/or testing process.

In other words, there’s no such thing as a “plastic-free” disposable diaper; they all use plastic materials in one way or another.

The good news, however, is that there is no shortage of brands that are making disposable diapers that actually work out of the safest materials currently available.

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A few things to note: 

• Kay is a little prone to diaper rash (though not as much as other babies) so I noted whether her skin seemed irritated during diaper use.

• In the factors I tested, I included a wetness indicator. Wetness indicators work through a chemical called Bromothymol Blue, a chemical dye used as a pH indicator. The idea is that if acid (urine) is present, the line will turn from yellow to blue. To reduce the chemicals your baby is exposed to, you may not want a diaper with a wetness indicator. But as a first-time parent with a colicky baby who would cry constantly, we were desperate for quick clues of a wet diaper. Now that Kay is out of her colic era (and now that we’ve gained confidence), we don’t rely on wetness indicators anymore.

• Every baby is different, so the diapers that worked for my kiddo may not work for yours. This is my honest experience with these particular brands. Keep reading for our non-toxic disposable diaper findings!

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Dyper

Overview: Dyper diapers (yes, I had fun saying this word twice while testing) are made from plant-based synthetic materials, including responsibly-sourced bamboo. Their bamboo is manufactured using a closed-loop process, and it’s also STeP by OEKO-TEX® certified, which provides a certain level of oversight into the safety of the chemicals used in the manufacturing process.

They also offer REDYPER™, a disposable diaper composting service. After you sign up, you leave your dirty diapers on your porch where they’re picked up, taken to a TerraCycle facility, and apparently turned into biochar. The program is only available in certain cities for now but they’re working on expanding.

Price per diaper: About $0.61 per diaper for a one-time purchase of Size 2. Subscriptions available (with discounts).

Size range: NB–6 (<10 to 35+ lbs), plus training pants 2T–6T (<34 to 41+ lbs)

Wetness indicator: Yes, Dyper non-toxic diapers do include a wetness indicator.

Blow-out proof: Yep, Kay REALLY put these to the blow-out test, and Dyper held strong!

Sensitive-skin friendly: Yes. Kay had no diaper rash issues with these!

TCF or ECF? ECF

Found at big stores: Dyper products are available at Target and Amazon.

Would I re-buy them: Yes, I would love to repurchase Dyper! I really liked how these diapers fit Kay. They were easy to change and felt very sturdy and high-quality. That said, they are one of the pricier options on this list for cost per diaper.  

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HIRO

Overview: HIRO has a very cool concept; they are really trying to innovate and work toward solving the problem of disposable diapers not being biodegradable. 

HIRO’s non-toxic diapers are the only unbleached disposable option on the market, and each diaper comes with a Myco-Pod™ Pouch. When you dispose of a soiled diaper, you drop a pod in, then put it in a bin as usual. The Mycelium helps the diaper break down. 

HIRO has only been on the market since 2025, but their vision is to “break down soft plastics in under 12 months in landfills.” This mission fuels their EasyEC™program, an elimination communication method that builds natural potty awareness to help babies transition out of diapers earlier.

Price per diaper: About $0.75 per diaper for a one-time purchase of Size 2, though this also includes wipes and their HIRO Myco-Pod™ Pouches. Discounted pricing for subscriptions.

Size range: NB (under 10 lbs) – size 5 (27+ lbs)

Wetness indicator: No, HIRO non-toxic diapers do not include a wetness indicator.

The HIRO team told us that this was actually on purpose. They said that for most babies, the wetness indicator was actually leading to too many diaper changes; the line would turn blue at the slightest amount of liquid, even though the diaper was still mostly dry. So their goal in removing the line was to reduce waste and save you money.

Blow-out proof: Kay had a Hall of Blow-out Fame BM in these and there was only minimal leakage. I was extremely impressed with how these held up!

Sensitive-skin friendly: Yes. HIRO diapers felt super soft and didn’t irritate Kay’s skin.

TCF or ECF? TCF

Found at big stores: Right now HIRO non-toxic diapers are only available directly via their website.

