At Real Happy Nappies, we don’t want to tell you stuff you know already and fill your head with too many statistics. The chances are, if you’re reading this now, you might already know about the ecological and financial benefits of using real nappies. But we think the case for reuseables/real nappies/cloth nappies is pretty compelling, so if in doubt, think about the following…

‘By the time your baby is potty trained you could use 4,000 to 6,000 disposable nappies. This will cost a minimum of £488 and maybe as much as £732. By comparison you only need from 25-30 real nappies costing as little as £185 including the washing! In addition many local authorities offer incentives including cash back.’ Real Nappy Campaign

And of course you can save even more money when using the nappies again on second and third children… The other thing to note is that most councils give money back if you use real nappies, up to £58. So you could even have several nappies for free!

And don’t forget about the environment either:

‘A baby typically gets through 4-6,000 nappy changes! If those nappies are disposable, this is a serious waste issue. In the UK, ninety per cent of disposables go to landfill where conditions are no good for biodegrading – and the larger part of conventional disposables are synthetic and not biodegradable in any case. Used as recommended, real nappies not only save that waste, but use less energy – even taking washing into account.’ Real Nappies for London.

Cloth nappies are also a natural choice for babies:

‘Most disposables are made largely of plastics with a superabsorbent chemical centre. With real nappies, you can ensure you are putting natural fabrics next to your baby’s skin.’ Real Nappies for London.

Of course using real nappies does not have to be an all or nothing option. By using a mix of reusables and disposables, you can still make a difference to the environment and your costs.

Just starting out?

Then it might be a good idea to use your local authority grant to buy one of each of the nappies you like the look of and a roll of liners and see what you like and what suits your lifestyle. That way you haven’t lost any money and you can get a good idea of what you’d like more of.

Washing tips

Real nappies are very easy to wash. There is no need to soak or pre-wash - simply put them in the washing machine and walk away!

These are our key points for washing:

• Wash each nappy 2 or 3 times before first use, as this improves absorbency
• Wash at 60 or 40 degrees C, depending on the level of soiling
• Wash wraps at 40 degrees C when possible, but do not tumble dry
• Use normal detergent
• Do not use fabric conditioner, as this reduces absorbency. A drop of white wine vinegar in the conditioner compartment, or limescale reduction powders like Calgon can make nappies softer, especially in hard water areas.
• If tumble drying, add a dry towel to decrease drying time