When I first started my incontinence underpad supply business five years ago, I had a clear goal: to provide products that solve a real, messy problem for people dealing with bladder or bowel dysfunction, post-surgery recovery, or chronic conditions like dementia. What I didn’t expect was how quickly customers would start asking a question I’d never considered in depth: “Are your underpads eco-friendly?” At the time, I’d been sourcing the standard plastic-backed, tree-based pulp options that most brands use—affordable, easy to get, but a nightmare for landfills. Each underpad is roughly 10 grams; multiply that by the thousands of units we ship monthly, and you’re talking about tens of thousands of grams of non-biodegradable waste going to dump sites every month. It was a gap I hadn’t prioritized, but after those first few customer emails, I made it my mission to find out: yes, incontinence underpads absolutely can have eco-friendly options—and here’s what that actually looks like, beyond the greenwashing you’ll see online. Incontinence Underpad
First, let’s break down what makes a standard incontinence underpad bad for the planet. Most mass-produced models have three key layers: a bottom barrier layer of polyethylene plastic (PE), which takes hundreds of years to decompose; an absorbent core made from virgin wood pulp, often mixed with superabsorbent polymers (SAP) that don’t biodegrade at all; and a thin top layer of non-woven polypropylene (PP) that’s mostly plastic too. When these pads are soiled, they’re almost always thrown away as medical waste, even if they could be composted or recycled. A 2022 study from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that single-use incontinence products make up 5% of all medical solid waste in the U.S.—and that number is only going up as the global population ages. For a supplier like me, that stat was a wake-up call: we weren’t just selling a product for comfort; we were contributing to a growing waste crisis. So I started digging into the alternatives, and what I found surprised me.
The first eco-friendly option I tested was a plant-based barrier layer, instead of plastic. I had assumed “waterproof” meant plastic, but I learned there are biodegradable polymers made from things like corn starch or sugarcane bagasse that work just as well for leakage protection. These barriers break down in 180 to 365 days in a commercial compost facility, compared to 500+ years for PE. The catch? They’re a bit more expensive to manufacture, which initially made me hesitant to offer them as a standard option. But when I started sampling them with customers, the feedback was immediate and positive. A home healthcare nurse in Ohio told me her patients with dementia used to hide their plastic-backed pads in regular trash bins, worried about being a burden on the environment—swapping to the plant-based ones made them feel less guilty. Another customer, a man recovering from knee replacement surgery who uses underpads to protect his mattress, said he’d started composting the soiled pads (after checking with his local compost program) instead of tossing them in the garbage, which had cut his weekly household trash in half. That’s when I realized eco-friendly isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a tangible benefit for people who care about their carbon footprint, even when they’re dealing with health struggles.
Next, there’s the absorbent core. Most standard pads use virgin wood pulp, which is a renewable resource on paper, but clear-cutting forests for single-use products isn’t sustainable. The alternative here is hemp or organic cotton, which absorb just as much liquid as wood pulp without the deforestation. I worked with a small mill in Canada that processes organic hemp that’s free of pesticides and fertilizers, and the cores they make hold up to 400ml of liquid—more than enough for most users. I also tested pads with a core made from recycled paper pulp, mixed with a small amount of plant-based SAP that’s biodegradable (unlike the standard petroleum-based kind). Those worked well for light to moderate incontinence, which is perfect for older adults who only need pads for occasional use. I’ll be honest, there was a learning curve here: early on, some customers complained that the hemp cores were a bit thicker than standard ones, so we adjusted the thickness to match our regular pads, and now no one notices the difference. The recycled paper version, meanwhile, has been a hit with budget-conscious buyers who still want to reduce their environmental impact—since it’s made from 100% post-consumer paper waste, it diverts trash from landfills even before it’s used.
The biggest challenge I’ve faced as a supplier has been around certification and credibility. A lot of brands call their products “eco-friendly” just because they use a tiny bit of recycled material, but that’s not enough to make a real difference. I made a point from the start to only offer underpads that have third-party certifications: BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) for compostability, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) for the plant materials we use, and CRADLE TO CRADLE for overall sustainability. Last year, I did a small batch of test pads with all these certifications, and we distributed them to 50 long-term care facilities across the country to get feedback. The results were better than I expected: 85% of the facilities said they planned to switch to the certified eco-friendly pads full-time, because their residents and staff both preferred them. One facility manager told me that insurance companies are now starting to offer discounts for facilities that use sustainable medical products, which is another financial incentive I hadn’t considered.