Would I re-buy them: Depending on the phase of diapering, I would re-purchase HIRO diapers. Remembering to always use the Myco-Pod™ Pouch was challenging, and I think it could be tough in the sleep-deprived newborn trenches. And the pouches are another thing to pack in a diaper bag set-up. For at home changes with older babies, I think they’re a great option.

P.S. Code THEFILTERY for the following deal: $99 for life on the monthly HIRO’s Journey Subscription (including diapers, HIRO Pouches and 4 packs of wipes)

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Coterie

Overview: Coterie is a favorite diaper option with parents (I have a few friends who won’t buy anything else!) known for their absorbency, with “apparel-grade” materials without dyes or inks. 

Coterie offers a Safety Report that details the toxic chemicals they’ve eliminated in their products. For growing kiddos, Coterie also has training pants and skincare products.

Coterie isn’t as non-toxic & natural as some of the other brands listed here; their top sheet is plastic. But in terms of performance (fit, no leakage, etc.), it is one of the best. So it’s a good middle ground for that reason.

Plus, they’re EWG Verified!

Price per diaper: About $0.62 per diaper for a one-time purchase of Size 2. You can get discounts when you subscribe.

Size range: NB–6 (<10 to 35+ lbs), plus pull-up pants sizes 3–6 (16–35+ lbs)

Wetness indicator: Yes, Coterie non-toxic diapers include a wetness indicator.

Blow-out proof: Oh yeah. Coterie faced some truly gnarly BMs and held strong. 

Sensitive-skin friendly: Yes! Coterie diapers are SO soft and sturdy and truly feel “apparel-grade.”

TCF or ECF? TCF

Found at big stores: Coterie products are available on Amazon and (surprisingly?) at Pottery Barn Kids, just in case you need some diapers while decorating your nursery.

Would I re-buy them: Yes, I would re-buy Coterie after feeling the difference in their materials. As Kay gets older, I’d also look into their training underwear!

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Honest

Overview: Honest non-toxic diapers are made from materials like TCF wood pulp, PE, and plant-based PLA. Honest offers a ton of other non-toxic beauty and baby products, like wipes, training pants, and lotions. We tested out a few of their printed diapers, though I would’ve preferred a plain white. 

Price per diaper: About $0.37 per diaper for a one-time purchase of Size 2. Some discounts may apply if ordered via Amazon subscriptions.

Size range: NB–7 (<10 to 41+ lbs), plus training pants up to 5T

Wetness indicator: Yes, although it’s a little hard to see with the more vibrant prints.

Blow-out proof: Yes, Honest non-toxic diapers held up well against a few big BMs.

Sensitive-skin friendly: Yes, Honest diapers were soft on Kay’s skin and didn’t cause any irritation.

TCF or ECF? ECF

Found at big stores: Honest diapers are probably the most widely available, sold on Amazon, Target, Walmart, and some local pharmacies.

Would I re-buy them: Yes, if only because of how convenient it is to find Honest diapers! I liked that Honest was one of the more affordable brands on the list. I don’t love how the dark patterns show through white onesies or make the wetness indicator a bit hard to see, but the pros outweigh the cons.

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Kudos

Overview: Kudos diapers are OEKO-TEX certified, and they are one of the few brands I personally tested with a layer of cotton (not organic, but grown and sourced in the USA) against baby’s skin.

Price per diaper: About $0.45 per diaper for a one-time purchase of Size 2. Discounts available when you subscribe..

Size range: 1-6 (7-35+ lbs)

Wetness indicator: Yes, Kudos non-toxic diapers include a wetness indicator.

Blow-out proof: Sort of. We had a few minor blowouts in Kudos. Kudos diapers did seem to be less absorbent for overnight wear. Kay woke up early in the morning a few times while wearing Kudos diapers, seemingly due to being bothered by the wetness. 

Sensitive-skin friendly: Yes. Kudos did not irritate Kay’s skin.

TCF or ECF? TCF

Found at big stores: Kudos products are available at Target.

Would I re-buy them: Unfortunately not. Overall I found the fit on the Kudos diapers to be less absorbent than other brands on this list, so I wouldn’t re-purchase them. 

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Healthybaby

Overview: Healthybaby diapers are EWG Verified to be free from a long list of harsh chemicals, including phthalates, optical brighteners, and more. They are OEKO-TEX, FSC, and B Corp certified, have a transparent list of materials, and are free of inks and dyes. 

