Andy Pandy diapers are great compostable* diapers, but they're basically a more expensive version of Naty by Nature Babycare and Bambo Nature diapers. (In which case, why wouldn't you just buy one of those?)
Things We Love
- Chemical and Fragrance Free: Chlorine-free. Fragrance-free. Latex-free. Hypoallergenic. The only “unnatural” thing in this diaper is the sodium polyacrylate fill*, which is the same moisture-absorbent gel fill used in all effective disposable diapers on the market.
- Super Soft: Like super, super soft.
- Environmentally Super Friendly: Made from bamboo, which is a renewable resource, these diapers are environmentally super friendly and commercially compostable.
- Plain White: Simple. Minimalist. Design-free.
Things We Don't Love As Much
- Expensive: These diapers are more expensive than Bambo and Naty diapers for a similar product.
- Difficult to Find: Andy Pandy diapers are not available in many major stores and can only be purchased from a few sources online.
Compare Them To Other Disposable Diapers
Andy Pandy Diaper Alternatives
- All Things Being Equal… We prefer Naty or Bambo diapers, which are similar and less expensive.
- If Cost is a Concern, Part 1… If you still want something that's commercially compostable, Naty by Nature Babycare diapers are slightly less expensive than Bambo diapers (and also not as soft).
- If Cost is a Concern, Part 2… If money is tight and you don't plan to commercially compost your diapers anyway, less expensive alternatives include Earth's Best, 7th Generation, Target Up & Up, or even cloth.
- If You Prefer Super Soft, Cute Prints… Aden + Anais, Parasol, and Pampers Pure diapers are soft, adorable, and slightly less expensive, but they're not commercially compostable if that's something that's important to you.
Total Cost of Ownership***
- $2700 – $4200/child (list)
- $2500 – $4000/child (subscription with andypandy.com)
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*“Commercially compostable” means diapers need to get to a commercial composting facility in order to biodegrade. (They will not decompose in a home compost.) If you put them in your trash can, they will still go to a landfill and will not biodegrade. If you live in or near a major city, you might have a commercial diaper composting service in your area. This is a great way to care for the environment if you have decided cloth diapering is not right for your lifestyle.
**Sodium polyacrylate fill is considered safe in diapers by all current measures and standards, but has been linked to toxic shock syndrome when used in tampons and feminine hygiene products. If its use concerns you, cloth diapers may be a better option for your baby.
***Total cost of ownership was calculated using a few arbitrary averages, knowing full well that no baby is average. We used approximate weights from height/weight charts to determine how many days the average baby would be in each diaper size. These are the numbers we used:
- 30ish months as the arbitrary average potty training date, though this is “early” for some and “late” for others
- Five Newborn diapers/day on the low end and fourteen Newborn diapers/day on the high end, for 40 days
- Seven Size 1 diapers/day on the low end and ten Size 1 diapers/day on the high end, for 60 days
- Seven Size 2 diapers/day on the low end and ten Size 2 diapers on the high end, for 110 days
- Five Size 3 diapers/day on the low end and eight Size 3 diapers/day on the high end, for 160 days
- Five Size 4 diapers/day on the low end and eight Size 4 diapers/day on the high end, for 180 days
- Five Size 5 diapers/day on the low end and eight Size 5 diapers/day on the high end, for 365 days.