Why did baby diaper companies go cloth backed?

I'm not sure why baby diapers are going that route, but I know I prefer cloth backed because I like not making noise.

Slomo said:

Yes, a lot less plastic. None on the sides...

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Really? What are the sides made of? I assumed it was plastic too...?

tiny said:

Really? What are the sides made of? I assumed it was plastic too...?

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No plastic on the sides, that's why they are breathable. Also why they don't hold pee very well. It's just the same permeable cloth backing that's used on the front. It just extends all the way to the sides.

If you look closely at an adult disposable cloth diaper you can see where the narrow plastic strip stops. It doesn't even wrap around the inside portion of the legs either. This is why they are so prone to leaking. A horrible attempt at making a diaper really.

Comparitively, that plastic layer does extend from side to side on baby cloth disposable diapers. We adults do not have anything similar to this in our size. That's why if you want something that actually works you have to stick with a full plastic backed adult diaper.

Slomo said:

No plastic on the sides, that's why they are breathable. Also why they don't hold pee very well. It's just the same permeable cloth backing that's used on the front. It just extends all the way to the sides.

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But that's all made of plastic. "Breathable" just means that air can pass through the material. Nylon and polyester are plastic, but they're spun in to threads and woven like cotton. They're used to make running/cycling jerseys because they are breathable, but don't absorb moisture.

The "cloth-like" material on the main outside part of the diaper is produced by spraying hot plastic through tiny nozzles, blowing them cool, and bonding them to a base material, such as a polyethylene backsheet.

The manufacturing process involved in using a PE backsheet and adhering a "cloth-like" non-woven plastic layer MUST be more costly than simply using a PE backsheet. The question is whether this method actually uses any less plastic, and if so, whether the savings in material costs are greater than the added expense of fabrication.

Slomo said:

If you look closely at an adult disposable cloth diaper you can see where the narrow plastic strip stops. It doesn't even wrap around the inside portion of the legs either. This is why they are so prone to leaking. A horrible attempt at making a diaper really.

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That's polyethylene film. It's used to make the diaper waterproof. It's usually a lot thinner in diapers with a cloth-like backing, which makes the diaper more flexible.

Slomo said:

I Comparitively, that plastic layer does extend from side to side on baby cloth disposable diapers. We adults do not have anything similar to this in our size. That's why if you want something that actually works you have to stick with a full plastic backed adult diaper.

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I did once buy a batch of diapers that had the fuzzy backing AND a full PE backsheet. They actually worked pretty well -- better than any other cloth-like diapers. But... I just prefer plastic-backing. It was ages ago when cloth-like backing was a "new thing"...

But yeah -- plastic-backed (i.e. PE-backed) diapers are the best! :smile1:

tiny said:

But that's all made of plastic. "Breathable" just means that air can pass through the material. Nylon and polyester are plastic, but they're spun in to threads and woven like cotton. They're used to make running/cycling jerseys because they are breathable, but don't absorb moisture.

The "cloth-like" material on the main outside part of the diaper is produced by spraying hot plastic through tiny nozzles, blowing them cool, and bonding them to a base material, such as a polyethylene backsheet.

The manufacturing process involved in using a PE backsheet and adhering a "cloth-like" non-woven plastic layer MUST be more costly than simply using a PE backsheet. The question is whether this method actually uses any less plastic, and if so, whether the savings in material costs are greater than the added expense of fabrication.



That's polyethylene film. It's used to make the diaper waterproof. It's usually a lot thinner in diapers with a cloth-like backing, which makes the diaper more flexible.



I did once buy a batch of diapers that had the fuzzy backing AND a full PE backsheet. They actually worked pretty well -- better than any other cloth-like diapers. But... I just prefer plastic-backing. It was ages ago when cloth-like backing was a "new thing"...

But yeah -- plastic-backed (i.e. PE-backed) diapers are the best! :smile1:

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All really good points, which I do not disagree with (I purposely generalize the points I make in the hopes others will understand more easily). Which kind of brings us back to cloth like disposables being more of a marketing perception than anything else. Well, that and more company profits.

Slomo said:

Which kind of brings us back to cloth like disposables being more of a marketing perception than anything else. Well, that and more company profits.

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Yep -- that's my take on it. The phrase "cloth-like" sounds more comfortable than "plastic backed", and the tactile sensation makes them feel much more like clothing than an incontinence device. So I reckon it's all about brand perception rather than performance or cost or anything else.

I remember, years back, when a toothbrush was a toothbrush. Then one company started making brushes with longer bristles at the edges... then every other toothbrush brand copied them. Then they made them with a bend in the handle... and every other brand followed suit. Then they added blue bristles that fade when the brush is worn out... they put a tongue-scraper on the back... rubberised handles... etc., etc. in a never-ending game of cat-and-mouse one-upmanship.

It drives me crazy. You go to the shops and can't find the one brand of deodorant that you always use because they've changed the packaging. Or your favourite beer has a "new improved" recipe that makes it much easier to mass-produce but also tastes like crap.

Or you buy your favourite brand of diaper, only to discover they've changed the design yet again! Boo!