Cloth Diapers made in the USA

 If you are concerned about keeping manufacturing plants and jobs in the USA, this is where you can find products to help do that!  All of these diapers are made right here in the United States.  

Rethink Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers have evolved a ton from the time that I was cloth diapered! Modern cloth diapers have no pins, no rubber pants, are super cute, and super easy to use.  

What you put on your baby does matter. Your baby's skin acts as a sponge and soaks up everything that you put on it. This is why you are strongly urged not to put sunscreen on a baby under 6 months old, they just don't have the ability to filter out toxins. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics has not made a stance on whether disposable or cloth diapers are better for your baby, they have made it very clear that you should limit the amount of chemicals that you expose your baby to. Disposable diapers contain various toxins such as Tributyltin, Sodium Polyacrylate, and Dioxin. that are up against your baby's skin 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 2-3 years.

America Recycles Day

The EcoBuns crew is extremely passionate about keeping a tiny footprint, so we were thrilled when Matt from Chef Container asked us to be part of their America Recycles Day project.

It was a blast to work with amazing leaders in our community.  We are very fortunate to live in a very forward thinking community, and many local companies are also very concerned with their environmental impact.

To see the entire video series, check out the website recyclingisknowledge.com.  You can also check out the Lakeshore Recycling Guide which offers a TON of resources and info for Ottawa and Allegan counties.

You can also take the pledge to recycle HERE.

Nestlings Ornaments Available at EcoBuns

You can now help support Nestlings Diaper Bank of West Michigan by purchasing a limited edition ornament from EcoBuns.  Local artist Carolyn Stich designed the artwork for the ornament. 

When you purchase a Nestlings ornament, you are supporting a great local cause!  Nestlings has been providing disposable diapers for low income families for over two years.  In April of 2013, EcoBuns and Nestlings created a partnership to provide cloth diapers and the education on how to care for the diapers to low income families.  Not only are you purchasing a beautiful ornament for your home, you are also helping provide an invaluable service to West Michigan.  

Stop into EcoBuns today and get yours before they are gone!!

*CLOSED* You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!

They're HERE!!!  We received our very limited shipment of the Gingerbread diaper.  

The EcoBuns team has thought long and hard about how to allow everyone a fair chance at snatching up one of the 6 diapers.

Here's how it will work: 

If you are interested in purchasing one of these diapers, leave ONE comment on this blog post with your PayPal address and let us know if you will need the diaper shipped, or if you will pick it up.  

Don't have PayPal?  Leave your email address and let us know that you will call the store or come in to pay if you win.  

You will have until Tuesday, November 26th at noon EST to leave a commentletting us know that you are interested in the diaper.  

After that time we will use random.org to pick 6 winners. We will invoice your PayPal account for $35.99 (plus tax and shipping if needed) and/or email winners.  

  

Winners will have 24 hours to pay for their diaper.  If we do not receive payment within 24 hours, we willpick a new winner.  New winners will have 24 hours to pay for their diaper.  We will continue the process until all diapers have been sold. 

Good luck!!

To chat with other fans of EcoBuns, check out our Facebook chat page.  

Jingle Bell Run and Santa!

Santa will be at EcoBuns from 10am-2pm.  Skip the mall crowd.  Bring your kiddos and your camera and snap some pictures of them telling Santa their wishlist.  

   

In the Spirit of the Season, a Toys for Tots drop box is also located within Eco Buns.

Cloth Diaper Insert, Soakers, and Doublers

We don't spend a lot of time talking about doublers in Buns Boot Camp.  This is because for most babies, the inserts that come with the diapers offer enough absorbency.  If you find that you have a baby who is a heavy wetter and need extra absorbency, the terminology can get confusing.  

