Reusable nappies not catching on, suggests new research

Despite environmental concerns, disposable nappies still used by 95% of parents

Posted: 27 September 2010
by Kimberley Smith

Reusables - not the terry cloth and safety pins of old!

Reusable nappies are still only used by a minority of parents despite the drive to be more environmentally friendly, new research by Mintel finds. Only 5% of parents use reusable nappies and 4% opt for eco or organic disposables despite 36% knowing that disposables aren’t great for the environment.

Cost seems to be the biggest factor preventing parents from choosing reusable nappies but many are put off by out of date ideas about the practicality of reusables.

“Some new parents are children of adults who were in disposable nappies themselves and very few families will have any notion or experience of using terry nappies,” said retail analyst Jane Westgarth. “Washable nappies have evolved too and this may be little understood by today’s throwaway consumers,” she added.

Mintel estimates that 7 million disposable nappies are thrown away every day in the UK but the eco-friendly status of reusables depends on how they are treated. Consumer group Which? has suggested that nappies washed at 90 degrees and tumble dried have a bigger impact on the environment than disposables.

For everything you need to know to ditch the disposables, check out our ultimate guide to reusable nappies.

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So what do you think?

Samantha Dean
I tried them with my first child, they are bulky and the baby looks uncomfortable in them (might be different with toddlers but small babies look very uncomfortable). Also it costs about the same to keep buying the liners and washing them as it would to by disposable ones. They aren't very practical for busy mum's who are out and about a lot (who likes keeping dirty nappies in a changing bag to carry round till they get home?) Also, where you can get smelly nappies out of the house immediately in to an outdoor bin, unless you wash the nappy as soon as you take it off then it is lingering in your home causing a smell till you get time to do the washing. Have also found them more likely to leak than disposable nappies and more work when changing the baby as have to sort out the liners and the outer nappy rather than just throwing one nappy on. About 2 years ago

Helen Grice-Roberts
I thought motherease were great and my son worn them from birth. Easy to use no leaks. Cost is lot less than disposables. The nappies dont smell if you add tree oil to the bucket you keep the dirty nappies in. My son never had a sore bottom or nappy rash. It was never too much trouble to sort a nappy for him. The nappies were easy to wash. We were always out and about and I work full time. I think that most people are too lazy to wash nappies and we live in a throw away society. Plus the issue that most people miss is the untreated raw human waste is going on to land fill sites. Not very nice. About 2 years ago

James Crossley

Our 1st baby ( girl ) is due in 4 weeks. We have bought plenty reusable nappies and covers, plus some disposables for the first week or two. We are going to use reusable mainly because of the landfill problems and gasses caused by human waste in landfill. Anyone who says disposables are cheaper have not researched the amount of nappies used until potty training time, nor or are they aware of the enviromental problems in using disposables.

We have a nappy bucket with a lid, a few drops of tea tree oil in the bucket, washing every 2 days and the smell problem will be eliminated

I hope many more parents will embrace the use of "real" nappies and help make the world a cleaner place to live.

Good luck to all who try. Best wishes and stay safe.

About 2 years ago

Sophia Smithers
There are a number of statements I would challenge in this article. With a basic set of reusable nappies and one child the average family is expected to save anywhere between £200 and £500, depending on how old their child potty trains. With a second child this saving obviously increases.

I would also challenge the cost being the same as disposables when you include the liners and washes: I purchase a roll of 100 liners for £2, and the non-soiled liners also get washed and re-used.

Further, I have never, ever, spoken to a single cloth-nappy using mum who washes her nappies at 90 degrees and tumble dries them. Not only would it be awful for the environment, it would ruin the nappies. I generally wash mine at 30 degrees using an eco-nappysan and then either line dry or put them on an air drier inside.

Yes, a birth to potty nappy will be bulkier on a newborn, my little girl looked hilarious in her cloth nappies when she was new. But, if that bothers you sized cloth nappies are available. It's not impeded her movement development (she's been one of the earliest in any of her groups to walk) and actually you come to really enjoy the shape of the cute big bum :D

I'm out and about a lot, I have a cute little wet bag and compostable nappy bags, so carrying her nappies really isn't an issue, and I've never noticed a nasty smell from my nappy bucket. Not the situation when i tried disposables on holiday: they stank out the flat and leaked all over her clothes. I have never had a mess go up her back and down her legs in cloth as some friends have with their disposables.

Lastly, there is the issue with disposable nappies themselves. Not only, as above, do they carry human waste into landfill, but the super-absorbent polymers included in them are estimated to take 2,000 years to break down. If the article is right and 7 million disposable nappies are thrown away every year, then it doesn't take much to start worrying about what we're going to do with them all in the future. Several European countries have already banned disposable nappies from landfill as a result. About 2 years ago

Lauren Gee

We used disposable nappies for my little man initially, as we wanted to go to the baby show 2 months after he arrived and have a thorough look at what was on offer.

We now have 20 nappies, and also use re-usable liners and re-usable wipes. We wash the nappies at 30 degrees, and line dry them in summer or use an indoor airer in the winter. Like the other parents who have responded above, we use a bucket with tea tree oil and we have a nice wet bag to put soiled nappies in while we are out and about.

Compared to the disposables which would sit around stinking in our outside bin for two weeks waiting to be collected (we live in a Borough which alternates recycling and non-recyclable waste collections), using reusables has been easy and much nicer. As long as you have an adjustable, well fitting reusable they are just as good as disposables. Our little man's nursery is happy to use them with him too.

I think that yes, they can create a little more added work than disposables, but they are certainly a lot cheaper and environmentally friendly. We also don't ever run out of nappies and wipes and have to run to a shop to buy some, or make constant trips to the outside bin to get rid of stinking piles of disposables. They also have the added benefit that they hold his trousers up!

Perhaps if reusable nappy companies were able to offer a two week trial providing nappies and equipment to people, for free or a small fee, or if they could offer a split-the-cost type deal to spread the payment, they might get more take up. I think the main problem is that people dont really understand how easy it can be and they are worried about or cant afford the initial spend when they could end up not liking reusables at all.

About 2 years ago

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