How do I know if my baby wipes contain plastic?

11 billion wet wipes are sold each year in the UK - and 90% of these contain plastic. They take decades to biodegrade, leaving behind harmful microplastics as they breakdown.

Yet many people still don’t realise this. Since our launch we’ve made it our mission to educate parents about plastic in wipes, but due to decades of greenwashing, it’s not always easy to work out which contain plastic - and which don’t.

In November, Labour MP Fleur Anderson presented a bill to parliament asking for a change in the law in order to #BanPlasticInWetWipes.

She outlined the problem of hidden plastic in wipes saying: “I challenge any hon. Member in the House today to go to their supermarket shelves, look at the wet wipes and try to work out from the labelling what is the right thing and what is not, what contains plastic and what does not.”

She later told the media: “There are so many different types of wet wipes for sale, but the labelling is really confusing. It really isn’t easy to determine which wet wipes contain plastic and which are ‘fine to flush’.

“There will be thousands of people out there right now using wet wipes every day with no idea that they are using a single-use plastic and with no idea of the harm that it is doing to our water systems and our marine environments.” 

How to check your wipe pack

Beware of any claims that simply say “natural” or “pure”. Such wipes sounds innocent enough, but many still contain plastic.

According to Matt Moreland, Pura’s sustainability director: “Another thing to watch out for is when a brand claims that a wipe is ‘made with’ plant-based fibres. This normally means that some of the wipe material is plastic. Instead look for ‘made from’ plant-based fibres or similar.

“Other ways to tell if your wipes contain plastic include checking for the presence of biodegradable and compostable claims on pack and looking for the associated certifications from organisations such as TuV Austria.”

But the only way you can be certain that your wipes don’t contain any hidden plastic is to look for the plastic-free claim on the pack.  

Plastic wipe ban

Our planet is drowning in plastic pollution and we don't think change is happening quickly enough. There are many affordable, convenient plastic-free wipes on the market now, not just Pura’s. That's why we - like MP Fleur Anderson - want to see plastic in wet wipes banned for good. 

If you agree please sign our petition here. You can also support Fleur Anderson’s bill on social media. Visit her website for more information.

 Creating a clean nursery

If you’re looking for more ways to protect your baby and your planet from plastic pollution, read this fantastic blog by Porch.com on to learn more about how you can design a wonderful, eco-friendly baby nursery.