Customer Reviews

Seventh Generation Baby Wipes Refills, Chlorine Free and Unscented, 70-Count Packs (Pack of 12) (840 Wipes)

5 star:		(272)
4 star:		(67)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(36)
1 star:		(39)

 

 

Note added 11/28/09: I've revised my 04/26/09 review with new information and changed my rating from five to four stars.

I ordered these wipes from Amazon in mid-2008, in early 2009, and in late 2009, but the wipes were different each time. See Customer Images.

In mid-2008, the front of the mostly-green package was beige and had "seventh GENERATION baby" on the "leaf" logo. The text on the front was in English only; the back was stamped "MADE IN UK." The ingredients were "Water, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose (plant-derived cleaning agent), Glycerin (vegetable oil derived), Citric Acid (provides stability and pH balance), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E acetate), Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Benzoate (food-grade preservatives)." The weight of the package was 1 pound (although it's possible that some moisture leaked out as the measurement was taken in early 2009). There were 80 wipes per package, each 6.8"x7.5".

In early 2009, the front of the mostly-green package was blue and gray, and had just "seventh GENERATION" on the "leaf" logo on the front. The text on the front was in English and French; the back was stamped "MADE IN USA." The ingredients were "Water, Polysorbate 20 (cleansing agent derived from sugar), Glycerin (soothes and cleanses skin, vegetable oil derived), Citric acid (provides stability & pH balance), Potassium sorbate (a natural preservative), Aloe Barbadensis Gel (helps heal skin), Tocopherol acetate (Vitamin E acetate, helps heal skin)." These ingredients were rated 2 (a "low" hazard) on a cosmetic safety database on the Web. The weight of the package was 1-1/4 pounds when received. There were 80 wipes per package, each 6.8"x7.5".

In late 2009, the packaging had changed completely, with an overall light lime color instead of green. The baby on the front was sitting in the grass looking at a stacking ring toy. The text was all in English; the side was stamped "MADE IN USA." The ingredients were "Aqua (water), glycerin (vegetable oil derived), citric acid (provides stability and pH balance), cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose (plant-derived cleaning agent), aloe barbadensis extract (aloe), tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E acetate), sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (food-grade preservatives). ... The wipe material used in this product is a blend of rayon (naturally derived) and polyester (PET)." The weight of the package was 1 pound when received. There were 70 wipes per package, each 6.8"x7".

Common to all three versions: (1) Although all the packages said "unscented," there was actually a slight odor perhaps from the citric acid and aloe. (2) We've used all of them without problems like diaper rash. (3) I don't agree with reviews such as "There is hardly any moisture now" suggesting that the water content has decreased over time. The current wipes feel just as moist as the previous ones. Although the package weight decreased between early 2009 and late 2009, the number of wipes and their size also declined, so that the weight per unit area remained about the same. I will say that the weight per unit area (.0048 ounces per square inch) is lower than for other brands of wipes (e.g., Kirkland from CostCo at .0057 ounces per sq in), suggesting a lower water content than other brands have.

However, comparing the three versions, I do have two major concerns: (1) THE INGREDIENTS KEEP CHANGING. Can't the manufacturer stick with one formula? (2) THE COST PER SQUARE INCH OF WIPE HAS INCREASED ABOUT 22%, from 0.086 cents in early 2009 to 0.105 cents in late 2009. The reason is that you pay the same price as before but the wipe size decreased and you get fewer wipes now.

For the reasons above, I changed my 4/26/09 rating from five stars to four now. Consider buying these wipes from Amazon.com!

My wife and I love these wipes. So imagine our dismay when the most recent shipment came in (we subscribe) with different packaging and less wipes. I wouldn't be upset except the price didn't change. So now we are getting 120 less wipes (nearly 2 packages less) for the same price. It ends up meaning 0.6 cent increase per wipe or a 15.7% increase in price. Since we order one case of pkgs per month this will turn into a $66 increase of the course of a year. I realize the economy is bad so companies are reducing production but the product price should decrease at least a little accordingly. Poor PR move by a what we have considered a great company. As far as distribution goes, since the original package at the original price is still being sold, I am annoyed with Amazon for changing which product we receive without any notification.

PS just noticed 7th gen also changed the size: per case (12 pkgs) it ends up being a bit under 9000 sq in reduction in the amount of product versus the original pkg. Which means we are getting 176 less wipes (more than 2 pkgs) per order or a 0.8 cent per wipe or 21.2% increase in price. That is a $92 increase per year. OUCH!

I used to buy Kirkland Signature (Costco) wipes and Huggies wipes. However, upon research from EWG's website, I decided to try the more natural and less toxic brands. So I bought Earth's Best, Seventh Generation, and Tushies, just to compare.

Size: Earth's Best is slightly larger than Seventh Generation and Tushies. If you like generous sizes, Earth's Best is the winner.

Thickness: Earth's Best is slightly thicker than Seventh Generation. Tushies is the thinnest. But none of the three brands is as thick as Huggies.

