You want the best products for your baby’s health and well-being. You also want to care for the earth while caring for your baby. For many parents, this means opting for natural or organic baby items whenever possible. If you’re looking for the best baby wipes, we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we’ll discuss tips to help you choose baby wipes that are safe and gentle on your baby’s skin as well as good for the planet. But first, it’s important to define the term “organic.”
What Is “Organic?”
While the term “organic” also applies to baby products and the like, many people know it as a term used to describe food. It means that something is grown (or raised in the case of animals) without chemicals or pesticides.
When a baby product is called organic, the term is referring to how the ingredients were grown. It’s important to know this information about the plants and other ingredients that wind up on your or your baby’s skin!
What sort of products can be called organic? According to the USDA, the word “organic” can’t just be thrown around. To wear the official USDA Organic seal, a product must contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients.
So, if you’re opting for organic baby wipes, you’ll want to start by looking for products that are certified organic.
That said, to get the best for your baby and the planet, you don’t necessarily have to go organic. Depending on the product and how it’s made, your baby can reap the same sort of benefits from products made with natural ingredients.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing baby wipes specifically.
The Best Baby Wipes: What To Look For
Organic Ingredients And Materials
We’ll restate the obvious. The first thing to look for in organic baby wipes is that they’re certified organic. You can see which ingredients and materials are organic by looking for the asterisks on the ingredient list.
For example, our Home Compostable Fragrance-Free Wipes are made with fibers from wood pulp gathered from FSC® certified forests. And our Reusable Eco Wipes are crafted with 100% Organic, GOTS Certified cotton that’s responsibly manufactured.
Ingredients Of Natural Origin
As we mentioned, baby wipes can be perfectly safe and gentle even if they’re not “certified organic.” So, you want your baby wipes to have a high percentage of naturally derived ingredients.
We’re talking about ingredients that come straight from the earth, like aloe vera, olive oil, avocado oil, and colloidal oatmeal, for example.
These ingredients harness the power of nature to care for your baby’s skin gently. They’re less likely to cause irritation or allergic reactions than synthetic ingredients created in a lab.
Tip: Click here to learn about the differences between “organic,” “natural,” and “clean” skincare products.
The reusable baby wipes we mentioned above are composed of 100% ingredients of natural origin, so you can feel great about what you’re putting on your baby’s skin. And our organic baby products also have a high percentage of naturally derived ingredients.
Here are a few examples:
With 97.5% naturally derived ingredients, our Organic Cleansing Gel with Olive Oil and Aloe is the perfect bathtime companion. This sulfate-free hair and body wash is made with organic aloe and organic olive oil sourced from family-owned olive groves in the South of France.
After bath time, keep your baby’s skin soft, supple, and hydrated with Organic Hydrating Cream with Olive Oil and Aloe, which contains 99.6% naturally derived ingredients.
In addition to organic aloe vera and organic olive oil, it boasts sunflower oil to keep skin (yours or your baby’s!) moisturized.
No Questionable Ingredients
In addition to looking for natural and organic ingredients, be sure to check that your baby products are free of questionable ingredients that could irritate your baby’s skin, be harmful to their health, or harm the environment.
Choose products that are free of parabens, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol, and, if your baby has very sensitive skin, opt for fragrance-free products as well.
Biodegradable Material
When you throw away a traditional baby wipe, it can take decades to decompose, contributing to microplastic pollution. But as an Earth-conscious consumer, you don’t want to add to the growing problem in our landfills; you want to help solve it.
To ensure safety for your baby and the environment at the same time, choose organic baby wipes that are made with biodegradable material and free from plastic. These break down much more quickly than traditional wipes and don’t add microplastics to the environment.
Formulated with compostable fibers, our Home Compostable Fragrance-Free Wipes are biodegradable. They’ve earned the OK compost HOME certification by TÜV Austria, which guarantees the compost quality created with these wipes. They are plastic-free!
You can take your used wipes, compost them, and eventually use the finished compost to help care for your plants.
Plus, the packaging contains up to 10% recycled plastic from industrial scrap and is made without a plastic lid, reducing our plastic use by 47%. But don’t worry, your wipes won’t dry out. The adhesive label has been optimized to keep them ready to use between diaper changes.
And, as we mentioned, the organic cotton we use in our reusable wipes is 100% recycled and part of a circular economy and anti-waste approach. These wipes are designed to cleanse your baby’s skin while being socially responsible and eco-friendly, too!
