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I began potty training my daughter the day she turned two (yes, she spent her birthday naked in our house running to and from a tiny potty in the living room…it was chaos). We went a pretty intense route, opting to follow the “Oh Crap” method, a reference I know many toddler parents will understand. I wanted to keep my daughter in training pants (aka a diaper that pulls on like underwear) for nights and naps, but the problem is, I never found one I really liked. They were all scratchier than our beloved diapers, and the lack of coverage meant they leaked far too often. So I ended up just putting her back in traditional diapers for nighttime.
You can imagine how excited I was to find out Coterie was launching ‘The Pant,’ a pull-on diaper meant for potty training toddlers or wiggly babies (seriously – as a mom of two under three, I had been waiting for this moment!). But in classic TQE style, I didn’t just assume The Pant was going to be great – I put it to the test! Let’s see how Coterie’s new The Pant compares to Huggies’ tried and true Pull-Up.
We like
We don't like
Test #1: Functionality & Design
When it comes to training pants, I’ve tried them all, desperately trying to find one that my little one would accept (and that wouldn’t leak). After all, most kids are wearing these through the night, so they’ve really got to work.
Huggies: These are definitely the best of the OG training pant options. They’ve got a cute little snowflake design that fades when wet (which is cool, although if your child is wearing them while sleeping, I’m not sure how useful that actually is) and refastenable sides for quick changes (love this, easy to get off!). But these definitely leaked a few times and weren’t as absorbent as I was hoping. 7/10
Coterie: Well folks, we’re off to a great start. I am happy to report that The Pant is equally as functional as The Diaper…in fact, it might be even more absorbent somehow? We’ve had no leaks and with a 360-degree resealable (and extremely stretchy!) waistband, they’re super easy to get on and off. I love them so much, I actually started using them for my one year old who hates lying down on the changing table…I can now change her standing up, which is awesome. In fact, this is a big part of why Coterie launched The Pant – to support different developmental stages, not just potty training. 10/10
Winner: Coterie
Test #2: Materials
Most babies wear diapers 24 hours a day, and toddlers for around 10-12 hours overnight. That’s a lot of time for skin to be in contact with whatever’s in the diaper itself (chemicals, poop, pee, you get the drift). It’s extremely important to me that the diapers and training pants I’m putting my kids in are completely chemical-free.
Huggies: While traditional Pull-Ups are not super clean, Huggies’ New Leaf product is plant-based and supposedly free of parabens, phthalates, and VOCs. However, the website is extremely hard to navigate and I was only able to discover this information by reading deep into the reviews. Furthermore, I’m a bit disappointed that the brand refuses to share a list of ingredients, instead asking consumers to call its customer care line. Um, no thanks. 6/10
Coterie: Just like the brand’s flagship diaper, these diapers are the. softest. ever. I truly don’t know how Coterie does it; there is truly no competition on the softness scale. In addition to being clean and chemical-free, these training pants are made with Japanese ROICA™ Spandex – the material used to make yoga pants. These are basically yoga pants for babies. They also feature a 3D Embossed Top Sheet which locks waste away from baby’s skin, a Dual Absorbent Core that holds up to 2x more liquid than Pull-Ups, and Soft Spunbound fabric with tens of millions of nano-grade micropores to provide the breathability and lightweight feel of a more “grown up” pant. Sign me up! 10/10
In addition to being clean and chemical-free, these training pants are made with Japanese ROICA™ Spandex – the material used to make yoga pants. These are basically yoga pants for babies.
Winner: Coterie
Test #3: Sustainability & Eco-Friendliness
As with traditional diapers, I’m conscious about how much garbage I’m creating as I transition my kids to training pants.
Huggies: I had a bit of trouble with this during our last throwdown as well, but to recap – Huggies is lacking a bit in the transparency department. It’s exciting that the New Leaf Pull-Up is plant-based, but I can’t find any information on how they break down in the environment, or what the brand is doing to be more sustainable. They may be a bit better than the average, but it’s impossible to know. 5/10
Coterie: Nothing hugely new to report here, as we’ve featured Coterie’s sustainability initiatives many times before. The brand carbon offsets every purchase by participating in programs that “make equivalent reductions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,” which is awesome. Because the diapers are super absorbent, you’ll also change your baby less often, resulting in overall less waste. That said, I was a little bummed to find out The Pant doesn’t use plant-based ingredients like its sister product The Diaper. 7/10
Winner: Coterie
Test #4: Cost & Convenience
Huggies: Not surprisingly, Huggies are pretty cost-effective, which frankly is a big deal! Babies go through so many of these and costs add up pretty quickly. A pack of 124 New Leaf Pull-Ups runs $58.99 at Target, which comes to $0.48/count. If you don’t want the softer, plant-based option, the brand’s original Pull-Ups are roughly $0.35/count.
Coterie: By contrast, The Pant will cost you $0.61-$1.03/count depending on the size. Though as I’ve said before, I probably use 30% fewer pants because they are so much more absorbent. This doesn’t completely equal out the costs, but helps a ton when you think about your overall budget for diapers or training pants. I also love that Coterie is subscription-based, so The Pant comes right to your door every 3, 4 or 5 weeks (you choose frequency) and it’s super easy to manage, delay, or change a shipment via the brand’s text service. Plus, code EXTRA10 will get you 10% off your first subscription order.
Winner: Huggies
Final Verdict: Coterie
Removing all personal bias for the brand, this is still a complete no-brainer. Coterie’s The Pant is hands down the best training pant on the market. Rather than focusing on kitschy designs and getting onto the shelves of big box retailers, the brand spent its time focusing on the things that are most important to parents – thoughtful design, real functionality, and high-quality materials. And, the absolute icing on top is that The Pant is great for pre-potty training littles, too. If only there was an adult version I could have worn through those postpartum days (kidding…kind of!).
Shop Coterie's The Pant and use code 'Extra10' to save 10%.
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