How to Create a Sustainable Diaper Cake with Cloth Diapers

A diaper cake is a popular and practical gift for a birth or baby shower. It not only looks great, but also contains many useful things for the baby. Traditionally, these cakes are often made with disposable diapers. But how about a sustainable and especially loving variant? A diaper cake made from cloth diapers is not only a real eye-catcher but also a statement for environmental awareness, and the baby's health of course!

At Judes Family, we love the idea of giving joy while also doing good for our planet and the little ones. That's why we show you how to create a beautiful diaper cake made from cloth diapers. Judes cloth diapers are particularly suitable for this: They are not only incredibly soft and made from organic cotton but also stylish and easy to use. This way, you give not only a creative piece of art but also the start of a simple and sustainable diapering experience.

Why a diaper cake made from cloth diapers is an eco-friendly choice

You might be wondering why a diaper cake made from cloth diapers is the better choice. It's simple: Cloth diapers are a significantly more environmentally friendly alternative to disposable diapers. Every baby that is diapered with cloth saves an average of around one tonne of plastic waste – that's a huge amount! Additionally, the production of cloth diapers is more resource-efficient, especially when they are made from organic cotton and recycled materials and produced in Europe like Judes are. More details on the comparison between cloth diapers and disposable diapers can be found in our blog.

With a cloth diaper cake, you are giving not only something useful and beautiful but also a piece of sustainability. You support the parents-to-be in making an environmentally conscious decision and giving their baby a healthy start in life – free from unnecessary chemicals on the skin. Such sustainable gifts for birth come from the heart and have a positive impact.

What materials do you need for a cloth diaper cake?

Before you start creating your cloth diaper cake, you should have all the materials ready. The good news is: You don't need that much!

Basic materials and tools

• Cloth diapers: The centerpiece of your cake is, of course, the cloth diapers. For a medium-sized cake, we recommend about 15–25 Judes inner diapers. You can choose between size 1 (Newborn, 0-8 kg) or size 2 (7-15 kg), depending on when the gift will be used. The Judes diaper covers in their soft colors are also wonderfully suitable for the outer design or as decorative elements.

• Cardboard roll: A sturdy cardboard roll (e.g., from kitchen paper or gift wrap) serves as the central support column of your cake. Alternatively, the cardboard roll from our Poo Paper is also excellent.

• Cardboard base: A piece of stiff cardboard or a cake board forms the base and provides stability. Choose the size that fits the desired diameter of your lowest tier.

• Rubber bands: You need about 20–30 rubber bands to roll the individual diapers (if you want to roll them) and later to fix the tiers.

• Gift ribbon: A nice gift ribbon (at least 2–3 meters, depending on the size of the cake, maybe more) to wrap and stabilize the tiers. Choose colors that match the design of your cake.

• Tools:

• Scissors

• Tape (double-sided is practical)

• Hot glue gun (optional, for additional decorative elements)

Additional decorative materials (optional)

• Small gifts: Baby care products, socks, pacifiers, teething toys.

• Judes accessories: Washcloths, folded changing mat, diaper bags.

• More ribbons and bows: For color accents.

• Name tag: For a personal touch.

• Natural materials: Dried flowers, twigs.

• Small figures or themed decorations: Suitable for a theme (see below).

Step-by-step guide: How to build the diaper cake

Now it's time to get building! With our instructions, your cloth diaper cake is sure to succeed.

Preparation & Base

1. Prepare diapers: Take each individual cloth diaper (e.g., the Judes inner diaper).

2. Prepare base: Cut your cardboard base round or square, according to your taste. If you like, you can cover it with wrapping paper.

3. Fix central pillar: Glue the cardboard roll (or the Judes Poo Paper roll) centrally onto your cardboard base. Double-sided tape or a dab of hot glue works well here.

4. Build bottom tier: Here comes the special Judes tip: Instead of rolling the thick Judes inner diapers, which might become a bit uneven due to their thickness, use their shape! Stand the inner diapers upright around the central cardboard roll. Their thickness and height form a stable and even base that looks like a white cake layer. Place them close together until the desired size of the bottom tier is reached. Secure the entire tier with a large rubber band or directly with a beautiful gift ribbon.

