Reusable Nappies – Save Money and Reduce Single-Use Plastic
Reusable Nappy Week, taking place from 24th – 30th April 2023, aims to raise awareness about the benefits of reusable nappies. The week will include events, special offers and fun educational activities which will be held across London and online.
The week of action will advocate the positive impact reusable nappies can have on the environment and for cost-savings.
Disposable nappies contribute significantly to the waste and climate crisis in the UK, with an estimated 3.6 billion nappies being thrown away in the UK each year, costing Local Authorities over £140 million per annum for collection and disposal. By choosing to use reusable nappies, parents and carers can reduce their carbon footprint making a positive impact on the environment and cost-savings.
A new report published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra March 2023) confirmed that reusable nappies are better for the environment than single-use disposable nappies. The Nappy Life Cycle Analysis revealed that across their lifecycle, reusable nappies have a 25% lower carbon footprint than single-use nappies. A figure that can be improved even further depending on how parents decide to wash and dry the products and the use of renewable electricity.
With the cost-of-living crisis affecting many across the UK, this year’s campaign ‘Cloth Your Way’ will showcase sustainable and cost-effective nappy solutions, which will focus on the following:
- Environmental Impact: Raising awareness of the environment impact of disposable nappies and the benefits of using reusable nappies.
- Financial Benefits: highlighting the cost savings that can be achieved by using reusable nappies, which can save parents hundreds of pounds over the course of their baby’s nappy-wearing years.
- Nappy Options: Providing information and resources to parents and carers to help them make informed choices about nappy options. Whether using reusable nappies part-time or full-time, there are significant savings to be made.
- Myth-busting: Dispelling common myths and misconceptions about using reusable nappies.
During Reusable Nappy Week 2023, there will be many events and activities planned, including educational events; offers and hires from participating retailers and cloth nappy libraries; online workshops and social media conversations with Reusable Nappy Ambassadors providing educational content to help more people learn about reusable nappies.
Across the UK there are national Reusable Nappy Incentive Schemes funded by Local Councils or retailers to make reusable nappies more accessible. Voucher incentives in some areas of the UK go up to £100, providing the means to purchase a full set of reusable nappies at a reduced cost, saving households with a baby in nappies up to £324 per year. These savings can be doubled if the nappies are continued to be used on subsequent children. The UK Nappy Network, made up of cloth nappy libraries, also provide opportunities for parents and carers to hire reusable nappies on a weekly basis at low-cost and receive impartial advice and support.
Katy Clee, representative of the UK Reusable Nappy Week Steering Committee says, “Reusable Nappy Week is a chance to come together and unify around a common goal. Whether you’re just interested, completely new to cloth, someone who has been using them for several years, a dedicated and passionate librarian, a council or organisation invested in promoting them, a manufacturer or a retailer; this week is for all. Share your stories, tips, tricks and general love of all things cloth nappies. Let’s make RNW23 the best one yet!”
Elisabeth Whitebread from the Nappy Alliance said, “There’s now no doubt about it, reusable nappies not only create less waste, they also create fewer carbon emissions than single-use nappies. If every baby in the UK switched to reusable nappies, the carbon saving would be the equivalent of 700 million car miles – that’s 3,000 trips to the moon! It’s now up to the government to deliver a plan to help parents and caregivers make the switch- and what better time to announce a plan for net zero nappies than Reusable Nappy Week?”
To find out more and how to get involved, visit the Reusable Nappy Week website and
follow #ReusableNappyWeek on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
