What are modern cloth nappies?
Most people think of bulky terry towels soaking in buckets of water then hanging all over the house when we say, "cloth nappies" but modern reusable nappies are nothing like the original terry towels. They are trim, absorbent and quick drying. Many can go on and off like a disposable and you no longer need to soak them or scrub them, a 60 degree cotton cycle is usually all that is needed. Plus, modern washable nappies come in so many lovely designs that you'll not want to hide them under clothes!
But why are there so many types?
Every child is a different shape, and just like disposables, different brands suit different children. There are also many different materials these days, so you can have nappies that dry really quickly but need changing every few hours, or nappies that dry slower but last up to 12 hours. Some nappies have snaps/poppers to fasten them, some have applix/velcro, and there are different shapes and styles to suit different families and needs. Most families end up with a range of different brands and styles; i.e 4 or 5 really absorbent but slow drying nappies for night use or long journeys, quicker drying nappies for day time use at home. Maybe you prefer snap fastenings but the nursery prefers velcro. Maybe you have a custom nappy made for your child's first birthday with their name and date of birth embroidered on it and special nappies for the festive period with Christmas prints on them!
But how do you know what will fit your child?! Lots of people have bought a birth to potty pack of nappies only to find that they leak all the time, or that they take forever to dry, or are uncomfortable for the child as they get older. This is an expensive outlay when you are unsure if they'll work for you. Wouldn't it be better if you could try all the different types before you spend any money? Find out what suits your child and then find the best deals and offers knowing exactly what you want? Yes. And that's where we can help you. We have set up our service to help you do exactly that. Find out what works for you before you buy anything.
But how do you know what will fit your child?! Lots of people have bought a birth to potty pack of nappies only to find that they leak all the time, or that they take forever to dry, or are uncomfortable for the child as they get older. This is an expensive outlay when you are unsure if they'll work for you. Wouldn't it be better if you could try all the different types before you spend any money? Find out what suits your child and then find the best deals and offers knowing exactly what you want? Yes. And that's where we can help you. We have set up our service to help you do exactly that. Find out what works for you before you buy anything.
HOW DOes our service work?
There are two options. You may like to attend a public demonstration or "meet" where you can see a range of demo nappies and ask questions in an informal setting. Usually these take place at local Children's Centres, Baby or Toddler groups, NCT events or groups, and at cafes or other suitable locations. Each branch advertises their meets and demonstrations on the Facebook page so you can either "like" and follow the page, or contact your closest branch to ask when and where their next demo will be.
You can also contact your closest volunteer to arrange a time and date that suits for you to come and borrow a kit from us. We take you through the different types of nappies available, show you how to use each type of nappy and explain everything you need to know, then we will loan you a suitable kit of 20-30 nappies with everything else that you need to trial cloth nappies, full or part time, for a month.
During the trial you are able to contact us at any time to ask questions or to recap and we give you information to take away with you too.
When your kit is due for return, we will usually text or ring you to find out how you are getting on and organise a suitable time for you to return the kit to us. We do not sell nappies ourselves but we can help you find the best prices on the nappies you liked best. We can also offer further support if you need it. Once you have bought nappies, you are still welcome to contact us at any time with questions or for advice, or to borrow a kit again!
You can also contact your closest volunteer to arrange a time and date that suits for you to come and borrow a kit from us. We take you through the different types of nappies available, show you how to use each type of nappy and explain everything you need to know, then we will loan you a suitable kit of 20-30 nappies with everything else that you need to trial cloth nappies, full or part time, for a month.
During the trial you are able to contact us at any time to ask questions or to recap and we give you information to take away with you too.
When your kit is due for return, we will usually text or ring you to find out how you are getting on and organise a suitable time for you to return the kit to us. We do not sell nappies ourselves but we can help you find the best prices on the nappies you liked best. We can also offer further support if you need it. Once you have bought nappies, you are still welcome to contact us at any time with questions or for advice, or to borrow a kit again!
What does it cost to use our service?
