Some people also use products intended for other purposes such as tissues, sanitary napkins, and related products. Washable, reuseable cloth briefs are available in nylon tricot, cotton, or polyester. Some have waterproof shells or center panels, snaps or Velcro R closures, and systems for attaching liners. They may be used with reusable or disposable liners or pads. The cost of disposables varies greatly with brand and absorbency.
Costs related to reusable incontinence products include original cost and cost of laundering.
For sake of comparison, assume that the person using the product requires five changes per day. However, both disposable and reusable products have other environmental costs as well. Some 70 percent of the product is technically biodegradable, however, and the entire product can produce usable energy if the trash in your area is incinerated. Another major environmental cost of disposables lies in production. The 70 percent of the product that is made of paper comes from trees, a renewable resource.