It’s one of the “cleanest” brands in terms of the materials, which is why I really wished it worked better for us in terms of fit and performance.

Price per diaper: About $0.56 per diaper for a one-time purchase of Size 2. Discounts available with subscriptions.

Size range: 1–6 (6–37+ lbs) plus the pull-on pants sizes 3–6 (12–37+ lbs)

Wetness indicator: No, Healthybaby non-toxic diapers do not include a wetness indicator.

Blow-out proof: Unfortunately in our experience, Healthybaby diapers were not blow-out proof. Kay had a few in these, including one in the car, which was particularly harrowing.

Sensitive-skin friendly: These did not irritate Kay’s skin, but we did find a few pieces of small debris while changing her a few times.

TCF or ECF? TCF

Found at big stores: HealthyBaby products are available at Target and Amazon

Would I re-buy them: Unlikely, if only because the fit seemed off. Kay was a solid Size 2 while writing this, and Healthybaby’s Size 2 was small compared to other brands. We tried a Size 3, and that change still didn’t stop a few blowouts. 

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Even more non-toxic diapers:

Cuddle-Kin:

With 100% plant-based core and lining, Cuddle-Kin is a smaller non-toxic diaper brand focused on materials safe for sensitive skin. Cuddle-Kin uses OEKO-TEX® certified dyes that are safe for sensitive skin and are transparent with their testing. They’re also total chlorine free (TCF).

Cuddle-Kin sent me a few diapers to use, and they were incredibly soft — probably the softest texture on this list. Sadly I was not able to test the samples against blow-outs (wish as I might, my baby does not poop on command).

Cuddle-Kin run about $0.46 per diaper for a one-time purchase of Size 2, and subscriptions are available through their site.

Ecoriginals:

Ecoriginals are a well-loved, sustainability-focused brand made from almost entirely natural materials. Ecoriginals are OEKO-TEX and FSC certified, committed to plastic neutrality, and offer supply chain transparency Ecoriginals non-toxic diapers run about $0.69 per diaper for a one-time purchase of Size 2.

I did not get to try Ecoriginals myself, but really appreciate their dedication to sustainability. 

Here are even more diapers that use more conscious materials. I haven’t gotten to try these ones yet, but you might want to!

• Bambo
• EcoPeaCo
• Joonya
• Parasol
• Thrive Market

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Things to Avoid in Baby Diapers

In 2019, a study funded by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) tested 23 different types of diapers and found toxicants of various kinds, including dioxins, formaldehyde, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons).

That same year, another study also found phthalates and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) of various kinds in baby diapers as well as sanitary pads.

Why are these harmful chemicals in diapers?

Well, some of them are there because most conventional diapers are made from plastic, which means they naturally contain some of these petroleum byproducts.

Other chemicals are there because of the chlorine bleaching process. (This is why we recommend diapers that are processed using the totally chlorine free, or TCF, method—more on that below.)

And some of them are actually added to diapers intentionally. Phthalates, for example, are commonly found in fragrances and lotions (which is why we recommend choosing diapers that are free from these additives).

Better Ingredients for Disposable Diapers

Here’s what to look for instead:

1. Plant-Based Synthetics

As mentioned above, most conventional disposable diapers are made almost entirely out of plastic, which is not only less eco-friendly, but it also means there’s greater likelihood that they could contain some of the toxicants listed above.

Plant-based synthetics are not perfect (they still have to go through a pretty intense manufacturing process), but they are at least a better, petroleum-free option.

The main kinds of plant-based synthetics you’ll find in diapers include:

• Polyethylene
• Polypropylene
• PLA (polylactic acid)

These materials are most commonly sourced from plants like:

• Eucalyptus
• Wood pulp
• Corn starch
• Sugar cane

You’ll see a lot of the diapers below come with third-party certifications that provide a certain amount of accountability for brands to ensure their plant-based materials have been sourced in a responsible way that doesn’t contribute to deforestation.

The two main certifications you’ll see are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative). These certifications mean generally the same thing, they’re just run by different organizations. When you see these certifications, it doesn’t mean the whole diaper is certified; rather, it’s mostly referring to the wood pulp used in the absorbent core of the diaper.

