Best reusable eco nappies
Switching from disposables to real nappies has never been easier or more compelling. And not just for ethical or environmental reasons. Real nappies are surprisingly practical -- easy to put on, easy to wash and, in our experience, often more absorbent and less leaky than disposables. Real nappies are cheap -- you save around £500 per child over two years using home-laundered real nappies, according to research by the Women's Environmental Network (WEN)
Real nappies are healthier, too -- even non-organic ones put far fewer chemicals next to your baby's skin. And, despite what government research might say, real nappies are better for the environment: a baby using disposables goes through around 5,000 nappies, or 130 bin-bags in landfill!
The Environment Agency initially found that real nappies and disposables are roughly on par for eco-friendliness, but its research has been challenged for being flawed. For instance it assumed that everyone washed on 90 degrees when 60 is fine; used softener even though that makes real nappies less absorbent; tumble-dried when line drying, especially in summer, works just as well; and even ironed their real nappies when, let's be honest, nobody does.
So you want real nappies? Great. But which ones? Most have a disposable liner that keeps your baby's skin dry, collects poo and is flushable, though many liners can be washed if only exposed to wee. Then there's the absorbent nappy bit with optional booster pads (mostly for nights) and an outer waterproof wrap to keep clothing dry.
Some nappies combine all those elements in one, for convenience (Kushies in this test). Some feature folds so one size fits from newborns right the way up (Mother-ease in this test). This saves money compared to buying two nappy sizes, but can mean extra bulk on smaller babies. There's also a choice of nappy material.
Mostly, real nappies are cotton, and often organic. A few are bamboo, which is eco-friendly because it's fast-growing and doesn't require chemical pesticides or fertilisers. Nappies and wraps tend to fasten with poppers or Velcro-style tabs. The latter is more adjustable but can sometimes get stuck to other items in the wash.
Be aware, the type of nappy and brand, will have markedly different results on different babies. We tested all five nappies on one child, but also took on board friends' experiences too. But the nappies we found best may not be best for your baby. So ideally buy a bunch of "starter packs" or individual nappies from different brands you like the look of, and then see which works best for your baby.
In our test of five real nappies, the two stand-out winners were the Mother-ease and Totsbots, for combining excellent organic and other eco-credentials with simple long-lasting absorbency and through-the-night security.
Know another brand of reusable eco nappies that you'd recommend or slate? Write a review -- you could win a bottle of organic champagne as one of our best reviews of the month.
Co-authored by Caramel Quin
Bambino Mio Nappies
Imse Vimse Shaped Nappy
Kushies Ultra Reusable Nappies
Mother-ease One Size Organic Nappies
TotsBots Bamboozle/Organic Nappies
