In 2025, Mamavation tested 35 disposable diapers from 25 brands and found detectable PFAS in six of them — 17% of the products tested. One of those six was Bambo Nature, which carries the Nordic Swan ecolabel. The Nordic Swan is a real certification; it just doesn't screen for PFAS. The failure is useful context: an environmental label tells you about a brand's stated priorities, not necessarily the chemistry of the finished product.
Diapers sit against a baby's skin for the first two or three years of life. The inner layer — the one in direct skin contact — is typically a nonwoven fabric. Some nonwoven treatments use fluorinated chemistry for moisture management. This guide covers brands that answered the PFAS question directly: through independent testing or through certifications that specifically screen for fluorinated compounds.
What we look for
PFAS-free inner layer and outer shell. The nonwoven against skin and any barrier treatments must be fluorine-free. Every brand in this guide either holds EWG Verified certification — which screens for PFAS in every individual ingredient — or publishes third-party PFAS test results showing non-detectable levels.
Meaningful third-party certification. EWG Verified and MADE SAFE are the strongest chemistry signals in the diaper category. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 covers a defined list of harmful substances including limits on certain PFAS compounds. FSC certification covers wood pulp sourcing. We do not count Nordic Swan, "biobased" labeling, or biodegradability certifications as PFAS signals — the Bambo Nature case demonstrates exactly why.
Published materials list. The brand discloses the materials per product, not just a "free of the bad stuff" claim on a marketing page. Brands that list what's absent without listing what's present don't meet this bar.
Bleach process disclosure. Totally chlorine-free (TCF) is preferred; elemental chlorine-free (ECF) is acceptable. Undisclosed bleaching is a flag — chlorine processes can leave dioxin residues in pulp.
17%
of diapers tested
by Mamavation contained detectable PFAS (2025)
0
PFAS-positive brands
included in this guide
0
paid placements
ever
Our picks
1. Healthybaby Our Diaper — Best overall
The Healthybaby Our Diaper is the most comprehensively certified disposable diaper we found: EWG Verified, MADE SAFE certified, and FSC certified for the wood pulp. EWG Verified is the most directly relevant certification for PFAS in this category — EWG's scientists screen every ingredient individually, including the superabsorbent polymer core, the nonwoven layers, and the elastics. Healthybaby also publishes a full ingredient list on their product page, which is rare in disposables. No other mainstream brand in this guide matches that combination.
At $$, it's among the pricier options in the category. For a newborn, where skin sensitivity is highest and diaper frequency is greatest, the transparency case is clear. Healthybaby is sold direct on their site and via Amazon.
2. Coterie The Diaper — Best for overnight performance
Coterie The Diaper holds Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification, which covers a defined list of harmful substances including PFAS limits. Coterie explicitly discloses no chlorine bleaching, no fragrance, no latex, and no PFAS treatments on the inner layer. The diaper runs trim for a premium product — less bulk than most of its competitors at the same tier — and is consistently cited in Reddit's r/NewParents and r/BabyBumps communities as a strong performer for overnight use.
Coterie offers trial packs before subscription commitment, which matters for sizing: fit varies enough between brands that testing before committing to a case makes sense.
3. Eco by Naty Diaper — Best plant-based option
Eco by Naty has been in the plant-based diaper space since 2000. The outer backsheet uses plant-derived film rather than conventional polyethylene; the inner layer is also plant-based. The product holds Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification, and Naty publishes its certification documentation. Naty did not appear in Mamavation's 2025 PFAS testing failures.
This is worth naming directly because Bambo Nature — another Nordic brand in nearly identical market positioning — failed that same testing round at 18–22 ppm. Plant-based materials and Nordic origin do not guarantee PFAS-free chemistry. Naty's disclosure posture is meaningfully more explicit than Bambo's.
4. DYPER Bamboo Diaper — Best bamboo option
DYPER's bamboo diaper uses bamboo viscose for the inner layer and holds Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification. Bamboo viscose is a processed semi-synthetic fiber — raw bamboo is dissolved and reformed into a soft nonwoven — but the Oeko-Tex certification covers the finished product for harmful substances, including processing residues that can remain after viscose production. DYPER's materials page explicitly states no PFAS and discloses an elemental chlorine-free bleaching process. Available via subscription or one-time purchase on Amazon.
5. Kudos Diaper — Best for sensitive skin
Kudos uses a 100% cotton inner layer — the material in direct skin contact — rather than the polypropylene nonwoven used in most disposables. The cotton construction is paired with a plant-based backsheet. Kudos holds Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification.
One note that deserves transparency: Kudos appeared in third-party PFAS testing in 2023 with a result the brand attributed to a supplier issue. They subsequently changed suppliers and commissioned independent updated testing, which they publish on their transparency page. We reviewed both rounds. The updated results are clean, the supplier change is documented, and we included Kudos because the current formulation has an auditable testing trail. If that prior result is a concern for your family, Healthybaby or Coterie are the cleaner choices.
What we passed on
Bambo Nature tested positive for PFAS at 18–22 ppm in Mamavation's 2025 testing. The Nordic Swan ecolabel does not screen for fluorinated chemistry. It does not pass our PFAS disqualifier.
Seventh Generation Free & Clear does not hold EWG Verified or MADE SAFE certification and does not publish a per-ingredient materials list. "Free & clear" covers fragrance and chlorine bleach; it does not address PFAS treatments specifically.
Honest Company appeared in prior third-party PFAS testing with detectable levels. The brand has since reformulated but does not publish third-party PFAS test results for the current formulation. Without verifiable testing on the current product, we cannot confirm it passes.
Cover image: RDNE Stock project via Pexels (Pexels License) — source.
