Hello Bello has marketed its diapers as free from chlorine processing, which would make them TCF (Total Chlorine Free). However, the brand’s current status is complicated. Hello Bello filed for bankruptcy in late 2023, and independent certifications like OEKO-TEX Standard 100 were never prominently listed on their products. What the brand did claim was that its diapers were made without chlorine processing, fragrances, lotions, phthalates, or latex.
What TCF Actually Means for Diapers
TCF stands for Total Chlorine Free. It describes how the wood pulp inside a diaper is bleached white. In TCF processing, no chlorine compounds are used at all. Instead, the pulp is whitened with hydrogen peroxide, ozone, and oxygen. This matters because older bleaching methods used elemental chlorine, which produced dioxins as a toxic byproduct that harmed waterways and ecosystems near pulp mills.
The alternative you’ll see is ECF, or Elemental Chlorine Free. ECF processing uses chlorine dioxide instead of elemental chlorine. It still involves a chlorine-based compound, but modern ECF technology has virtually eliminated dioxin production as well. Several diaper brands that previously used TCF processing, including The Honest Company, shifted to ECF around 2023.
Is This a Safety Concern?
For your baby’s skin, the difference between TCF and ECF is negligible. Both methods produce pulp that is safe for direct contact with infant skin. The dioxin concern that originally drove the push for chlorine-free processing was about environmental contamination from pulp mills, not about trace chemicals in the finished diaper. Modern ECF processing has largely solved that environmental problem too, though TCF remains the cleaner option from a purely ecological standpoint.
If you’re choosing diapers based on what touches your baby, more relevant factors include whether the diaper contains fragrances, lotions, or phthalates. Hello Bello’s formulation excluded all of these. The brand also claimed hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested status, though those are self-reported claims rather than independent certifications.
Hello Bello’s Certification Gaps
One thing worth knowing: Hello Bello did not carry OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification, which is the most widely recognized independent test for harmful substances in textiles. This certification tests finished products for hundreds of chemicals and is considered a stronger guarantee than a brand’s own marketing claims. Some competing brands like Eco by Naty and Dyper do carry this certification or similar third-party verification.
Hello Bello’s “chlorine-free” claim was part of its own product labeling rather than verified by an outside body. That doesn’t mean the claim was false, but it does mean there was no independent audit confirming the TCF status of the pulp used in production.
What Happened to Hello Bello
Hello Bello filed for bankruptcy in 2023, which created uncertainty about the brand’s future and its product formulations. If you’re currently seeing Hello Bello diapers on shelves, the products may have been manufactured before the bankruptcy filing or under new ownership with potentially different sourcing. Brand acquisitions after bankruptcy often result in changes to materials and suppliers, so previous claims about chlorine-free processing may not apply to newer inventory.
If TCF processing is important to you, look for brands that carry current third-party certifications and clearly state their bleaching method on their packaging or website. Brands that use TCF pulp typically highlight it because it’s a selling point. The absence of that claim, or vague language like “chlorine-free” without specifying TCF, sometimes indicates ECF processing instead.