For many years there were really only a couple of major suppliers of disposable diapers in the marketplace with Huggies and Pampers being the most notable. Now that we have companies putting more natural, chemical-free diapers out for consumers the big guys have definitely upped their game to compete for the natural diaper market. The latest example of this is the Huggies Special Delivery diaper that we’ll be reviewing today.
Overall, the Huggies Special Delivery diaper is a good showing for a natural option from a major company. The diapers are free of harsh chemicals, parabens, latex, and are made from 23% plant-based materials. They have a premium look and design while also being one of the softest natural diapers on the market.
Despite my initial skepticism, the Special Delivery diapers have actually become of my favorite diapers on the market today. Let’s dive into their ingredients list, special features, and affordability.
Table of Contents
What are Huggies Special Delivery diapers?
These diapers are a response from Huggies to all of the natural baby product companies that have been popping up in the marketplace recently such as The Honest Company, Joonya, or Hello Bello.
Their goal is simple: deliver a high-quality diaper that avoids the harsh chemical ingredients that have been found in baby products in the past. In fact, they call this their ‘perfect diaper.’
All-in-all, they have accomplished this goal. The ingredient list is clean and only safe plastics are used in the lining of the diaper. They even give a nod to the environmentally-conscious by including more plant-based materials in the manufacture, but it’s just a nod. If you want to check out the latest prices on Amazon click here. Without getting into the details, I would recommend that everyone at least try these diapers out for themselves – even the pickiest natural baby parents!
Huggies Special Delivery ingredients
According to official information, the ingredients list is pretty short. Here is what we have:
- Polyethylene (derived from sugarcane)
- Sodium polyacrylate
- Wood fluff pulp
- Polypropylene
- Polyethylene
- Polyurethane
- Polyolefin
- Adhesives
- Color-changing dye
There are a lot of plastic materials on that list, but none of them are on the list of dangerous plastics and shouldn’t cause much concern. Of course, compared to natural cotton cloth diapers or 100% plant-based fabrics they are a far cry from an organic option.
Perhaps more important is which ingredients are NOT on the list. The Huggies Special Delivery diapers are free of parabens, latex, elemental chlorine, fragrances, phthalates, PVC, and any of the other toxic ingredients that you can find in baby products.
Are they hypoallergenic?
Yes, the diapers are advertised as hypoallergenic and should not cause any allergic reaction with your baby. Of course, every baby is different and it’s possible that they will have some special sensitivity that other children may not.
Are they biodegradable?
Despite the fact that these diapers are made from 23% plant-based materials, they are not biodegradable. If you check their website’s FAQ they don’t seem to be upset with this fact and basically point out that most of the other major diaper suppliers don’t have biodegradable diapers either.
In my opinion, the major diaper supplies need to step up and set the standard for biodegradability with their baby products. With diapers in particular, it could take hundreds of years before they decompose in landfills. In fact, it is estimated that about 20 billion disposable diapers are added to landfills each year in the US – about 3.5 million tons.
Are Huggies Special Delivery diapers expensive?
These diapers are being billed as a premium product and they are priced the part, especially compared to Huggies other offerings. Of course, any diaper that aims to be a natural alternative to the mainstream is going to be a little pricey, in general, so they don’t end up being too bad in relation to others in its class.
One thing holding this particular diaper back is that the biggest pack size available is currently 50 diapers. When you compare that to the 100 or even 150+ packs of competing brands, there is definitely going to be a price difference. Still, let’s compare the Huggies Special Delivery diapers to a few other options on the market.
How do they compare to other natural diapers in price?
| Diaper Brand | Price per diaper with case count |
|---|---|
| Huggies Special Delivery | $.47 per diaper for a 50-count case |
| The Honest Company | $.41 per diaper for a 60-count case |
| Pampers Pure | $.40 per diaper for an 80-count case |
| Huggies Snug & Dry (classic) | $.28 per diaper for a 74-count case |
| Amazon's Mama Bear | $.22 per diaper for a 144-count case |
As you can see, they are definitely the priciest of this bunch. However, they are just a few cents more than some of their closest competitors, even with the lower case count, so I would actually call this mostly a wash in terms of pricing. It hurts to see that they are almost twice as expensive as the ‘store brand’ offered by Amazon, though.
Available sizes and weights for Huggies Special Delivery
Similar to other Huggies diapers, the Special Delivery option will offer sizes ranging from newborn to size 6. Below is a table of the sizing weights along with the estimated number of diapers that you’ll need (on average) for the given weight range and diaper size.
| Newborn | Size 1 | Size 2 | Size 3 | Size 4 | Size 5 | Size 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-9 lbs 2-4 kg | 8-14 lbs 3-6 kg | 12-18 lbs 5-8 kg | 16-28 lbs 7-13 kg | 22-37 lbs 9-17 kg | >27 lbs >12 kg | >35 lbs >16 kg |
| 60 diapers per week | 49 diapers per week | 42 diapers per week | 38 diapers per week | 35 diapers per week | 32 diapers per week | 28 diapers per week |
In our experience, most babies tend to progress through the early sizes pretty quickly unless you have a very premature baby. Once they reach around size 4, they will stick around there for a while as they start to add more length to their frames rather than
Does the newborn size have umbilical cut outs?
Yes!
You will find the normal u-shaped cut out on the newborn size of Huggies Special Delivery diapers. This works great to prevent irritation or snagging on an umbilical nub before it falls out. Since the cord will usually fall out within the first couple of weeks, there is little chance you’ll need this cut out on even the size 1 diapers.
Do these diapers have a wetness indicator?
Yes!
There is a wetness indicator on all of the designs for the Special Delivery that will help show you when your little one tee tees.
Our personal experience using the Huggies Special Delivery diaper
As I’m mentioned before, I actually really like these diapers. There is just something about them from the stylish packaging to the incredible softness that just screams premium diaper. While they might not be the most environmentally-friendly diapers on the market, they do a pretty good job avoiding the majority of issues that I have had with mainstream diapers in the past.
Here are a few pros:
- Stylish design that avoids colorful characters in favor of chic, neutral designs with fun phrases
- Incredible softness both inside and out
- Large surface area for absorption including blowout prevention – we’ve yet to have a leak!
- Stretch material in the back along with sturdy adhesive straps
- Good ingredient list
and cons:
- They are a little pricey, especially compared to mainstream diapers
- No biodegradability
- Still a lot of plastic in the ingredients list
Overall, I would recommend these diapers to friends and family members without any regrets.
If you want to check out the latest reviews and prices click here to check them out on Amazon where you can get them in two days with Prime shipping!
