This month Sarah Bennett from The Used Nappy Company (an auction site for parents to buy and sell second-hand washable nappies) shares her thoughts on real nappies.
Did you know:
- Nearly 3 billion nappies are thrown away in the UK every year. The vast majority of these (90%) end up in landfill.
- Nearly 8 million nappies are thrown away every day in the UK.
- We do not know how long it takes for the plastics in disposable nappies to decompose but it could take hundreds of years - this means that every disposable nappy ever made (and it’s contents) is rotting in the ground (if it hasn't been incinerated).
- You could save around £500 by switching to washable nappies rather than using disposables.
People who use washable cloth nappies for their baby usually have specific motivations for doing so - including:
- Kinder for your babies skin
Disposable nappies are made of plastics, paper pulp and can contain up to 200 chemicals, whilst real nappies are mostly made of natural fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp or bamboo. Washable nappies are clearly a more natural choice for your baby and are gentler on babies’ delicate skin.
- Kinder on your pocket
Especially important for all families at the moment. It is estimated that using disposable nappies on a baby from birth to age 2½ costs almost £1000; washable nappies birth to potty kits cost between £50-£250 brand new.
Even taking into account the extra cost of home laundering, this represents a considerable saving (and is an even better deal if you are able to reuse them on other babies).
- Kinder to the environment
Disposable nappies have a major impact on our planet's natural resources; each disposable made needs around a cup of crude oil for its plastic wrap; furthermore, around 7 million trees are cut down every year to make disposable nappies. Using washable nappies has less impact on our planet (even taking into account home laundering), and reusing washable nappies means you can be doubly eco-friendly!
Plus, some of the designs look fantastic!
Sarah also says ‘buying second-hand has many benefits, whether it be clothes or washable nappies’. Here are just a few of the key reasons:
- Buying second-hand usually means getting items cheaper than buying brand new – great for many mums’ budgets, especially in these credit crunch times
- It is environmentally friendly as items get used again rather than being thrown away into landfill
- Babies and young children grow quickly and can soon be out of expensive items (some brand new nappies cost £15 each); why not grab a second-hand preloved bargain instead?
- If you are interested in trying a different brand, buy one second-hand first to check whether you like it and whether it suits your needs/fits baby well.
Think about it… recycling makes so much sense! Our mothers did it, our grandmothers did it…. although our motivations may have changed today.
Whether your standpoint is primarily the environment or to save money, everyone’s a winner with real nappies - doubly so if they are also secondhand. So why not give it a try and make a positive move to benefit both you and the planet.
For details of other sites selling reusable nappie, take a look at our nappies page.
Statistics provided by http://www.wen.org.uk/nappies/facts.htm
© Ethical Earth Limited / The Used Nappy Company July 2009
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