They are proud members of the Nappy Alliance, a collective of retailers and cloth experts working to promote and encourage the use of reusable nappies. As April’s Real Nappy Week approaches, we spoke to founder Laura Davies about why we should aim for reusables, what different kinds of nappies there are, and her top washing tips!
“AS WE MOVE AWAY FROM single-use plastic in our daily lives, it is important that we also consider our choice of nappies and wipes - after all, disposable nappies count as single-use plastic too! Over the course of infancy, one child can easily contribute a whopping 4,500 nappies to landfill – where they will sit for an estimated 550 years. It is also important to consider the resources used in the production of disposable nappies - in fact, this process has a greater environmental impact than the waste management of them. On average, families will need around 25 reusable nappies, and as most on the market are one-size, these nappies are all you will need until you reach potty training. Just 25 reusable nappies can replace 4,500 disposable ones- and even more if you go on to use the nappies on a second, or even third child! Although the up-front costs of cloth nappies can be high, the ongoing costs are minimal, and compared to the overall expenses of using disposable nappies, they are significantly lower. 75% of parents using cloth spent under £300 in total for nappies, wipes and liners, which is staggering when compared to the approximate cost of £1,200 per child in disposables. thenappygurus.com
CARRY ON AND ON Make your reusables last longer…
✽ Store your wet nappies in a hanging waterproof bag. This keeps them up and out of the way and keeps any whiffs contained. On wash day, wash the bag along with the nappies!
✽ Always run a cold rinse cycle before your wash cycle. This can help to prevent staining. Run an extra rinse cycle at the end too if you see any suds during the wash cycle rinse.
Long term use
✽ To get maximum longevity out of your cloth nappies (including using them on second babies), choose a nappy with the more durable snap fastening over hook & loop.
✽ When putting your nappies into storage ready to use again with future babies, make sure they are well rinsed of any detergent residues.
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