2. Other Natural Materials

You’ll find a few of the diapers below also use cotton in their diapers as well. Healthybaby, for example, uses 15% organic cotton in the outer layer of their diapers. And Kudos is actually the only brand that puts a sheet of (non-organic) cotton on the innermost layer of the diaper that touches the baby’s skin.

3. A Minimal Amount of Other Synthetics

As I mentioned, there aren’t actually any diapers that are 100% free from ALL petroleum-derived derivatives. Most disposable diapers contain at least some SAP (super absorbent polymer), and apparently no one has figured out how to make a diaper core that’s made completely from natural resources AND actually does the job it needs to do. Some brands also use other synthetics like polyester for the diaper backsheet.

Even cloth diapers, which actually can be made with 100% organic cotton for the inner layer still need an water-resistant outer cove, which is usually made from TPU (a plastic).

So, for now we look for brands that are using the least amount of petroleum-derived plastics as possible. The recommended brands listed below are using anywhere from about 50-90% naturally-derived materials.

Additionally, we look for brands that are free from other kinds of synthetic additives like phthalates and parabens.

4. Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) Whitening

Many of the harsh chemicals that end up in diapers are a result of the bleaching process.

Most bleaching processes use chlorine, which produces toxic dioxins and furans. Dioxins are considered persistent environmental pollutants (POPs), which accumulate in the food chain (mainly in the fatty tissue of animals).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dioxins “can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer.” Furans can cause eye, skin, and mucus membrane irritation and are also carcinogenic.

There are multiple different bleaching methods, but the main one you’ll want to look for in diapers is TCF, or totally chlorine free. As the name indicates, this method uses zero chlorine or chlorine-derived products at all.

What About Latex?

Latex is not toxic, but it can be irritating for some little ones, especially those with extra sensitive skin. That’s why most of the brands below make diapers that are completely latex-free.

Is There a 100% Biodegradable Diaper?

Nope, sorry. Truly biodegradable diapers are not really a thing. The recommended brands below are made from partially biodegradable/compostable materials, but none of them are 100%. And if you can’t compost the whole thing, then it’s not really compostable at all. HIRO is a really innovative company, and they’ve come the closest so far!

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What about these big brands?

Huggies:

Most of Huggies diapers are still made with petroleum-derived synthetics. However, their “Special Delivery” diapers are made from mostly the same plant-based materials as the recommended brands above, so if you’re going to go for Huggies, those would be your best option.

However, Huggie’s fluff is elemental chlorine free (ECF) instead of total chlorine free (TCF). While ECF is still better than traditional chlorine bleaching, this method still uses chlorine dioxide, which is a chlorine derivative. So it’s not quite as non-toxic as TCF.

Pamper’s:

Like Huggies, most of Pamper’s diapers are still made using conventional plastic materials. However, their Pamper’s Pure diapers are made from many of the same plant-based synthetics as the recommended brands above, so those would be your best option. However, Pamper’s Pure fluff is also made using the ECF method instead of TCF.

Cuties:

Cuties diapers are made from much of the same ingredients are the non-toxic diaper brands recommended above, including SFI sourced plant-based fluff, a cotton-enhanced dryness layer, SAP, polypropylene, etc. Just like Huggie’s and Pamper’s Pure, though, Cuties wood pulp fluff is also processed using the ECF method, which means they’re not totally free from all chlorine derivatives.

Kirkland’s from Costco:

Costco’s diapers are an okay choice. And if you’re a Costco member, they’re definitely going to be one of your most affordable options. They’re made from a lot of the usual plant-based ingredients (wood pulp, sugarcane polyethylene, etc.) combined with synthetics (SAP, elastics, etc.). However, Kirkland’s diapers are also made using the ECF method instead of TCF.

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My last thoughts on the best non-toxic diapers

Overall a big takeaway from this test was this: There are many non-toxic diapers that are passionate about providing quality products to parents and babies. What you choose will depend on whether you prioritize sustainability, materials, or price. 

And one diaper might work best for a specific phrase of parenthood. As I’m reminded on a weekly — sometimes daily! — basis, these babies change SO quickly. Their diapering needs do too. Trust your intuition as we wrangle one of the messier aspects of parenthood!