But here’s the thing I’ve learned over the past few years: eco-friendly incontinence underpads aren’t one-size-fits-all. Some users need heavy-duty pads for overnight use, and the thickest plant-based barrier ones work perfectly for that. Others use pads for light under-chair protection, so the recycled paper cores are ideal. I also supply reusable incontinence underpads, for people who can launder them at home. I know a lot of people roll their eyes at reusable products, thinking they’re a hassle, but for people who use pads every day, the long-term savings are huge. A set of four reusable pads costs around the same as a month’s supply of disposable ones, and they last for two years or more, so over time they’re way cheaper. Plus, they don’t add to landfill waste at all. I had a customer in Florida who had been using disposable pads for her mother with Alzheimer’s for three years—she told me switching to reusable pads saved her $200 a month, and her mom didn’t even notice the difference. That’s a win-win for everyone.
Of course, it’s not all easy. There are still hurdles to overcome. The first is cost: eco-friendly pads are 15-20% more expensive than standard ones, which is a barrier for low-income users and small home healthcare agencies. That’s why I keep working with local governments and non-profits that provide incontinence supplies to people who can’t afford them—we donate a portion of every order we make to those groups, and we’ve pushed for local programs to cover eco-friendly options instead of just the cheapest ones. Another hurdle is access: many pharmacies and medical supply stores don’t carry eco-friendly underpads, so most users have to order them online. That’s something I’m trying to fix by partnering with more retail partners, but it’s a slow process, since retailers are used to stocking the cheapest, most familiar brands.
I also want to address the biggest misconception I hear from customers: that eco-friendly underpads are less effective. Early on, I was worried this too, but every test we’ve done has disproven that. The plant-based barriers work just as well as plastic ones at preventing leaks, the hemp cores absorb as much liquid as wood pulp, and the reusable ones are just as durable as disposable. The only difference is what happens to them after they’re used—they don’t sit in a landfill for centuries. I’ve even had customers with sensitive skin switch to our eco-friendly pads, because they don’t use the harsh chemicals that some standard brands add to prevent odor. That’s another bonus I didn’t anticipate: less irritation for users.
As a supplier, my goal isn’t to force everyone to switch to eco-friendly underpads overnight. I know that for some people, cost is the biggest factor, and disposable standard pads are the only option. But I’ve seen first-hand how much of a difference eco-friendly options make, for both the people using them and the planet. Over the past five years, we’ve grown from a small local supplier to one that ships across the country, and every time a customer emails me to say they switched to our eco-friendly pads and feel less guilty about their waste, it reminds me why I started this business.
If you’re a healthcare provider, a caregiver, or someone looking for incontinence underpads that are kinder to the planet, I encourage you to reach out to discuss our eco-friendly options. We work with everyone from individual customers to large long-term care facilities, and we can tailor solutions to fit your needs and budget. Whether you’re looking for disposable compostable pads, recycled paper core pads, or reusable washable underpads, we have options that meet both your performance and sustainability goals.
Incontinence Chair Pads References
Environmental Working Group. (2022). Single-Use Medical Waste: The Hidden Impact of Incontinence Products. EWG Health Research Report.
Biodegradable Products Institute. (2021). Certified Compostable Incontinence Products: Performance and End-of-Life Testing Standards. BPI Technical Bulletin.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Incontinence Prevalence and Supply Needs in Aging Populations. CDC Chronic Disease Report.
Haining Hengshang Knitting Co., Ltd.
Haining Hengshang Knitting Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional incontinence underpad manufacturers and suppliers in China, specialized in providing high quality products and service. We warmly welcome you to wholesale customized incontinence underpad from our factory.
Address: No.10 Chaoyang Road, Yuanhua Town, Haining City, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province
E-mail: ashelly@hengshangtex.com
WebSite: https://www.hswashpad.com/
