Which Nappy Suits Me? The Eco Nappy Company

Why Go Eco?

Lots of lovely reasons for using real nappies and accessories over disposables!

Saving You Money

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Buy choosing real nappies you can save on average around £600, over the time that your child is in child in nappies. An initial outlay to equip you with enough nappies for a few days is necessary but this is a one off payment and real nappies have often paid for themselves by the fourth or fifth month. So no more paying for disposables on top of your weekly shopping. Basic real nappies can cost as little as £2-3 for terry squares with wraps, rising to £8-20 for more sophisticated models. Disposables cost on average 12.2p each (Real Nappy Campaign 2008). Your baby may use between 4,000 and 6,000 disposable nappies by the time potty training is accomplished, costing anything from between £500 and £1200. By comparison you will only need between 25-30 real nappies costing you between £200-300, including accessories, washing detergents and electricity.

Savings can also be achieved in the long run as real nappies can last for years, making them suitable for use with further children.

Most local authorities offer cash incentives to those wishing to purchase real nappies. These can be anywhere from £25 - £100 depending on where you live.

Modern real nappies need no soak or boil washing and can be washed between 30-60^oC depending on the level of soiling.

Local nappy laundries offer extra convenience. Collecting used nappies from your door step and delivering a fresh supply for the week ahead. The cost is similar to that of buying disposables.

The Environment

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Disposable nappies are by nature thrown away and subsequently go to landfill, the only real option for their disposal and the main reason for their high environmental impact. At the time of writing this, about eight million disposable nappies are dumped to landfill each day in the UK alone (Real Nappy Campaign 2008). The plastics in disposable nappies may take up to one hundred years to decompose. This means that the first disposable nappies are probably still decomposing in landfill somewhere. By choosing to use real nappies you can reduce the amount of household waste you create by about half or perhaps more if you recycle, thus reducing the amount of rubbish you send to landfill.

Biodegradable liners can be flushed down the loo with any solid waste or washable liners can be simply rinsed and washed with your nappies.

The main environmental impact of real nappies comes from the washing and drying process but there are steps which can be taken to minimise this:

Buy second hand nappies where possible and re-use for your second child.

Use ‘A’ rated appliances to reduce energy and water consumption. Nappies do not need ironing.

Wash at 30°C unless tough stains remain (no boil wash necessary).

Use eco-washing detergents and reduce the amount used per load.

No need for fabric conditioner as this reduces absorbency.

Line dry nappies or use an air dryer during the winter. Tumble drying increases energy consumption and cost dramatically. Fleece liners and booster nappies dry especially quickly.

Potty train early.

Use organic and locally produced products where possible.

Gentle for your baby.

Real nappies do not contain any potentially harmful absorbent gels, deodorants, perfumes or other chemicals.

They are made from the same fabrics as everyday clothes, cotton, fleece, bamboo, hemp, organic or non-organic.

Babies using real nappies are no more likely to get nappy rash than those using disposables. I have certainly never experienced this myself. Real nappies are comfortable next to your babies’ soft bottom, and stay-dry liners and fleece help to keep skin dry, preventing nappy rash. Changing often will also help to prevent this.

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