The Real Nappy Campaign

The Real Nappy Campaign is a campaign run by WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) and councils throughout the UK to encourage parents to use traditional nappies as an alternative to disposable nappies.  Disposable nappies pose a significant problem to the environment, not only because of the materials that they are made from, but also because of the sheer volume of disposable nappies that are disposed of in the UK each year. 

It is estimated that the UK currently disposes around 8 million disposable nappies every day.  The average child will go through approximately 6,500 nappies, which works out at around 1 tonne of nappies being disposed of at landfill sites per child.  All of these disposable nappies could take hundreds of years to decompose.

To reduce the amount of disposable nappies being sent to landfill sites, which are fast running out of space, parents are being encouraged to use real nappies.  These are made from soft breathable fabric (usually they contain mostly cotton but some organic nappies are also available) which allows skin to breath and regulates babies skin temperature.  The real nappies are available in a wide range of different sizes and styles, and fasten easily with Velcro, poppers or plastic grips to ensure they fit snugly to your baby.

Key Benefits of Real Nappies

• Help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill
• You can save approximately £500 per year compared to buying disposable nappies
• Many councils offer a cash back scheme for parents using real nappies
• The nappies can be reused on more than one baby
• They are easy to use
• They are available in a wide variety of styles

To find a local retailer, agent, nappy network, laundry or incentive scheme for real nappies, please visit The Nappy Finder. This is a search tool launched by The Real Nappy Campaign where you can simply enter your postcode or region and find services that are local to you.