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From cute prints to ones designed for water babies, all of these cloth nappies are Plastic Free July proof
While reusable nappies are far from a new concept – disposables were only invented in the 1940s and didn’t become go-tos for some decades after that – they’ve come a long way in their time. For starters, there’s no risk of puncturing unsuspecting infants with safety pins these days – that’s a huge win in itself!
But the convenience of disposable nappies comes at a hefty price – it’s estimated we bin around three billion single-use nappies every year in the UK. As they can’t be recycled or composted, they go straight to landfill where they take centuries to decompose.
So this Plastic Free July, where over 100-million participants all around the world swear off single-use plastics for a month (and hopefully beyond), why not switch to a reusable option instead that will keep both your little one and the planet happy.
Cloth nappies now come in various styles, prints and sizes, and are designed to be as easy to use as disposable nappies while providing just as much protection from leaks. But the best bit is that the cloth ones are reusable, and most will see your tot from birth all the way through to potty training. Even taking into account the energy and water needed to wash them, reusables are kinder on the planet – especially if you wash in full loads and line-dry them. And while they might carry a larger upfront cost, they can actually end up saving you money, too.
There’s no need to go all-in with cloth nappies from the off, though – most people who use them supplement with disposables. Even using just one cloth nappy regularly can save hundreds of single-use versions throughout a little one’s first couple of years.
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If you do want to go full time, it’s handy to have the whole kit. That includes nappy liners (which make it easy to dispose of solids) and a wet bag for used nappies when you’re out and about (a plastic bag would work perfectly here, too – although admittedly it’s not as chic). It’s also helpful to have a bucket with a lid for keeping soiled nappies in until laundry day, and a fabric bag to line it with (that way you don’t need to touch the used nappies when you put them in the machine – just lift out the full bag and throw it in the drum).
Our nine-month-old bairn kindly lent us his rear end to road test these nappies. When picking our favourites, we were looking for long-lasting, leak-free protection, comfort and a good adjustable fit. That’s as well as considering practicality when it came to changing on the go, washing and drying. We also paid close attention to how bulky the nappies were and whether they restricted our tiny tester’s movement or mobility.
To keep reusables in tip-top condition, be sure to read the care instructions. Most are best used with laundry powder as opposed to liquid, and all advise to skip the fabric conditioner (it coats the fibres of the fabric and makes the nappies less absorbent). It’s best to dry them naturally too, so resist laying them on a radiator to speed up the process (although tumble drying on low isn’t a dealbreaker).
All of the nappies on our list performed really well, with comfortable designs and minimal to no leaks – we’ll be using all of them in the future. That said, we found ourselves going back to the Tots Bots bamboozle two part system the most often. Only needing to swap in fresh pads (the brand advises using a new wrap every three to five changes) makes changing time a bit simpler, brings down the cost, and lightens the laundry load a touch. Plus, only needing to take extra pads when we were out and about (as opposed to several all-in-ones, which are a bit bulkier) was a plus.
For the latest discounts on other baby essentials, try the links below:
From baskets to anti-roll designs, read our edit of the best changing mats to help make new nappies less stressful