Description
Why Choose Reusable Nappies?
Using cloth nappies will help preserve the environment for your baby’s future by not clogging up landfill.
Typically one baby uses 6500 disposable nappies from birth to potty training, this is equivalent to one tonne of waste per baby, or a whole skip full!
Reusable nappies use 3.5 times less energy, 8 times less non-renewable materials and 90 times less renewable resources than ‘disposables’.
Cloth nappies are made from natural and recycled materials, so there are the ‘no nasties, a more sustainable alternative to disposables.
They are also super cute, and give the baby a well-padded bottom which is great for when they are learning to walk!
Will reusable nappies save me money?
Choosing to switch to reusable nappies saves most families money on baby number one, and even more for subsequent babies.
NHS paediatricians suggest newborns should be changed 10-12 times a day and older babies about six times ending 2 ½ to 3 years later with just one used at night. Assuming an average of seven changes every 24 hours over baby’s nappy wearing career and you’ll use about 6500 nappies.
Check out the price of quality disposables in your local store and multiply by six and a half thousand.
We estimate if you choose to use disposable nappies you will be looking at spending around £700 for each baby.
Advantages of OneSize Pocket Nappies
The biggest advantage of the onesize pocket nappy is the money-saving aspect – you’ll only need to purchase once as the nappy grows with the baby thanks to the clever popper configuration on the front of the nappy.
Onesize pocket nappies are also fast drying and slim, and once you get the hang of how to use the poppers, they are easy to fit on baby.
Pocket nappies are easily customisable for absorbency; if the nappy is leaking, it generally means it needs more boosters or inserts in the pocket.
What are the Advantages of the Fitted Nappy (Cotton or Bamboo) and Wrap Combo?
Fitted nappies are the most absorbent nappy system available in cloth nappies because they are made completely of absorbent materials which is then covered by a wrap to make it waterproof.
Fitted nappies can easily be boosted with more pieces of absorbent materials so can last a really long time before needing to be changed, so are perfect for nighttime or long car journeys.
The wrap is the waterproof aspect of the fitted system. Most wraps are made from PUL – a baby-soft polyester with a bonded urethane film to the inside. The film, under a microscope, would look a bit like a layer of baked bean tins on your countertop. They are pressed together but as they are round there are still gaps between. The gaps are big enough to let air molecules pass through but small enough to stop all the larger fluid molecules.
We suggest purchasing one wrap for every three nappies as you only need to change the wrap when it is soiled. We do not recommend using the same wrap for more than 12 hours and we believe you should always use a fresh wrap for nighttime.
Wraps are only needed for our bamboo and cotton fitted nappies. You don’t need a wrap for the onesize or pocket nappies.
Washing Reusable Nappies
Note. All new nappies need to be washed three times before use to become absorbent. No need to dry between cycles; just leave them in washing machine and restart.
- Separate boosters and liners from nappies
- Fasten any velcro washing tabs
- Store dirty nappies, boosters and any reusable liners in a dry pail with a lid. Store nappies until you have a full load, but do not leave soiled nappies unwashed for longer than three days.
- Wash on a full, long cycle at 40 or 60 degrees. Do not use short or eco washes; we recommend a wash cycle that lasts longer than two hours for the most effective clean.
- Use a full dose of detergent, and follow package guidelines for dosage according to conditions. We recommend powder detergent.
- Air drying is best; you can tumble dry on a low heat setting only, do not tumble dry wraps or pocket nappy shells.
Note. Do not use bleaching agents or fabric softeners.
Drying Reusable Nappies
Line drying in direct sunshine is best as the sun naturally bleaches the fabric and it’s free and kind to the planet.
Near, but not touching, a heat source like a radiator is also good and the nappies can also be dried on a low heat in the drier.
If you are using bamboo or cotton nappies give them a quick flick to spread the towelling pile; it speeds up drying and makes them feel softer.
Excessive high heat in a dryer will affect the life-span of the nappies but is OK every now and then in an emergency.
Air movement is the key to drying all laundry. The warmer the air temperature the quicker the water molecules evaporate but without a draught the molecules will be attracted back to the garment*.
If you air-dry the nappies inside make sure it’s a draughty spot. I use a small table-top fan for my inside drying area. If it’s set on the lowest speed all my laundry will still dry overnight. To power my fan costs just over 4p a day – a lot cheaper than a drier!
*If you weren’t staring out of the window in your science lessons you’ll know that water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. They stick together as one is negatively charged and the other is positive – acting like magnets. When a water molecule evaporates away from a garment it’s attracted to the closest water molecule available due to the ‘magnetism’ – which is usually back in the nappy. That’s why laundry dries much quicker in a draught.
Why Do I Need To Wash New Nappies Before I Use Them?
All washable items we sell must be washed before use or they will not absorb much.
All yarn has a starch-based ‘size’ sprayed on it to facilitate snag-free smooth running through the knitting machines which operate at high speed. Without it we wouldn’t be able to make the beautiful little puffy bundles of wonderfulness.
So we recommend for the best results run the nappies through a cold-30˚c wash a couple of times, without detergent, and the water soluble starch will be removed. There’s no need to dry between washes, just leave them in and start the cycle again.
Cotton and bamboo fitted nappies will not achieve full absorption until after the first half dozen washes. Manufactured yarn is quite tight and needs to expand out creating spaces inside the individual filaments where the fluid will be held.
A six times washed nappy will hold 12% more fluid than a twice washed nappy which itself holds twice as much as an unwashed nappy and like your favourite old towel, the older it gets the more it absorbs.