Spotlight on ‘hybrid’ diapers

Parents have debated the merits of cloth and disposable diapers for years, and now there’s a third option to add to the debate—gDiapers.

gDiapers are a “hybrid” diaper that’s a combination of cloth and disposables. The diaper consists of an outer cotton pant that comes in small, medium, and large sizes, and a snap-in, reusable waterproof liner.

Inside this outer cover, you insert a disposable, decomposable diaper refill that can be flushed down the toilet (no diaper pail necessary). You can also throw the refills in the trash without “green guilt,” or even compost wet ones that contain no solids. gDiapers contain no plastic; they’re made from wood fluff pulp, sodium polyacrylate (or “SAP,” which provides absorbency), and cellulose rayon. They are made to decompose within 50 to 150 days.

The downside? You’ll have to get used to flushing them. The gDiaper Starter Kit (about $26 on www.amazon.com), which contains two cotton pants, two waterproof liners, and 10 flushable refills, also comes with a “swishstick” to help the refills go down. To prevent toilet clogging, you’ll need to use the swishstick to separate the inner core of the refill from the outer material.

gDiapers aren’t for everybody, or at least not everybody’s plumbing. The instructions on the company’s Web site say, “Do not flush with tree-infested, faulty or nonstandard plumbing, and use with caution with septic systems.” The Web site advises you to check your septic system “every few days to make sure the outflow is clear.” That’s not feasible if you have a buried septic system, so you might want to stick to tossing or composting. A 4-pack of 40-count gDiaper disposable liner refills will run you roughly $54.

See our Ratings report on disposable diapers and our report on cloth diapers for more information.