Cloth Diaper Inserts are layers of absorbent fabric, such as microfiber or cotton, that are used to provide the sole absorbency in diapers.  They are usually sewn into a rectangular shape, although some or sewn into a specific shape to fit a certain brand or style.  All of the pocket diapers that EcoBuns carries come with their own inserts.  Inserts that you can buy separately include Best Bottom Inserts and Flip Stay Dry Inserts

Cloth Diaper Soakers are absorbant pieces of material that are either sewn into a diaper, or snap into an All in Two diaper system.  The terms inserts and doublers are often used interchangeably, although inserts usually refer to a pocket diaper, while soakers usually refer to an All in One or All in Two diaper.  The Grovia AI2 systems uses soakers.  


Cloth Diaper Doublers are meant to serve as additional absorbency in a cloth diaper and should not be used alone.  Doublers (sometimes referred to as boosters) are great to use for overnight, nap time, long car rides, and sitters.  Thirsties Fab Doublers are a very popular option.  Thirsties Hemp is most often used as a doubler for at night time (even though it has the word insert in it's name, we recommend it only be used as a doubler).  

How to Fold a Prefold Cloth Diaper

Prefold cloth diapers look like the diapers that our mothers and grandmothers used.  They have come a long ways, and with super easy folds, getting rid of diaper pins, and very cute covers, the prefolds of today are a great, cost effective way to cloth diaper.

Watch this video to see exactly how easy it is to use a prefold cloth diaper.

Babies Wearing Babies

Young children love to mimic their parents.  They want to be just like Mom and Dad.

This is my daughter.  You've probably spotted her hanging out at EcoBuns with me.  She loves when parents walk in wearing their babies.  If she is wearing her baby on her back, and someone walks in with a baby on their front, she'll ask to switch her baby to the front.  

I have done a lot of baby wearing with her and her brother.  She also sees Aunt Meghan wearing her cousin all the time.  It's only natural for her to want to be just like the grown ups in her life.  

The Boba Mini is a great gift for any child looking to be just like mom and dad.   It's a bit big on Alivia who is only 17 months old.  It is made for children 3 and older, so she has quite a bit of room to grow into it.  

HE Machine Washing Tips for Cloth Diapers

Washing cloth diapers in an HE machine may take a few extra steps than a standard top loader.  HE Machines are great for the environment as they sense the load size and only add as much water as is needed for the load size. 

Cloth diapers are very absorbent and need the extra water to ensure that they are thoroughly cleaned.  There are a few adjustments that can be made on an HE machine to get your diapers sparkling clean every time.  

Most HE machines will not allow you to set your water level.  Call the manufacturer and ask them if there is a way to adjust your water level manually.  If there is not a way, you need to "trick" your machine into thinking there is a heavier load size.  The easiest way to do this is the wet towel trick.  Reduce the number of diapers, and add a soaking wet bath towel or two to the load.  

Use whatever setting adds the most water to the first rinse.  If your machine has a setting such as soak and no spin cycle, consider using that for the first rinse.  You can also change your spin speed on your first rinse of diapers to off, or low.  This will leave more water in your diapers when you run the wash, which makes them heavier.


You may also consider adding extra water through the detergent drawer.  Keep in mind that this may void our the warranty on certain machines.  Check with the manufacturer before attempting to add water this way.   

Do not use the Sanitary Cycle on your diapers.  This cycle adds incredibly hot water and will damage PUL and elastics.  It will also void out the warranty on some diapers.

One of the best perks from buying your diapers at EcoBuns is that we will help you every step of the way with your cloth diaper journey.  We are committed to helping you love cloth diapers as much as we do!  If you have any specific questions, please e-mail info@ecobuns.com or visit the store in Holland, MI.  We would be happy to help!

Dr. Hana's Nasopure - Baby Comfy Nose

Proper nasal breathing is vital to your baby's comfort and health, as babies are obligate nose breathers and all of their oxygen supply is inhaled through the nose. At an age when their immune systems are so vulnerable, you want to avoid any opportunity for bacteria to take root, or unwanted mucus to block oxygen intake. 

Watch the video below to see how easy it is to keep your baby breathing freely.