Additional Tiers & Fixing

1. Second tier: For the second tier, which should be somewhat smaller, you can now use the rolled Judes diaper covers or more (perhaps rolled or folded a bit smaller) inner diapers. Place these on the first tier, again close around the cardboard roll. You also secure this tier with a rubber band and/or gift ribbon.

2. Third tier (optional): If you want a taller cake, you can add a third, smaller tier.

3. Stabilize with gift ribbon: Wrap each tier tightly with your chosen gift ribbon. This covers the rubber bands and gives the cake stability and a nice appearance. At the end, make a beautiful bow or fix the ribbon inconspicuously with tape or a drop of hot glue.

Decorative Personalization

Now comes the creative part: decorating your cloth diaper cake! The possibilities are pretty much endless.
Some ideas:

• Integrate small gifts: Insert small baby care products (e.g., a mild wash lotion, a small tube of cream), baby socks, pacifiers, or a small teething toy between the diaper rolls or the upright inner diapers.

• Use Judes accessories: The Judes washcloths made from organic cotton can be integrated beautifully as small flowers. A folded changing mat from Judes can also be decoratively placed. A Judes diaper bag can also be part of the gift and placed next to the cake or used as a pop of color.

• Ribbons and bows: Use different colored ribbons to add accents.

• Name tag: A small tag with the baby's name (if already known) makes the cake more personal.

• Small figures or themed decorations: Cute animal figures or other small decorative elements that match a chosen theme (see below) or simply as a loving addition.

• Flowers: Fresh or high-quality artificial flowers can give the cake an elegant touch.

Make sure all decorative elements are securely attached and that there are no small parts that a baby could swallow.

Creative Variations and Themes

A cloth diaper cake doesn't always have to be classically round. You can also adapt it to a specific theme. Here are a few ideas for your cloth diaper cake DIY:

Theme List

• Unicorn: With pastel colors, glitter ribbons, and a small unicorn stuffed animal as a topper.

• Jungle/Safari: With green and brown ribbons, small plush animals (lion, elephant, monkey), and artificial leaves.

• Fire Department: With red and yellow ribbons, perhaps a small toy fire ladder.

• Castle: Try to shape the tiers like castle battlements, with flags and a small prince or princess figure.

• Maritime: With blue and white ribbons, small anchors, or sailboats.

Mini cake as a budget option: If you are planning a smaller gift or have a limited budget, a mini diaper cake is a great idea. For this, you only need one tier with about 5-7 upright or rolled cloth diapers, which you decorate lovingly. Even a small gesture can bring great joy!

At Judes, we prefer decorative elements that reflect our connection to nature and our focus on sustainability.

"At Judes, we are very connected to nature and also like to use natural motifs for the decoration of diaper cakes. Flowers or branches go wonderfully with this. A simple background, perhaps even outside on a meadow, brings the cake itself beautifully into focus." - Tamara from Judes Family

A nice design idea is, for example, to shape the bottom tier with the upright Judes inner diapers and use the colored Judes diaper covers for the second tier. These provide gentle color accents. With some carefully placed flowers or natural branches, the overall image is harmoniously rounded off. The subtle colors of our diaper covers give the cake a pleasantly simple and stylish look, even with pops of color.

Conclusion

A homemade cloth diaper cake is a wonderful gift that comes from the heart. It is not only a real eye-catcher at any baby shower, but also practical, personal, and above all, sustainable. It not only showcases your creativity but also your awareness for the environment and the baby's health.

With the sustainable Judes cloth diapers as a base, you create a gift that provides multiple joys:

• Joy for the parents: through a useful and thoughtful gift.

• Joy for the baby: through skin-friendly materials and the comfort of cloth diapers.

• Joy for the environment: through the avoidance of waste and the support of sustainable products.

We hope this guide inspires you to craft your own beautiful cloth diaper cake. It’s easier than you think, and the result is sure to amaze!

Have you ever made or gifted a diaper cake? Feel free to share your experiences and ideas in the comments! We look forward to your creations.