Instead of throwing them away after you use them, you can wash them and use them repeatedly. It’s a sustainable (and budget-friendly!) way to clean your baby’s bottom.
We’ve gotten creative with the rest of our organic products, including the packaging, to ensure they’re earth-friendly as well.
Packaged Responsibly
As we work towards our commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2030, we’re constantly looking for new ways to transform and improve our sourcing and manufacturing processes.
This includes:
- Ensuring our products and packaging are eco-designed throughout their lifecycle
- Downsizing our water consumption
- Purchasing 100% green energy from renewable sources
- Eliminating carton inserts to reduce waste
- Using cargo sail shipping when possible
When you purchase a Mustela skincare product, know that you’re making a positive difference for the environment.
Here are three specific examples of how we’re implementing our commitment to sustainability through our product packaging:
Our Certified Organic Micellar Water with Olive Oil and Aloe comes to you in a recyclable bottle, and the packaging is made from sustainably sourced sugar cane. Plus, the formula itself is biodegradable.
Meanwhile, the packaging of our Organic Hydrating Cream with Olive Oil and Aloe is also made with sustainably sourced sugar cane, and we’ve gotten rid of secondary cartons to reduce waste.
Finally, our Reusable Eco Wipes come in a small carton made from sustainably managed forest cardboard and printed with vegetable oil-based inks.
EWG Verified
Turn to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to do some of the legwork for you when searching for organic baby wipes and other products that are baby-safe and earth-friendly.
They’ve created consumer guides to make you aware of any hidden dangers in the products your family uses every day.
When a product boasts the green EWG-Verified label, it is free of EWG’s ingredients of concern, provides full transparency (even fragrance ingredients), and uses good manufacturing processes. These products meet the EWG’s strict standards.
Click here to explore all Mustela EWG-Verified products, from organic baby wipes to face cream, stretch marks cream, and micellar water.
B-Corp Certified
The B-Corp Certification is a certification that allows you to rest assured that the products you use are good for the earth and the people who make them.
This international certification is awarded to companies that develop products with a positive impact on both the environment and society. These two emphases are very important to us here at Mustela, and we are proud to have been a part of the B-Corp community since 2018.
Our B-Corp Certification reinforces the four pillars of our philosophy: natural and safe products, respect for the environment, investment in dermatological research, and support for young parents.
From A Company You Trust
The best baby products are those you can trust to be safe and effective for your little one. At Mustela, we’ve been dedicated to providing quality products for over 70 years.
Whether you buy items from our Certified Organic line, such as our Organic Bath and Body Gift Set or our popular Organic Nursing Comfort Balm, or go with any of our skincare products for kids and babies, you can rest assured that the product:
- Uses a formula centered around the best natural, plant-based ingredients
- Is hypoallergenic and has undergone rigorous testing with both dermatologists and pediatricians
- Has been found safe and effective by numerous independent experts
- Contains 0% paraben, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol
- Has been responsibly sourced
Mustela is committed to providing your family with the safest, natural skincare products while ensuring our company positively impacts the world around us.
How To Choose The Best Baby Wipes
Now that you know what to look for in baby wipes, how do you choose the best one for your little one? Here are some tips to help you make a decision.
Compare The Ingredients
First and foremost, always check the ingredients list. Look for baby wipes made from natural ingredients that don’t contain any harsh chemicals.
Consider Your Baby’s Skin
While all babies have delicate skin, each baby is born with a unique skin type. If your baby has very sensitive or eczema-prone skin, scrutinize the ingredients list carefully. To avoid irritation, look for wipes that don’t contain synthetic fragrances.
Consider Your Preferences
What do you want to do with the baby wipes once you’ve used them? Do you want to wash and dry them, or do you prefer to toss them into a compost bin? Think about your lifestyle and values when selecting the type of baby wipes that’ll work best for you.
If you’re not sure how to compost wipes or make reusable ones work, don’t worry. Later on, you’ll find simple directions for both.
Give Them A Try
Once you’ve narrowed your list to two or three options, try them all! This will help you determine which one you like the best.
For example, you may prefer compostable wipes at home, but find reusable ones a better option when you’re out and about. You don’t have to pick just one.
Mustela’s Baby Wipes
To keep your baby’s bottom clean with naturally gentle baby wipes, look no further than our Home Compostable Fragrance-Free Wipes. As you now know, they contain 99% ingredients of natural origin, and are made with earth-friendly ingredients and materials.