Dr. Hana's Nasopure BabyComfyNose Nasal Aspirator

Nasopure Baby Comfy Nose is available at Ecobuns and our online store.

It is better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have one.

Uses for a Wet Bag that Don't Involve Cloth Diapers

A wet bag is a waterproof bag that is used to hold dirty/wet diapers until laundry day.  Wetbags are very underrated. They come in various sizes and a ton of fun patterns. They can do so much more than just hold dirty diapers.   

• Toiletry Bag:  Pack your shampoo, lotion and other toiletries in a medium wet bag so if something does accidentally spill, your clothes in your suitcase stay dry.
• Gift Bag: Wet bags provide the perfect gift bag for any baby shower or birthday party
• Library Tote: Let each child bring their own wet bag to the library and have them fill up their bag with books for the week.
• Clean Up Bag: At the end of the day, give each child a wetbag and have them fill it up with all the toys they have dragged out into the living room.  Make cleaning up a game and have fun with it!
• Vomit Bag: Keep a wet bag in the car for kids with motion sickness.  It will be much easier to clean up!
• Produce Bag:  Skip the plastic bags at the farmers market and grocery store.
• Snack Bag:  Place snacks in one to avoid spills in your purse or bag.
• Travel Laundry Bag: They make fantastic laundry bags while traveling, so that worn clothes don't get mixed back in with the fresh
• Swim Bag: While at the beach, indoor pool or water park, I use my wet bag to keep my cell phone, purse, and keys water free.  
• Un-paper towels: At EcoBuns we have made the switch from paper towels to cloth towels to dry your hands after washing.  We keep a wet bag in bathroom to hold the towels until wash time.  
• Gym Bag: A wet bag is a great place to store sweaty, stinky workout clothes.
• Wet Swim Suits: After a fun day at the beach or pool, a wet bag makes a great way to carry home wet swim suits and towels. 

Let us know if you have any other uses to add to the list!

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Grandma El's Diaper Rash Cream

When you use cloth diapers, it is very important to pay attention to everything that goes onto the diapers.  We talk a lot about what detergent to use on your diapers, but something else to consider is what diaper creams you are using.  

If your baby develops a rash, you should only use a cloth diaper safe cream. Creams that contain zinc oxide create a water proof barrier that is intended to speed the healing process.  These creams are white and usually a sticky, gooey mess.  They are very hard to clean off of your baby, let alone your diapers.   They will not wash out of your diapers in the wash, and the waterproof barrier will cause your diapers to no longer absorb enough fluid to be effective.

The most popular diaper rash cream that we carry at EcoBuns is Grandma El's diaper rash remedy and Protection.  Grandma El's reduces the redness, pain, itching, and irritation caused by diaper rash.  It creates a breathable, softening, protective barrier which prevents wetness from coming into contact with the skin, therefore keeping baby comfortable. Best of all, the ingredients are all listed on the FDA GRAS (Generally Regarded as Sale) List and it will easily wash out of your diapers.  It is also Hypo-Allergenic so you can be sure that your baby is getting the safest treatment

Grandma El's Diaper Rash Remedy and Protection not only works as a great diaper rash cream!  You can also use it for:

• Cradle Cap
• Chapped Cheeks
• Sunburn
• Dry Nose
• Eczema
• Cracked Heels
• Cuticles
• Rough Elbows
• Heat Rash
• Stretch-mark Reduction
• Cold Sores
• Razor Burn
• Chapped Lips
• Cuts & Scrapes
• Burns
• Softening Calluses
• Scar Reduction
• Dry Patches

Stop into EcoBuns today and pick up a bottle of Grandma El's today or order online.  

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Tips for Cloth Diapering Overnight

Cloth diapering at night is not much different than using cloth diapers during the day.  Here are some tips to help you find the perfect solution for a night time cloth diaper.

How to choose cloth diapers

The choices can seem overwhelming at first.  What style/brand of cloth diapers will be right for you family? Read the statements below, and see which category you fit in.

