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Environment

Real Nappies

• They are easy to use
• They can save you money
• Washing at home is easier than you think
• Lots of funky styles to choose from
• You can help to reduce waste going to landfill

There is a massive range of funky nappy products available and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

Real nappies are made up of three main shapes:

Flat nappies– these are the traditional “Terry Squares”. They are specially folded to make a pad in the middle for absorbency, secured with a plastic fastening called a ‘nappy nipper’, and covered with a waterproof wrap. Pre-folds are also a flat nappy but with the absorbent pad already sown in. These are the best for quick drying as they do not have lots of layers.

Flat Real Nappy Folding 1- DOWNLOAD

Flat Real Nappy Folding 2 - DOWNLOAD

Prefold Nappy Folding - DOWNLOAD

Shaped nappies – these are designed to fit the baby without any folding required. They use Velcro or poppers to fasten the nappy and can fit from birth to potty. Booster pads can be used with these to increase absorbency, especially at night. They are then covered with a waterproof wrap. Some of these nappies are very absorbent and so will take longer to dry. Nappies that are made from Bamboo are also quick drying.

All in ones– these are a shaped nappy and waterproof outer which comes as one nappy, much like a disposable. All-in-ones take the longest to dry although new materials are now being used that are quick drying to make it the easiest and quickest nappy to use without having to use disposables.

There is an initial expense required for real nappies, however this is a one off payment and means you are not constantly paying for single use disposables on a weekly basis. From birth to potty each baby can get through between 4,000 and 6,000 nappies and at approximately 15p a nappy it can prove to be extremely expensive!

Flat nappies can cost less than £2 each and shaped nappies can cost around £7.50 each although you do need to buy the waterproof outer for around £5. All-in-ones are a little more expensive as it includes the waterproof outer, they can range from £10 to £15.

The approximate cost of purchasing and home laundering real nappies for two and a half years ranges from £185 to about £350 (depending mainly on nappy type). You can also make real savings by using the same real nappies for your second child. There is a big market for second hand real nappies and you can easily pick them up on the internet for a significantly reduced price.

Home laundering can cost as little as £1 per week. Laundary services are available across the country and range, on average, from £6-11 per week.

Please note: prices are estimates only and can vary with style, materials and quality. Please check up-to-date prices with individual companies.

Real Nappies are becoming more popular, supermarkets and pharmaceutical companies are starting to stock more of them. The best way to find out what nappy shape will suit you and your life style is to have guidance from a Real Nappy Advisor. They will visit you to talk you through what you need and how to use the real nappies.

There are three main parts to a Real Nappy, the nappy, liners and wraps. The nappy is the most absorbent part; you may need up to thirty of these. The inner liners catch solids and help to takemoisture away from baby’s skin. They are generally made from paper so they can either be flushed or, if only wet, can be washed and used again. The outer wraps are made from different materials like wool, fleece and PVC and keep wet nappies enclosed. They also vary in colour and pattern to make the nappies fun, funky and colourful. Only a few wraps are needed as they are used over and over again until they need washing. 

Nappies Glossary -DOWNLOAD

Thinking about the environment and our future

Disposable nappies have a huge environmental impact. They are currently disposed of in landfill sites; approximately 8 million nappies are disposed of every day in the UK alone. This is equivalent to 70,000 double-decker buses being land filled every year. It is no longer environmentally acceptable to landfill nappies as these sites are not designed to cope with human waste. By using Real Nappies you can reduce the amount of waste sent to land fill, and prevent a large amount of energy and non-renewable resources being used to make disposables.

Even Real Nappies have an impact on the environment but there are some extra things that you can do, some of which are very easy to do and can save you money!

Joanne BroughtonSustainable Development Officer at Bedford Borough Council uses Real Nappies for her baby and says, “There are many reasons why I use real nappies, not just that the fact that I reduce my waste going to land fill. I used the same nappies for my first child, so they have worked out cheaper in the long term than disposables. Modern real nappies are easier to use than the traditional flat nappy and nowadays you don’t have to soak them before washing”.

Bedfordshire County Council

01234 228385 or visit www.bedfordshire.gov.uk

The Real Nappy Campaign

www.realnappycampaign.com or call The Real Nappy Helpline on 0845 850 0606

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