4 minute read
WHY CLOTH NAPPIES ARE ALL THE RAGE IN MALTA?
from Life 04
by Union Print
WHY CLOTH
NAPPIES ARE ALL THE RAGE IN MALTA?
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BRENDA GRECH
THINK CUTE COLOURFUL PRINTS AND NATURAL
MATERIALS
JUST OVER 18 MONTHS AGO I WAS WAITING EAGERLY FOR OUR BABY GIRL TO ARRIVE INTO THIS WORLD. I HAD A DRAWER FILLED WITH CUTE AND COLOURFUL CLOTH NAPPIES AND THAT’S ABOUT IT. I DIDN’T REALLY HAVE A CLUE OF WHAT TO EXPECT. NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. I HAD GONE WHOLE HOG WITH CLOTH NAPPY PREPARATIONS YET I STILL HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF DOUBTS LINGERING IN MY HEAD.
MY HUSBAND HAD BEEN SITTING ON THE FENCE ABOUT THE NAPPY SUBJECT AND I WOULD GO AS FAR AS SAYING THAT HE ENTERTAINED THE IDEA OF USING CLOTH NAPPIES JUST BECAUSE I WAS SO KEEN ON IT. FAST FORWARD A FEW WEEKS AND I GET A COMMENT FROM MY HUSBAND THAT REALLY RESOUNDED WITH ME.
“Why isn’t “ everyone using cloth nappies?
This passing comment showed me how on board he was now with the whole cloth nappy situation. Having experienced cloth nappies ourselves it became really apparent how easy they are to use and with each passing day it became more and more clear to me that I had to act.
When I launched The Cloth Nappy Company back in July 2019, my mission was to spread the word about modern reusable cloth nappies to fellow parents living in Malta and Gozo. Fast forward a few months and we now have hundreds of success stories of families using modern cloth nappies for their babies and toddlers.
What most still don’t realise is that modern cloth nappies have come a long way from the white towels and safety pins that our grandparents had to use. They are now manufactured in a way that makes them perfect for our fastpaced lifestyles. There is no scrubbing involved, no boiling, no worn down hands trying to take the stains off. It is simply a matter of popping dirty nappies into the washing machine every 2-3 days and hanging them to dry.
What’s even more special about cloth nappies is the fact that they are made out of natural breathable materials such as super soft bamboo or cotton. Cloth nappies do not contain any harsh chemicals, plastics and adhesives that form the basis of disposables. It is a great option for those babies’ who suffer from eczema or other skin conditions.
Nappy stats
No one can deny that the fact that it takes 500 years for one disposable nappy to decompose is horrifying. Did you know that in Malta alone, our babies go through 24 million disposable nappies every single year? And that huge number is for one small nation. Worldwide 450 billion disposable nappies are thrown away every year. Even using just one cloth nappy a day will save around 900 disposable nappies from going to waste!
Comparing costs
Until your baby is potty trained you will spend either of the following: €900-€1200 on disposable nappies €500-€700 on cloth nappies (including laundry cost)
This means that you could be saving up to €700 when using cloth! At the end of it, you are left with a nappy stash and accessories that you can utilise again if you have a second baby, in which case the savings are huge – around €1700!
What are the negatives of using cloth?
The initial outlay of buying cloth nappies is substantial but there are ways around this. You can start with buying just a handful of cloth nappies initially and slowly build up your nappy stash so that you spread the cost over a longer period of time. You can also opt to buy pre-loved second hand nappies instead of brand new ones. Cloth nappies also make great gifts to expecting parents or those who have just had their baby.
Some might consider having to do an extra couple of loads of laundry a week an inconvenience. In my opinion, it is definitely more convenient than going to the supermarket buying and spending money on big packets of disposable nappies each week.
If you’re going away and you won’t have access to a washing machine just use disposables! It’s no sin to use disposables on those few occasions where it makes sense.
I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel now but yes; cloth nappies are a bit more bulky than disposables. But it’s not something that some baggy pants or a few vest extenders cannot deal with. The bulk was actually welcome when our daughter started to toddle around as it cushioned her falls!
Wear, wash, repeat
Washing our clothes and underwear in order to wear them again and again is such a normal thing to do. It would be considered irrational if you chose to wear brand new clothes every time you need a fresh change. So why is it that when it comes to our babies’ underwear this logic seems to go out the window?
Go on! Get your hands on a few cloth nappies and see how easy it is for your family to sustain this small lifestyle change. It’s doing these little things daily that will leave a positive impact on our planet not only during our lifetime but also for generations to come.