2013 diaper drive results

The diapers kept falling off of the original setup, so after we received an additional 200 diapers, we needed to move the diapers to a bigger space.  This pile represents over 1,800 disposable diapers.

The display will be set up in the store through mid October. Stop in to see how many disposable diapers you are keeping out of the landfill by using cloth diapers!

Congrats to the winners of the giveaways from the diaper drive:

Grand Prize winner of Thirsties prize pack: Tamara S

Smart Bottoms Prize Pack: Nicole W.

EcoBuns $25 gift card: Allison T

Thank you again to all of our loyal customers who helped donate to this display that will be gifted to Nestlings Diaper Bank of West Michigan.  

5 months of disposable diapers

When parents use disposable diapers, it's hard to grasp how many diapers are going be used and going into the landfill.  This month, EcoBuns hosted a diaper drive to support Nestlings Diaper Bank.  With your help, we collected almost 2,000 diapers!  Thanks you!

So what does 5 months of disposable diapers look like?  Like this:

This is just 5 months!  Not even an entire year!  That's a lot of diapers.  Considering that more and more children aren't potty training until closer to the 3 year mark, this is a very small time frame of diapers.  

Make the switch to cloth diapers.  Join us for a Buns Boot Camp Class to learn how easy it is to make the switch.  

Why Giving Diapers Makes Sense to Young Children

EcoBuns is sponsoring a diaper drive for Nestlings Diaper Bank of West Michigan.  For more information on the diaper drive, click HERE.

Diapers are a basic health necessity for babies but are not provided by government assistance programs. Keeping a child in a clean diapers should not depend on how much money you have.

Families with financial struggles and children living in poverty continue to be a growing problem in Michigan and while there are wonderful organizations that feed, clothe, heal and house children, an adequate supply of disposable diapers is an ongoing critical need that is often unrecognized and unmet.

Diaper banks exist throughout the country and successfully serve their local communities but Nestlings is the first diaper bank in West Michigan. Nestlings is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of the ongoing need for diapers and designed to be a centralized source for collecting, storing, and distributing diapers.

Diaper Drives are a great way to start talking to young children about helping others.  Children as young as 2 can grasp the idea of helping others.  Giving diapers makes sense to children because they are either in diapers themselves, remember being in diapers, or have younger siblings or cousins in diapers.  Children often care for babies in their imaginative play and understand that all babies need diapers.    

TIPS AND IDEAS FOR TALKING TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT NEEDS:  

Below are some ideas for talking to your children about need and the diaper drive.  Many of these can be mixed and matched.  You know what will work best for you child.  

*CLOSED* Win A Lifetime Supply of Diapers from Thirsties

EcoBuns is sponsoring a diaper drive to benefit Nestlings Diaper Bank of West Michigan.  

Win a lifetime supply of cloth diapers from Thirsties for donating to the diaper drive!!! Receive one entry for each disposable diaper you donate! 

You will also receive one entry per diaper donated to win a gift card to EcoBuns and a prize pack from Smart Bottoms Diapers.  

Babies go through a LOT of diapers in their first year of life! Help EcoBuns collect enough disposable diapers to diaper one child for one year. Our goal is to collect 3,200 diapers. 

Diapers can be dropped of or mailed into EcoBuns (12330 James st - suite B65, Holland, MI 49424). EcoBuns is open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-8pm. 

EcoBuns has partnered with Nestlings | Diaper Bank of West Michigan to help provide education and support for their new cloth diaper program.  Read more HERE.  

The diaper drive will run from August 1st-14th. We are accepting disposable diapers of all kinds, opened, or unopened packages. 

On August 17th, come visit EcoBuns and see all the donated diapers. It's truly amazing how many diaper changes one baby will go though in one year!! When we are finished with the disposable diapers, they will be donated to Nestlings. 


Let your friends know that you are participating in the drive by sharing this blog post, or posting on the Facebook event HERE.  

