Real Nappies

What is a real nappy?

• A real nappy is a washable nappy that can be reused time and time again, reducing your financial costs and halving the amount of rubbish you produce.
• Real nappies are also known as cloth nappies, washable nappies or reusable nappies. They should not be confused with biodegradable nappies, which are disposable and end up in landfill where they create greenhouse gases and leak a toxic chemical called leachate, which can contaminate soil and waterways.
• Most real nappies consist of a soft absorbent nappy, a flushable or washable liner and a breathable waterproof wrap.
• The nappy liner goes inside the nappy to catch the solid waste and helps to keep moisture away from the baby's skin. Biodegradable flushable paper liners can be put down the toilet rather than in the bin.
• The waterproof outer cover, called a wrap, is the fun part with lots of cute designs and bright colours. These are made from a range of materials for example breathable PVC, wool or fleece.

How practical are real nappies?

• Modern designs fit snugly and use quick, safe easy fastenings such as Velcro, poppers or plastic nappy grips.
• Made of natural materials real nappies are easy to wash and some are very quick drying.
• If you don't want to wash your nappies at home, a laundry service can do it for you.

What are my real nappy options?

There are a wide range of modern, fashionable real nappies available to suit every size and shape of baby. There are four main types of real nappy:

• Flat nappies - need to be folded first and put inside a breathable waterproof wrap. Flat nappies range from pre-folds to the traditional terry square and are one of the cheapest option available to parents.
• Shaped nappies - easier to use than flat nappies, but also need a separate waterproof wrap. The shaped nappy is washed each time it is used, while the outer wrap will not need to be washed so frequently as they may remain clean between changes. Some shaped designs can be adjusted as the baby grows, fitting the baby from birth to potty.
• All in ones - cloth insides with a built in waterproof cover. The whole nappy is put into your washing machine making them convenient to wash, but can take longer to dry.
• Stuffable/Pockets - a waterproof wrap with a built in pocket which is then stuffed with absorbent material as required. The stuffing can be a flat nappy or purpose made booster. The stuffing is removed for washing which makes it a quick drying choice.

Contact your local nappy distributors for more information on what is available. See the Help and Advice section for contact details.

What do I need to get started?

• You will need 12-25 nappies (25 for newborn, fewer for older babies)
• At least 3-4 wraps that can be washed at home at 40º
• Biodegradable or washable liners
• A container with a lid to store used nappies
• A nappy bag for when you are out and about (swimming bags are ideal).

What is the cost?

• Basic real nappies can cost less than £2 each, with more sophisticated products costing around £10 each.
• Home washing can cost as little as £1 per week (this includes the cost of the electricity, washing powder and depreciation on your washing machine).
• If you spend over £50 on nappies Birmingham City Council will give you £30 cash back. You can download and print out the form at the bottom of this webpage
• You could save over £700 by using real nappies rather than disposables. An initial outlay to buy your real nappies is necessary. However this is a one off payment and means you are not constantly paying out for disposables on a weekly basis.
• You can achieve further savings by using the same real nappies on other children you have.
• Second hand nappies can be found on a variety of websites - see the bottom of this page for further details
  

What about washing and drying real nappies?

• Real nappies do not need to be soaked, boiled, scrubbed or machined at 95º. Washing machines and detergents are efficient enough now for the nappies to be washed at 40º-60º.
• Biodegradable nappy liners can be flushed down the toilet with any solid waste. Washable liners can go in the wash with your nappies
• Soiled nappies can be put through on a rinse cycle prior to the rest of the household wash being added.
• Real nappies can be line dried or simply placed on an airer in a warm room to dry
• Collect and Wash laundry services are available: see our Help and Advice section.

Won't my baby get nappy rash?

• Many people believe real nappies are less likely to cause nappy rash as all products are breathable and do not contain the chemcials of a disposable nappy.
• How often you change your baby can also determine whether they get nappy rash, not the type of nappy they are in.
• Your baby is no more likely to get nappy rash from wearing real nappies than from disposables.

Do they leak?

• It is important to select the right size for your baby shape to avoid leakages. There is a wide choice of products available so choosing the right one will not be difficult.
• You can use booster pads to make the nappy more absorbent if needed. They are especially useful at night.

What are the environmental impacts?

• Each child has up to 6000 nappy changes from birth to potty (averaged at 2.5 years).
• This equates to 4.5 trees in wood pulp and over one tonne of disposable nappies being placed in landfill.
• Each disposable nappy takes on average 500 years to biodegrade in a landfill site.
• Nappies make up 50% of the waste from a family with just one baby, so families can cut their waste in half by using real nappies.
• The pulp from disposable nappies degrades in landfill sites to produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, and lechate, a toxic chemical.
  

Help and Advice:

For more information about real nappies call Birmingham City Council on 0121 303 5446 or email: recycling@birmingham.gov.uk

The Council has a nappy library which will loan parents a variety of nappies for 7-10 days to try before they buy. For more information contact the number above or download and print out the nappy library form at the bottom of this page.

Help and advice is available from local nappy suppliers who offer various types of washable nappies, detailed advice, demonstrations, loan kits and try before you buy.

The Real Nappy Helpline is open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am 12pm Saturdays on 0845 850 0606 or log onto to get information the Go Real website about local stockists.

Have you though about using real nappies, but don't like the idea of washing them? Washed and Deliveredwill provide you with nappies and collect and wash them each week. There is no cashback available with this service, but Birmingham City Council will give you two free weeks of the service.

Contact the Womens Environmental Network for information on second hand exchange, folding instructions, tips and supplies. Go to www.wen.org.uk

Other useful websites:

To buy new nappies:

Honeybees
The Baby Barn
Baby Kind
Little Lamb
Lollipop
Real Nappiness

To buy pre-loved (second hand):

Real Nappies for London
Used Nappies
The Nappy Site
UK Parents Lounge
Mums.Net
Cloth Nappy Tree

If you want to make your own:

Cloth Nappy Addicts
Zany Zebra

If you want to use a real nappy laundry service:

Washed and Delivered