Coterie vs. Healthy Baby vs. Freestyle vs. Happy Little Camper vs. Kudos
If you’ve been researching diapers for your little one, you’ve likely come across the whole chlorine debate in the form of a battle between Total Chlorine Free (TCF) versus Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) diapers. It’s a hot topic for good reason. Personally, if given the option, I feel safer going with TCF diapers so I can be sure chlorine bleaching was not part of the process at all.
And if you’ve found yourself here, you likely feel the same too. But which Total Chlorine Free diapers are the best? I’m here to break it down for you comparing Coterie vs. Healthy Baby vs. Freestyle vs. Happy Little Camper vs. Kudos.
Total Chlorine Free diapers vs. Elemental Chlorine Free diapers
TCF? ECF? Let’s discuss what these buzzwords mean.
Simply put, Total Chlorine Free diapers are made without the use of chlorine or chlorine derivatives in the bleaching process when diaper materials are manufactured. Traditional diapers depend on bleaching techniques involving chlorine compounds, which produce harmful, toxic byproducts, potentially causing health and skin problems.
ECF, or Elemental Chlorine Free, are diapers crafted without elemental chlorine. Here's the catch: ECF isn't entirely chlorine-free because it uses chlorine dioxide instead of elemental chlorine for bleaching, and chlorine dioxide is a derivative of chlorine.
What diaper brands are Total Chlorine Free (TCF)?
There are a handful of brands that can actually claim the TCF status, and you’ll notice none of them are brands you’ll typically find in big box stores, produced by the diaper giants that are household names. Namely, Millie Moon and Honest Diapers are no longer Total Chlorine Free. Here’s a complete list of Total Chlorine Free diapers I considered for this comparison.
- Coterie
- Kudos
- Pura
- Eco by Naty
- Parasol
- Healthy Baby
- Terra
- EcoPeaCo
- Freestyle
- Bambo
- Abby and Finn
- Happy Little Camper
- Attitude Living
- Joonya
How I Selected the Best Total Chlorine Free Diaper
I'm tackling this showdown the way I know best – with extensive research. I'm sizing up each contender based on the top five factors that matter most to me when picking a diaper: ingredient safety, because I want to know what's touching my baby's skin; absorbency, because nobody wants a messy blowout; softness, for that comfy feel against my baby's sensitive skin; availability, because convenience is key; and cost, because budget is always a consideration.
Criteria #1: Ingredient safety
Coterie: TCF, free of latex, fragrance, lotion, dye, alcohol, heavy metals, brighteners, parabens, phthalates. Hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested and third-party tested. They are the only brand to release a Diaper Safety Report for full transparency into safety standards. 5/5
Healthy Baby: TCF, free of parabens, phthalates, fragrances, optical brighteners, latex, and lotions. EWG verified, OEKO TEX certified, allergy certified, plastic neutral certified. 5/5
Freestyle: TCF, free of fragrances, parabens, allergens, phthalates, alcohol, and latex. 4/5
Happy Little Camper: TCF, free of alcohol, fragrances, parabens, lotion, latex. Hypoallergenic. 4/5
Kudos: TCF, free of fragrance, phthalates, latex, alcohol, parabens. OEKO TEX certified. 4/5
Ingredient Safety Winner: Tied Coterie & Healthy Baby
Criteria #2: Absorbency
Coterie: This diaper absorbed liquid instantly and felt incredibly dry within seconds. 5/5
Healthy Baby: This diaper absorbed slightly slower than Coterie, and feels wet still after several minutes. 3/5
Freestyle: This diaper absorbed decently quickly, but definitely feels wet to the touch. 3/5
Happy Little Camper: Absorbency appears identical to Healthy Baby, feeling wet to the touch still after several minutes. 3/5
Kudos: This diaper absorbed decently quickly, but felt the wettest of all the options. 2/5
Absorbency Winner: Coterie
Criteria #3: Softness
Coterie: OMG these are so soft inside and out! They are plush and feel like cashmere. 5/5
Healthy Baby: These are very thin – tied with Happy Little Camper, but do have a touch of softness. 3/5
Freestyle: These are soft on the outside, but the inside top sheet is a bit rougher. 3/5
Happy Little Camper: These are just as thin as Healthy Baby, but do have a touch of softness. 3/5
Kudos: These feel rough and like plastic. 1/5
Softness Winner: Coterie
Criteria #4: Availability
Coterie: Available at Coterie.com. Customer service by email and text support 24/7. Never go out-of-stock. Delivery within 1 to 5 business days. Express shipping available ($25 fee). Single packs are available to ship to your destination when traveling. Additional purchase options: in-store and online at Whole Foods (sizes 2 to 5, typically in-stock) 5/5
Healthy Baby: Available at HealthyBaby.com. Customer service by phone or email. Delivery to the East Coast typically takes 3 business days, while delivery to the West Coast can take up to 10 business days. Express shipping available at a surcharge ($20 to $30 fee). Single packs are available to ship. Usually available in all sizes and typically don’t go out of stock. Additional purchase options: Target (typically out-of-stock in-store, but available online), and Walmart (online only). 3/5
Freestyle: Available at Freestyle.com. Customer service via text support or email. Delivery within 2 to 5 days. Single packs are not available. Usually in-stock. Additional purchase options: in-store and online at Whole Foods (sizes 3 to 5, typically in-stock) 4/5
Happy Little Camper: Available at HappyLittleCamperBaby.com. Delivery within 3 to 5 days. Customer support available by phone or email. Single packs are available to ship. Often out-of-stock (at time of writing Size 3 and Size 4 had been out of stock for several weeks). Additional purchase options: online at Amazon and Walmart (but same size availability limits). 2/5
Kudos: Available at Kudos.com. Customer service via email only. Delivery within 2 to 5 days, but may be delayed 2-3 weeks due to operations. Single packs are not available. Usually in-stock. No additional purchase options. 3/5
Availability Winner: Coterie
Criteria #5: Cost
Assuming you are signing up for a diaper subscription, here’s how the cost breaks down.
Coterie: 198 diapers in Size 1 = $90 ($0.45/diaper)
Healthy Baby: 210 diapers in Size 1 = $105 ($0.50/diaper)
Freestyle: 204 diapers in Size 1 = $100 ($0.49/diaper) *includes a 4 pack of wipes
Happy Little Camper: 216 diapers in Size 2 = $65.99 ($0.31/diaper)
Kudos: 216 diapers in Size 1 = $78 ($0.36/diaper)*
Cost Winner: Happy Little Camper
And the winner of the TCF diaper showdown is Coterie!
Taking all these criteria into account, plus the brand's extreme transparency with its public Diaper Safety Report, Coterie is my top pick for best non-toxic, Total Chlorine Free diaper. Ultimately my decision was heavily persuaded by the superior absorbency of Coterie compared to the rest. Because what good is a diaper if it isn’t wicking away moisture quickly with the ability to hold it liquid to avoid leaks and blowouts?
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