Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority
Real Nappies
Real (cotton) nappies are a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to disposable nappies.
A wide range of stylish, modern and well-fitted washable cloth nappies are available for parents, which are easy to use and can be washed on their own with the rest of the laundry or via a laundry service who can deliver a supply of clean cotton nappies.
Real nappies are generally made of three natural parts; the liner, the nappy and an outer waterproof wrap. In contrast, disposable nappies are complex products containing paper pulp, plastics and chemicals and will not biodegrade for up to 300 years.
Buying guide
There are a huge variety of real nappies to choose from. For each of the following nappy types you are likely to find a number of different makes:
Shaped, fitted nappies; All-in-ones; Pocket or pouch nappies; Flat nappies; Waterproof wraps; Booster pads.
The standard advice for using real nappies would be to order some trial packs from a selection of companies and then try them on the baby. Some parents will probably stay with one style whilst others may find it easier to mix and match different styles and makes of nappy.
Cost factors
Research has shown that parents could save up to £500 using home laundered nappies for a first child alone.
Washing nappies at home is the cheapest option. If cared for properly real nappies could potentially last for several children.
Some parents have found that the initial cost of real nappies is prohibitive. To offset this problem, the Merseyside Real Nappy Network has regular incentives available whilst real nappy companies occasionally have trial packs available.
How many nappies?
The number of nappies you need very much depends on your chosen washing regime. For example, if you laundered and dried each day then you would need 6 nappies and a wrap. Washing every couple of days would mean you would need 18 nappies and 3 waterproof wraps.
The environment
The difference between real nappies and disposables in environmental terms are stark:
• The UK throws away nearly 3 billion disposable nappies a year
• Merseyside alone counts for around 60 million
• 50 percent of the rubbish from a single household with a baby is made up of disposable nappies
• 90 per cent of disposable nappies end up in landfill
• Estimates show that the plastics in disposables take about 300 years to fully decompose.
Real nappies - local information
Merseyside Real Nappy Network
c/o Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority
6th Floor
North House
17 North John Street
Liverpool
L2 5 QY
Tel: 0151 255 2567
Email: tony.scott@merseysidewda.gov.uk
Local nappy suppliers –
Lizzie’s Real Nappies
26 Sandileigh
Hoole
Chester
CH2 3QP
T: 01244 346 797
M: 07010 716 732
E: lizziesrealnappies@tiscali.co.uk
Web: www.lizziesrealnappies.co.uk
The Used Nappy Company
www.usednappies.co.uk
Local nappy laundry service –
Happy Bums (Wirral)
For information contact Jo or Tracey:
0151 200 3416
www.happybums.co.uk
Cotton Tails Nappy Laundry Service
13 Abbots Grange
Chester
CH2 1 AJ
T: 01244 374 521
E: nappies@cottontails.co.uk
For more information on Real nappies you can download this handbook (pdf - 250KB).
There is a national Real Nappy campaign - www.realnappycampaign.com/
Disclaimer: The Merseyside Real Nappy Network does not directly support the businesses above but feels that the provision of local information is important for Merseyside in general. Entering real nappies into an Internet search engine will provide a substantial list of real nappy websites for parents to browse.