You can also support Nestlings Diaper Bank by purchasing a gift card to off of their registry.  The registry name is Neslings Diaper Bank.  Password: Nestlings

Tips for Bringing Baby to the Beach

It finally feels as if the warm is here to stay!  Here in West Michigan, we love to go to the beach!  Either at Lake Michigan, or at one of the many inland lakes.  No matter where you decide to go, adding a baby to the mix is a competently different experience than going with a group of friends.  I've put a few tips together to help make going to the beach with a baby a little easier, and hopefully even enjoyable!

1.  Ditch the stroller.  I feel so bad watching parents try to drag a stroller through the sand.  Trust me, it's much more work than it's worth.  Get yourself a great baby carrier instead.  Boba Air is great for the beach because it's super compact, and the sand will brush off the nylon super easy.

Boba Air

2. Protect the littles (and yourself) from the sun.  The only thing worse than pushing a stroller through the sand is dealing with sunburn on a child.  Use a good sunscreen that is designed for babies.  (We love Keeki Pure and Simple - Avaible at EcoBuns)  Bring along a hat for them as well.  We have both the Bummis and Planet Wise wide brimmed and floppy hats in the store.  We also have UV T-shirts and tankinis.  Beaches are full of sand and sun, so bring along a big umbrella to stick in the sand to protect you and little ones from the sun.

Bummis swimmi, hat, and sun shirt

3.  Bring plenty to drink.  It's really easy to assume that because your kids are wet that they don't need to drink anything.  It's very easy to get dehydrated at the beach.  Pack a cooler with ice and stash more drinks than you would normally go through at home.  If you are breastfeeding, offer to nurse more often than usual.  Pack water in an EcoVessel triple insulated sippy cup or water bottle to keep it cool longer.  (EcoVessel available at EcoBuns)

4.  Dress your kids in bright colors.  This will make it easier to spot your toddler that has wandered away from the beach towel.  It will also help a life guard spot them in case of an emergency.  Don't forget your baby's swim diaper.  A swim diaper is a MUST!!

The bright colors of the Bummis swim line are perfect for the beach.  

5.  Wear your swim suit.  You're at the beach.  You're going to get wet.  Shorts and t-shirt are uncomfortable wet, besides when (and trust me, you will) you get wet, what are you going to wear on the way home?  You look fabulous, wear your suit.

6.  Embrace the sand.  Going to the beach can get a bit messy.  Add a child to the mix, and you may experience a sand storm or two.  Just go with it, you are making memories.  If you are really anti getting any sand on you check out this list from GRKids.com for a list of splash pads and water playgrounds that won't be as sandy.

7.  Don't worry if your baby doesn't love it.  Some will freak out over sand, some won't step foot near the water.  This is all new for them.  Just because they don't love it this time, doesn't mean they won't next time, next week, or next year.


Enjoy the summer!  Do you have any tips to share about going to the beach with baby?   Leave us a comment!

FREE Piggy Paint with Qualifying In Store Purchase

Stop into EcoBuns to receive a coupon for a FREE bottle of piggy paint!  Coupons can be redeemed anytime during the month of August.  You may stop in as many times as you want, but it is limited to one free bottle per order.  Hope to see you soon! 

This promotion has eneded

Buns Boot Camp

Navigating the world of cloth can be overwhelming and intimidating, we know that here at EcoBuns, so we have designed a class that will help you decide if cloth diapers are for you. Buns Boot Camp is approximately 60 minutes long and will cover topics such as reasons to use cloth diapers, styles and options of cloth, washing instructions, do's and do not's of cloth, accessories, what you can expect from us as your cloth diaper resource and finally how we can help you get your stash started at little to no cost to you!

Register for your class today by clicking HERE!  Registration includes your spouse or significant other. After completion of the class, you will receive a $25 off a $75 or more purchase to use at the store the day of class. 

If the dates of the scheduled classes do not work for you, email Marissa (at) EcoBuns (dot) com to schedule a one on one class.  