Texture: Tushies is subtly printed with ducks and stars. These prints increase friction so it is easier to remove dried poop that sticks to baby's bottom. Seventh Generation and Earth' Best do not have prints on them. They feel smoother on the skin. But on the other hand, they do not remove dried poop as effectively due to the lack of friction. More friction can be good or bad, depending on your perspective. One user commented that Tushies felt like sand paper. It was exaggerated. But Tushies does feel rougher on the skin. Between Seventh Generation and Earth' Best, Seventh Generation has more of a fabric feeling, while Earth' Best feels smoother.

Water Retention: inside the plastic bags that come with the wipes, Tushies wipes feel very moist. However, once I transported the wipes to the wipe warmer, they become dry. Their thin texture does not help the wipes to absorb/maintain water. Seventh Generation and Earth' Best are better at retaining moisture.

Breakability: it is very annoying to have wipes broken into pieces when you pull them out of the wipe warmer. Huggies and Tushies both break. Seventh Generation, Earth' Best, and Kirkland never do.

Overall, none of baby wipes I tried are perfect. They all have pros and cons. However, if I am going to choose one, I will go with Earth's Best for its size, texture, moistness and the fact that it does not break easily.

I really dont get it.. I started using these wipes after buying the pack of 12 and my baby developed diaper rash. She rarely got diaper rash before, so I dont get why this wipe would give it to her. When I stopped using this wipe and used a different brand her rash went away.. Plus I dislike the smell these wipes have. Granted they claim to be unscented, but there is a strange smell to them. Now I am stuck with 900 wipes and I am out $35 bucks. I would recommend trying them out before buying a massive amount of them like I did.. BIG MISTAkE on my part.

I used to love these wipes but the company has changed the ingredients and they now contain Polysorbate 20. I recommend Tushies unscented baby wipes.

I love these baby wipes. They're strong, they stay moist, and they don't leave residue or a scent on the baby. My daughter doesn't get diaper rash from them either. Because they contain aloe, they're good for my hands, too, which helps because new moms are constantly washing their hands. I haven't found any place other than Amazon where they're cheaper - Amazon is the place to buy them. I've also purchased a case of the travel size wipes for the diaper bag - they're perfect. I was actually given a case of huggies wipes at my baby shower and haven't used them because I like the Seventh Generation ones better. What could be better than a product that really works well and is better for the planet than the other choices out there? I won't change brands after finding these!

I bought into the whole "no scents, no chemicals" vibe, and Seventh Generation has some kind of environmentally-friendly, naturally made reputation, but after using these for 6 months I find these wipes aren't up to the task. They are very thin and the texture and surface doesn't really grab the solid stuff when I wipe, so it just feels like I'm moving stuff around on my baby's bottom, but not OFF his bottom. I find I'm using a lot more wipes and I'm really rubbing hard against his skin, and I suspect it's making him reluctant to have his diaper changed. I've tried another well-known brand's non-scented wipes (I've also reviewed them here), they are thicker and even with a gentle wipe they do a better job of removing stuff from the skin.

This was on my subscribe-and-save list, a couple days ago I received an email from Amazon that for the same price, Seventh Generation would now provide 10 fewer wipes per pack, or 120 less per order. That really clinches it, I am no longer getting these, because, to sum up, they are less effective, I end up using a lot more, and now their price advantage has also reduced.

Here's one easy way to make the decision: Would you use thinner, less effective TP on your butt or would you go for the thicker, quilted stuff?

These packages used to come 80 wipes per package. Now they are 70 per package. For a company whose brand touts strong consideration of their decisions on "the next seven generations", this is a decision that is hypocritical.

I would have preferred that they simply raise the price if they needed to. Packing fewer wipes in the same packaging is bad for the environment. When I order a case of this, I am getting 120 less wipes in the same amount of packaging (12 plastic packs and 1 cardboard container box). How is this good for the environment or for future generations?!

They should be putting more wipes in less packaging. Actions speak louder than words. In spite of its "seventh generation" branding, they are sending me a message that their brand more hype than substance.

I am totally sympathetic with their need to raise prices if they need to. But sneaking in an effective price increase by decreasing content in the same amount of packaging is bad.

Although I love their wipes, I am going to switch to another brand.

I absolutely agree with zinnia829, I've been using these for the past 9 months since my son was born & didn't have any problems with them (albeit, I use a ton of Cali baby moisturizer to prevent diaper rash), but the recent batch is of such low quality- thinner & drier, the sheets separate as I'm pulling them out of my wipe warmer, then I have to open up the warmer to thread through a new sheet- several times a day with a baby who's trying to rolling out of the changing table every time ! These wipes just don't remove poo, it's so bad that sometimes I have to use my fingers cause I can't get to the sink to wet the wipes. I need to stop my subscribe & save- cause in the end I'm not saving any time or money with these.

These are the best because they don't leave a slimy residue like the "major brands". We used these on our baby since birth and no diaper rash ever. Good deal on Amazon when you buy a case. I wish they were a little more moist (they seem a little drier than Huggies, Pampers, Costco etc) but that's just personal preference.

UPDATE: I ordered another case in March 2006. Wipes were noticably more moist and packaging changed. Great improvement.