Throughout modern history, parents have only had one real option when it comes to disposable diapers: plastic.
The single-use products are typically made with fossil fuels like petroleum and can take hundreds of years to break down, making them the third-largest consumer item in U.S. landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Plus, they’re not as breathable as other materials, which could make incidents like diaper rashes more common.
Still, plastic diapers from mega brands like Procter & Gamble
-owned Pampers and Kimberly-Clark
-owned Huggies continue to dominate the market. Amrita Saigal, founder and CEO of Kudos, is looking to change that.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate, mechanical engineer and “Shark Tank” alum developed a sustainable diaper that uses some plastic, but is 100% lined with cotton and incorporates other degradable materials like sugarcane and trees, she tells CNBC.
Later this month, it’ll be the first diaper of its kind to land in retail stores when it launches in approximately 375 Target
locations nationwide.
″I am so excited to partner with Target to make history as the first 100% cotton-lined disposable diaper to hit retail shelves,” Saigal said in an interview with CNBC. “It’s just a really big deal for us, especially because Target does not carry many brands.”