Parents: Get real nappies for free

Parents across Devon have the chance to try out real nappies free for a month as part of the 20th annual Real Nappy Week 2016 next week.

The Devon Real Nappy Project is supporting the Real Nappy Week, which runs between 18-24 April, by holding a number of events.

This national event, organised by Go Real, is designed to raise awareness, promote the benefits and show parents how easy modern real nappies are to use. 

Parents are invited to get hands on and ask questions about choosing and using real nappies.

For parents who want to try before they buy, the Devon Real Nappy Project provides a free trial kit which contains a selection of different nappies. 

The one month trial gives parents the opportunity to try a range of nappies at home to find a type that suits their baby, lifestyle and budget.  The kits are available across Devon and come with a comprehensive demonstration from a local real nappy advisor.

By using real nappies, families could save up to £1000 a year – even if the same nappies are used for baby number two and three.

Families could cut their nappy carbon foot print by 40% carbon saving by choosing real nappies over disposables. Currently UK families throw away 355,000 tons of disposable nappies each year, costing Local Authorities (and tax payers) £32 million a year.

Real nappies are made using soft, comfortable fabrics and don’t contain any gels or chemicals that might irritate delicate skin.  Studies have found that nappy rash is no more likely to occur using real nappies than disposables.

Real nappies are a lot easier to use than people imagine as the most popular nappies are shaped and slim fitting with no folding involved, just like disposables.  Velcro and popper fastenings have long since replaced old fashioned pins, and now parents can choose from a range of colours, styles and fabrics too.

Councillor Rodney Cann, chairman of the Devon Authorities Waste Reduction & Recycling Committee (DAWRRC) said: “Using cloth nappies means that much less waste is sent for disposal.

"About eight million disposable nappies are thrown away every day in the UK, and are either landfilled or sent to a waste facility for energy recovery.

"Real nappies  are good for the environment, good for your pocket and good for your baby.”

Parents are often concerned about the amount of washing involved. A load of real nappies can be machine washed every 2-3 days, then either line dried or left on an indoor airer.

A tumble drier isn’t essential, with microfibre and fleece nappies drying within a couple of hours. Parents who use disposable nappies often have to wash clothes and bedding more frequently as single use nappies do not offer the same kind of containment as real nappies, so either way there will be an extra load of washing.

Many parents opt to use a mix of real and disposable nappies.  Using just one real nappy a day will save a total of 900 disposable nappies being thrown away.

To keep up to date with real nappy activities, follow The Devon Real Nappy Project page on Facebook or visit www.recycledevon.org/nappies.