MYTH: Cloth nappies are just as harmful on the environment as disposables
I could write a book on this but here is some basic facts;
Water usage
1 disposable nappy's production = 750 Liters. Over a 3 years of nappy use = 3,000,000 liters
30 reusable nappies production and washing for 3 years = 500,000 liters
Energy usage
3 years of disposable nappies = 2.0-6.3GJ of energy to produce
30 reusable nappies production and washing for 3 years = 0.83-1.55GJ of energy
Land usage (for production of raw materials)
3 years of disposables = 407-829m2
30 reusable nappies = 13-40m2 (depending on material used)
Hard waste post-production
3 years of disposable nappies = 580-816kg
30 reusable nappies = 8-14kg
Newy Nappy Co is able to wash and dry nappies with a lower environmental impact than centers are typically able to do so in service, as well as reducing the labor load on service staff.
*Thank you to realnappies.com.au for the facts
MYTH: Cloth nappies cause rashes and you cant use a barrier cream
You most likely heard this from your own mum – she’s thinking old school terry cloth nappies with plastic outer cover, washed ineffectively at home with a bunch of nasty 1980’s style chemicals – that sentence alone is giving me a rash! Newy Nappy Co nappies are laundered in a way that ensures ammonia is completely removed from fabrics and our detergents are gentle on the environment and your little ones skin! Not only that our nappies are designed to wick moisture away from babies skin and are completely breathable. So, if you have been experiencing rashes in disposable nappies – you may even see an improvement using cloth! For barrier creams – our laundering methods remove all traces of barrier cream and the liner is an extra layer of protection - although it’s not recommend that you slather then on anyway – less is more!
MYTH: Its unhygienic to share cloth nappies between unrelated children
Nope! With the correct wash routine this is not an issue that should be of concern as the correct wash routine will eliminate and control germs, virus and bacteria meaning nappies are generally safe to share between children. Newy Nappy Co wash all items to Australian Laundry Industry Standard AS4146:2000.
Although, it's not generally recommended to be sharing cloth nappies between children not living in the same household unless families are using a laundering service - this is based on potential gaps or short comings in families wash routines that may not be able to eliminate germs, viruses or bacteria from fibers which theoretically could transmit between children.
MYTH: Cloth nappies don’t move urine away from the skin so they’re just sitting in their own mess
Our nappies have a stay dry layer that helps keep nappy inserts, that absorb liquids, away from babies skin. These may feel damp to the touch but liquids are not resting against babies skin – we do recommend that nappies are changed every 2 hours – which aligns perfectly with majority of ECEC service policies, although our nappies are safe and comfortable to keep on for up to 11 hours (designed to accommodate overnight wear as well).
Bonus! As Cloth Nappies are slower to absorb than disposables, this gives children a moment to feel they’re “wet” this is a helpful whilst toilet training as toddlers are able to recognize when they have wet nappies – studies show that cloth nappy children toilet train around 6 months earlier than their disposable wearing peers – meaning children in your care will be out of nappies sooner! Saving money and educators backs!
