Benefits of Real Nappies

Because they save you money…

You can save around £500 by using real nappies and washing them at home. And you can save even more if you use them for your second or third child or buy them second-hand. Some real nappies have a good resale value.

The total cost of using real nappies can be half that of using disposables. A 2006 study * has estimated costs from birth to potty for real and disposables nappies as:

• Buying real nappies and washing them at home costs from £182.50 to £359
• Buying disposable nappies costs from £615.16 to £922.74

These costs are based on nappies being used over two and a half years. They are average costs and depend on the type of nappy used and how often disposable nappies are changed. Visit www.wen.org.uk for full details of the study and the assumptions made.

Because they are better for the environment...

Real Nappies are up to 40% better for the environment, according to the latest report from the Environment Agency on the lifecycle of re-usable vs disposable nappies. The environmental benefits are achieved by following simple guidelines like avoiding tumble drying, and washing at no more than 60 C in an A-rated appliance.

Follow the link below for a full copy  of the report and its findings.**

Because they reduce waste…

You only need to use disposables for a while to realise how quickly your bin fills up with smelly, heavy, used nappies. In fact, in Highland alone we use 6 million disposable nappies a year, and in the UK as a whole, 8 million a day are thrown away, making up around 2.4% of all household waste. If you are using disposable nappies full time, around half of your bin waste will be made up of used nappies!

Disposables are estimated to take 200-500 years to break down, so all the disposables ever put in any landfill site will still be sitting there as a legacy for our children to inherit.

Cloth nappies are used over and over again and can be recycled at the end of their very useful lives. Using real nappies, even for just some of the time, means you can help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.

Because they are comfortable, natural and easy to use…

Cotton is naturally breathable and soft against babies’ skin. Paper or fleece liners also help to keep bottoms dry. There is no evidence of any difference in frequency of nappy rash between babies in real and disposable nappies. Nappy rash is more affected by how often nappies are changed, whatever type you use.

Real nappies are available in a range of materials including organic cotton and environmentally friendly hemp and bamboo.

Real nappies are absorbent and come in a variety of styles which fit snugly to baby with soft elasticated sides and popper or velcro fasteners.

Read on to find out more about the 'Types of Real Nappy ' that are available...

* Women's Environmental Network (WEN) "Real Nappies for London" Campaign

* Environment Agency - "An updated lifecycle assessment study for disposable and reusable nappies" (PDF)