What we haven’t discussed yet is how these ultra-soft wipes can gently cleanse, soothe, and moisturize your baby’s delicate skin, leaving it soft and fresh.
They are perfect to use not only on your baby’s bottom but also on their hands, face, and body. You can also be sure that they are safe to use from birth on and appropriate for all skin types — and all ages! And they won’t leave a greasy film or dry out your or your little one’s skin.
Our vegan wipes are free of fragrances, parabens, phthalates, alcohol, and phenoxyethanol and have been tested under dermatological and pediatric control.
These wipes are exactly what baby products should be: good for your baby and good for the earth. Plus, they’re an ideal quick cleanup solution for the whole family.
Use these wipes to cleanse your baby’s diaper area before applying Diaper Rash Cream 1 2 3, diapering them, and carrying on with whatever adventure the day holds!
How To Compost Baby Wipes
If you opt for our home compostable wipes, you might wonder what to do with them after use. While we go into more detail about composting in this article, here are a few simple steps to get you started:
- Place a compost bin in an easily accessible location
- Add materials to your compost bin
- Aim for a good balance of green waste (such as fruit and vegetable scraps and grass clippings) and brown waste (like dry leaves, twigs, and shredded paper)
- Add in the used baby wipes
- Stir your pile frequently to add oxygen
- Check the moisture level and add water as needed to keep it damp but not soaking wet
The baby wipes will be completely broken down by the decomposition process within six months. You can thank all the helpful microorganisms for that! Once fully composted, you can use this nutrient-rich soil in your garden to help your plants thrive.
How Reusable Baby Wipes Work
Mustela also offers reusable wipes that are perfect for the whole family, not just your little one.
Each box of wipes contains six washable wipes. You’ll get three large wipes (4.7” square) and three small ones (3.9” square.) The big ones are great for washing off makeup or handling diaper changes, while the smaller ones work well for cleaning tiny faces or hands.
Each wipe is double-sided. One side is made from cotton terrycloth, which absorbs dirt and effectively cleans the skin. The other side is softer, designed for more sensitive body parts.
If you’ve never used reusable baby wipes before, adjusting may take a while. After all, these wipes aren’t wet when you pull them out of a container.
Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Use Micellar Water
One of the best ways to get reusable wipes damp is with our micellar water. This incredibly safe cleaner doesn’t need to be rinsed away, so it’s perfect for quick diaper changes or face wipes!
Simply pump a small amount of the water directly onto the wipe and use it like a traditional baby wipe.
Designate A Container For Used Wipes
Some people prefer to collect all their used wipes and store them in a separate load to wash. If that’s you, dedicate a container for this purpose.
An old ice cream tub works well, though it’s harder to carry in the diaper bag. Consider investing in a wet bag for on-the-go diaper changes. Then, when you get home, you can dump the wipes from the bag into your container.
If any wipe is heavily soiled, spray the chunks off before storing or washing. Otherwise, they may become stained or smelly. After use, soaking in cold water can also help keep your wipes fresh.
Note: If you use the wipes for makeup or general cleaning, you won’t need to soak them or keep them separate in a special container. Feel free to add them to your regular load of towels.
Wash And Dry
When it’s time to wash your wipes, start them on a regular wash cycle with your normal laundry soap. If you have hard water, add a splash of white vinegar to the washer every couple of cycles. This can help prevent mineral buildup and keep your wipes soft.
Once washed, you can dry your wipes in the dryer or hang them up. Air drying offers some benefits since the sun can remove stains and help keep the wipes smelling fresh.
If you’re cloth diapering your little one, washing the wipes and diapers together is OK. In that case, you can add the wipes to your washing routine and wash them together.
Gentle Baby Wipes For The Win
With no pesticides or chemicals, organic and natural ingredients are ideal whether your focus is your baby’s health or the earth’s wellbeing — or both! First, look for the best baby wipes made from sustainable manufacturing methods.
Then, check for a high percentage of ingredients of natural origin, biodegradable material, and no questionable or potentially harmful ingredients. Finally, keep an eye out for products that are EWG Verified and companies that are B-Corp Certified, like Mustela.
By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to choose baby wipes that are good for your family and the earth, like our Reusable Eco Wipes or Home Compostable Fragrance-Free Wipes. Earth-conscious baby care is at your fingertips!