Woosh has made another successful step in its mission to create a circular ecosystem for baby diapers. The company has recently launched its own diaper  that is both optimized for recycling and contains recycled material. This ties in perfectly with Woosh’s plans to build its own recycling and R&D centre in Bruges, Belgium this summer, with the ultimate goal of making the diaper chain circular. The Woosh diaper is premium quality, and has been designed to make life easier for professional caregivers in daycare centers. 

“The launch of our own Woosh diaper, optimized for recycling, is a logical step towards circularity for baby diapers,” says Jeff Stubbe, co-founder and CEO.  “Because we have control of both the composition of the product and its processing, we can align the two perfectly. According to the “design for end-of-life” principle, we started at the end and designed a diaper with recycling in mind. Among other things, shifting to mono-materials is an important element of this. We use recyclable plastics such as polypropylene and polyethylene as much as possible. In addition, we avoid materials such as cotton, PLA and PET in the diaper that might disrupt our innovative recycling process.”

In 2021, Woosh began its partnership with Ontex to collect its Little Big Change diapers from nurseries for recycling. Since then, the start-up has expanded its collection effort throughout Belgium.  Earlier this month, Woosh announced it would recycle its first diapers at a new facility beginning in fall 2024 using a unique recycling process focused on the separation and reuse of the plastic part of the diaper. Of all materials, plastic has the greatest impact on carbon dioxide emissions and is the easiest to recycle due to tis highest quality.

Ontex has assisted in the development of the recycled diaper for Woosh which contains 100% recycled plastic for both the packaging and the waterproof inner layer of the diaper.

“We are extremely proud of the diaper that we have designed for and with Woosh,” says Annick De Poorter, chief innovation & sustainability officer at Ontex. “In every product that we make, we seek out ways to improve our impact on the environment. For this diaper too, we have conceived the design, the formulation and the packaging in such a way as to ensure that, after recycling, there are still useful raw materials to use in new diapers, and that the diaper also remains affordable.”

In developing the diaper, Woosh also considered the needs of the end user, the professional caregiver. A prominent indication of size, suitable packaging and visual color coding are a few examples of these needs. The Woosh diaper contributes to the service Woosh provides, which focuses on making life easier for caregivers. It’s no secret that this group of people is under enough pressure already. Woosh takes away all their worries relating to diapers and diaper waste in the daycare center, giving them time to do what really matters: care for the little ones. Every size of diaper also has a unique design, inspired by little children who “colour the world more beautifully.” 

In parallel to this, Woosh has launched a new logo and new corporate branding which stay true to its original identity while visualizing the dynamic of the organization and brand. This is a new chapter that symbolizes the milestones reached on the way to achieving the company’s mission and looks forward to what is still in the pipeline.

“Besides our circular ambitions, we obviously don’t want to compromise on quality,” Romiena DeCourtere, COO at Woosh. “Along with Ontex, we have developed a diaper that meets the highest quality requirements and fulfils the needs of professional caregivers in daycare centres. The diaper has stood up to a range of professional tests and has demonstrated its performance, both in the daytime and as a night diaper. In addition, the diaper does not contain any perfumes, lotions, or harmful substances. It is safe, dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic and made of soft materials. The Woosh diaper is distributed within our network of child daycare centres and childminders who use the Woosh diaper service, but it is also available to the general public through our online store.”