Get Started With Cloth Nappies
Everything you need to know to start your cloth nappy journey 👶
The world of cloth nappies can seem like an overwhelming place from the outside, especially with so many choices, varieties and brands, but we promise that once you make the choice to go cloth, with some guidance, you won’t look back.
What are Cloth Nappies?
Cloth Nappies are nappies that you don't throw away. They are designed to be reused again and again. Cloth Nappies might be described as 'reusable nappies' or 'washable nappies' but it all means the same thing!
In the early early days, babies were wrapped in animal skins, moss or in the tropics nothing, until along came cloth nappies. These started as large squares of cotton/linen, which were folded over many times and wrapped onto the baby, then held in place with safety pins.
Now cloth nappies are a popular option for many parents particularly as concerns continue to grow around the health and safety as well as environmental factors related to disposable nappies. Additionally, cloth nappies of today are far easier to use and manage than those of pre-WWII.
What style will suit me?
Prefolds? Snap-in? Pocket? Fitted? All-in-one? All-in-two?
Each system has its pros and cons and at the end of the day, they are all great options for someone. But remember, everyone is different, so look at the pros and cons to help you compare and decide what is going to work best for you and your family.
Why should I choose Cloth Nappies?
More and more parents are choosing to use cloth nappies for their babies. Our nappies are better for the planet, better for your wallet and better for your health.
Better for the planet
Reusable cloth nappies halve the ecological footprint of disposable nappies. Every child in disposable nappies will add a minimum of 6,500 disposable nappies to our landfills - that’s about 1 tonne of rubbish, which take up to 500 years to decompose. Over 30 billion disposable nappies are sent to landfill around the world, consuming approximately 150,000 tons of plastic and 1.2 million tons of tree pulp every year. Disposable nappies use up a lot of non-renewable resources.
Better for our Health
We all want a chemical-free lifestyle for our babies. However, with disposable nappies, there is the question of what is hidden in some disposable nappies, including the various chemicals used to make disposable nappies and fragrances that can irritate sensitive baby skin.
Better for our Wallet
On average, parents spend $4,000 on disposable nappies per child. We worked out that using our nappies you will spend $910 (including laundering expenses) for your first child, and since our nappies can be reused, it costs even less for your second or third child. In fact, Real Nappies cloth nappies have a warranty for at least two children!
How do Cloth Nappies work?
Cloth Nappies work in exactly the same way as any other nappy. The only difference is that when it comes to change-time, you set your nappy aside rather than throwing it away. When washing time rolls around, simply pop them into the machine and wash according to instructions. They come cleanly washed ready to wear again.
What do I need?
The world of cloth nappies can seem like an overwhelming place from the outside, especially with so many choices, varieties and brands, but we promise that once you make the choice to go cloth, with some guidance, you won’t look back.
What you need depends on whether you are going to be a full-time user or a part-time user. We recommend that you have enough for 2 days so you don't run out while your others are in the wash, before being ready to use again.
