The advantages of reusable nappies are many. First of all, their environmental impact is significantly less than that of disposable nappies.
Perhaps not everyone knows that in the first two and a half years of life, each newborn baby produces about 1.5 tons of nappies, which, once thrown away, become a heavy burden on the environment. In Italy, the average is 6 million disposable nappies a day, making a total of about 2.190 billion tonnes of plastic waste.
The environmental impact of all this is enormous, considering that the production cycle itself has a very heavy impact on the ecosystem.
Secondly, they are a great money-saving tool, as the nappy can be conveniently reused several times, saving a lot of money.
The savings can be considerable for the whole period in which the children will need the nappies (and this is generally around 3 years of age). The cost of washable nappies, in fact, is around 300-800 euros compared to 2,500-3,000 for disposable nappies.
What types are available?
Washable nappies are available on the market in different types and models, which are well adapted to the growth phases of the baby and the lifestyle of the family. Here are the main ones:
- All-in-Two (two-piece): these are nappies consisting of an absorbent inner part and a waterproof panty to be overlapped on the outside. This feature allows the nappy to dry more quickly wash after wash by simply peeling off the outer cover.
- All-in-One (one-piece): the inner absorbent part and the outer waterproof part are sewn together to form one piece. They are the most similar to the disposable nappies we find in the supermarket because the parts are assembled in such a way as not to require external inserts, panties, or pins. Practical and functional, they are particularly comfortable for the baby both from a hygienic and anatomical point of view.
- Pocket: Their characteristic is their 'pocket' shape. They consist of an inner part in PUL (Laminated Polyurethane) and an outer part in PUL (Laminated Polyurethane) sewn together. Absorbent inserts of different types are inserted into the pocket according to specific needs. They are made of natural or synthetic materials (fleece, cotton, hemp, bamboo, microfibre, terry cloth, flannel). They do not stiffen with washing and respect the baby's skin, leaving it perfectly dry.
- Finally, we find the classic ciripà (cloth nappies), which are more adaptable in terms of size, and the waterproof underwear is put on top.
Washable nappies: How much do they cost?
The cost is around 300 euros for around twenty ecological nappies. They can be found in traditional shops and online (or in pharmacies/para pharmacies on order).