Nothing! We are a free service and although we appreciate donations, we want you to be able to try reusable nappies without having to buy anything or spend any money. We appreciate that you may be unsure whether you are going to get on with cloth nappies so by borrowing them for free, you get to try them without any pressure. We don't mind if you return the kit unused, or if you decide washable nappies are not for you. 98% of people who borrow kits do convert to using washable nappies, but it is worth knowing that cloth nappies don't have to be used full time. Even one cloth nappy a day saves 365 a year from landfill, and saves you money in the process!
How much money could washable nappies save you?
The answer to this question varies hugely. Most credible sources say that a child will need an average of 6 nappy changes a day (newborn can be up to ten, toddlers may only need four) over an average of two and half years (some children potty train at a year old, some at four years old). Using cheap supermarket brand nappies at 8p each, and ignoring nappy sacks and wipes for now, that is 6 changes x 547 days = 3,282 nappy changes, at 8p each = £262.56. Using high end branded nappies or "eco" disposables at 32p each = £1,050 plus nappy sacks at an average of 5p each = £164.10 so total cost of disposable nappies = £426.66 to £1,214.10 depending on brand used.
Technically, you can "cloth bum" a child from birth to potty absolutely free if you are happy to use very basic nappies that have been pre-loved, however most people prefer to buy all-in-one, quick drying, stylish, birth-to-potty style nappies which can cost from £4 new up to around £20 depending on the quality, ethics, manufacturing costs etc of the nappies. The most popular brands work out at around £8 per nappy on average and to "cloth bum" full time, washing every 2-3 days, you would need 25 nappies = £200. The UK Cloth Nappy Library Network worked out that a 60 degree wash on a cotton cycle with high spin, then line-drying (as we mentioned, some nappies are dry within a couple of hours so there is no need to tumble dry) cost an average of 45p. 3 loads a week at 45p over 2 years = £140.40 and a large wetbag to hold 20 nappies whilst waiting to be washed is approx £8 so total cost of cloth nappies = £348.40 and obviously this can be reduced further by selling the nappies on when you are finished with them. Some cloth nappies actually INCREASE in value as the prints become limited edition, so you may find that you even make a profit!
As you can see, the financial savings can be very significant, and because modern cloth nappies are as easy to use as disposables, with no soaking or faffing required, more and more people are turning to washable options. The Environmental Agency figures for disposable nappies in landfill estimate 0.86 tonnes PER CHILD. This is approximately 6 extra black bags of household waste every month. Cloth nappies can last many years and be used for many children if they are looked after.
Technically, you can "cloth bum" a child from birth to potty absolutely free if you are happy to use very basic nappies that have been pre-loved, however most people prefer to buy all-in-one, quick drying, stylish, birth-to-potty style nappies which can cost from £4 new up to around £20 depending on the quality, ethics, manufacturing costs etc of the nappies. The most popular brands work out at around £8 per nappy on average and to "cloth bum" full time, washing every 2-3 days, you would need 25 nappies = £200. The UK Cloth Nappy Library Network worked out that a 60 degree wash on a cotton cycle with high spin, then line-drying (as we mentioned, some nappies are dry within a couple of hours so there is no need to tumble dry) cost an average of 45p. 3 loads a week at 45p over 2 years = £140.40 and a large wetbag to hold 20 nappies whilst waiting to be washed is approx £8 so total cost of cloth nappies = £348.40 and obviously this can be reduced further by selling the nappies on when you are finished with them. Some cloth nappies actually INCREASE in value as the prints become limited edition, so you may find that you even make a profit!
As you can see, the financial savings can be very significant, and because modern cloth nappies are as easy to use as disposables, with no soaking or faffing required, more and more people are turning to washable options. The Environmental Agency figures for disposable nappies in landfill estimate 0.86 tonnes PER CHILD. This is approximately 6 extra black bags of household waste every month. Cloth nappies can last many years and be used for many children if they are looked after.
How can we afford to run this service?
Our service costs around £6,000 a year to run, and as we expand and open more branches, obviously those costs will increase. Much of the day to day running costs are absorbed by the volunteers themselves and ongoing fundraising efforts. We are also very grateful for donations from people who have used the service, either monetary donations or donations of nappies that are no longer required. Please contact us if you would like to donate or help in any way.
