| Recently there have been incredible advances in | | | | excellent alternative to using disposables. They |
| technology and manufacture that make using | | | | require no folding and can be used with a PUL, |
| cloth nappies simple, cheap and environmentally | | | | wool or polar fleece nappy cover for added |
| sound. Some of the new nappy systems are | | | | protection from leaks.A PUL cover is made of |
| made with hemp, flannelette, terry cotton and | | | | cloth but the inside of the cover is laminated and |
| some are fitted and require no folding. Plastic | | | | looks like a wax waterproofing. This provides a |
| pilchers have been replaced by breathable PUL | | | | high degree of water-resistance whilst in most |
| fabric, wool or polar fleece.Cloth nappies have the | | | | cases maintaining breathe-ability. It wears well |
| major environmental benefit of greatly reducing | | | | when cared for properly. They can usually be |
| amount of rubbish going into landfill. Studies have | | | | washed with the nappies and dry in minutes. They |
| shown disposable nappies take up to 500 years to | | | | easily cope with very wet daytime nappies, and |
| decompose. A disposable nappy can take up to | | | | depending on moisture levels can be effective |
| three times the energy to produce than a cloth | | | | overnight.Fleece and wool covers work quite |
| nappy. One disposable nappy uses eight times the | | | | differently from PUL. With PUL, the cover is |
| amount of landfill to create and dispose of | | | | supposed to contain the moisture, while still |
| compared to a cloth nappy. Disposable nappies | | | | allowing air to circulate inside the nappy. Fleece |
| take up to 500 years to decompose. This is | | | | and wool allow much more air in and out of the |
| certainly food for thought.Hemp Nappies are | | | | nappy and this air-flow causes evaporation of |
| usually neat and slim nappies. They are usually | | | | moisture from the nappy. Instead of just |
| comfortable and long wearing. Hemp is extremely | | | | containing the moisture, fleece and wool covers |
| absorbant, which means nappies last longer and | | | | work to get rid of some of it, which makes them |
| they are an excellent choice for overnight when | | | | particularly good for overnight use. The only time |
| babies tend to wet heavily. Hemp is | | | | when fleece and wool covers are not very |
| environmentally friendly to grow as it can be | | | | effective is when there is not much air-flow, (eg |
| cultivated without chemicals as it is very resistant | | | | very long periods spent in a car seat or a pram) |
| to disease and tends to outgrow weeds whereas | | | | and the nappy cover could leak. This is due to |
| cotton will usually require a lot of spraying for | | | | lack of air circulation and therefore evaporation of |
| both weed control and pests.Flannelette nappies | | | | excreted liquids. Wool and polar fleece covers are |
| are slimmer-fitting and thus quicker to dry and | | | | highly water resistant and can be used with great |
| are an excellent choice for a newborn baby, but | | | | success overnight for babies who are heavy |
| flannelette nappies don't have the absorbency to | | | | wetters.Most good quality cloth nappy systems |
| cope with a toddler. Flannelette is slightly cheaper | | | | cannot be purchased in shops and will need to be |
| than a traditional flat terry nappy. As both are so | | | | purchased online or via mail order. As outlined |
| cheap, one might consider using flannelette | | | | above there are many types of nappy systems |
| nappies for the first few months and then using a | | | | to consider depending on the age of your baby, |
| a more absorbent nappy suited to an older | | | | washing frequency, cost and type of nappy that |
| baby.Fitted nappies work like disposables do - | | | | suits a family's lifestyle. Cloth nappies are easy to |
| they have an hourglass shape when folded out | | | | use and more environmentally sound than |
| and once they are on they are in roughly the | | | | disposables. They are comfortable for your baby |
| shape of underpants. Shaped nappies have extra | | | | and should be gentle on their sensitive skin. A |
| layers of cloth sewn into the areas which require | | | | nappy is the most used piece of baby equipment |
| most absorbency, and are brief at the hips and | | | | in your household and is the closest thing to your |
| thighs. Fitted nappies usually have elastication at | | | | babies skin all day and night for years. Cloth is an |
| back and waist which provides extra leakage | | | | alternative that is certainly worth considering. |
| protection. A good quality shaped nappy is an | | | | |