Bums Boot Camp is taught by Marissa Berghorst.  Marissa is one of the co-owners of EcoBuns and a cloth diapering mom.of two.  

How to Wash Cloth Diapers

The questions I get asked most often about cloth diapers is, “How do you wash them?”

A common misconception is that washing cloth diapers is difficult. In my years of experience, I have found the washing routine to be quite simple.

I keep my wet bag, which is a lined, waterproof bag with either a zipper or drawstring top, close to my changing stations, whether that be a towel rack, doorknob, or the side of my changing table. When I take a diaper off one of my kids, I simply secure the laundry tabs and put it in a hanging wet bag until it’s time to do the wash. [Bonus to having all-in-one diapers like Thirsties, BumGenius  or Grovia : no need to unstuff dirty diapers before the wash or restuff clean ones before each use!] Breast milk is water soluble and will come out completely in the wash. Once your child starts eating solid food, or you supplement formula, you will have to dump any solids into the toilet before putting the diaper in the wet bag.  [A diaper sprayer comes in really handy for this part!]

I have a top loader washing machine which is GREAT for cloth diapers! Many people are choosing to get high efficiency front loading machines because they don’t use as much water, but that can cause a big problem when washing cloth diapers. Not using enough water to wash and rinse diapers can cause serious residue problems (think stink, leak and rashes – YUCK!) For this reason, you need to set your machine manually to the maximum water level before washing your diapers. If you can’t figure out how to do this, then call the manufacturer and they can help you get it all figured out! Or you can always just use the wet towel trick – reduce the number of diapers per load and add a wet towel or two to trick the machine into adding more water for wash. You want to make sure that there’s enough water to thoroughly rinse out all the detergent!

My washing routine:

• cold rinse with 1/2 the amount of detergent 
• regular wash with detergent (hot wash with cold rinse)
• cold rinse without detergent
• dry on low heat in the dryer or hang outside on a clothesline  (check with your specif diaper brand to see their drying policy, using a dryer can void the warranty on some brands)  Sunlight is a great natural bleacher and will get rid of any diaper stains!

It’s important to not use a sanitize cycle on any diapers that have Aplix enclosures or elastic. You also need to remember to use only a fraction of the detergent that you would use in your normal wash and choose a detergent that doesn’t have any of the following additives, as they can create residue problems:

• fabric softeners
• natural oils
• perfumes
• dyes
• uv brughteners
• stain guard ingredients
• enzymes (they will not affect the cloth diaper performance, but may cause rashes on some babies’ skin)

I use Allens or Selestial Soap - Soft Bottoms for my cloth diapers (and my clothes too!). Both great detergents, and are made in Michigan! [I love supporting local businesses!] 

If you have any questions about washing cloth diapers, please e-mail me at Marissa (at) EcoBuns (dot) com

Fox 17 Interview with Leigh Ann Towne

Monday Morning, dark and early, Leigh Ann Towne from Fox 17 came out to EcoBuns to do a few live segments.  We ended up having a few technical issues, but we were still able to shoot one live segment, and one interview for the evening news.

Click to to watch the video from the morning news.
Here's the video from the evening news.

Here's a few behind the scenes pictures.

They're here!!!!!

Getting ready to film a live shot.....that never actually aired, but it was great practice for the actual live shot!

Fox 17 intern Jackie hanging out with Alivia

Leigh Ann wore Alivia around for so long in a Boba carrier.  She couldn't believe how good it felt!  

Alivia is going to be the next big TV star!

Thanks to everyone that tuned into Fox 17 to watch our interview!  We love spreading the word about cloth diapers!   

You can drop of donations of cloth or disposable diapers at EcoBuns anytime during normal business hours (Monday through Saturday 10am - 8pm).  We also accept cash/check donations.  A donation of $50 will supply everything a family needs to get started in cloth diapers!

Find EcoBuns on Facebook 

Find Nestlings Diaper bank on Facebook

Find Leigh Ann Towne on Facebook and Twitter.

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