Are terry nappies coming back in?
Remember the old terry nappies, or diapers mothers used to use in the “old days”? Well they’re back baby, and they’ve got their groove on! Terry nappies really went out of fashion when the manufacturing industry became able to give us cheap disposable nappies that were readily available. Since the 1980’s few families in western countries have used cloth nappies at all, but now that we are finding out just how costly our super convenient lives are to the environment and to our own health, disposable nappies are getting some bad rap too. Firstly they are a huge waste of resources – from the paper pulp that composes them (think trees being cut down), to the use of chemicals to soak up moisture and smells (they end up in landfill), and the frightening amount of water required in manufacturing each single nappy.
Secondly, they may be user friendly, but are not friendly to sensitive baby skin. Paper, which makes up the inside of the nappy, is no where near as soft as cloth is, and when it gets moist it tends to become even more abrasive. This results in a lot more nappy rash. Then there is the cocktail of chemicals in the moisture absorbing pad, which are now being accused of exposing kids to toxins every day.
This is why many modern mums are again turning to cloth, and the industry has responded by turning out many new and clever variants of terry nappies, which are far easier to use and clean than the traditional thing was. For a start, you can get all in one terry nappies that have cotton or plastic covers with poppers, rather than having to fold and clasp together a terry square. So much better for changing baby on your own, you can practically do it with one hand behind your back. The absorbent towel layer has also in many cases been replaced completely with simple pre formed absorbent mats, that you can simply pull out and throw in the wash. Materials range from plain cotton to bamboo and hemp fibers, neither of which our grandparents had access to, but would have loved. Both materials can hold several times as much moisture as cotton, and are unbelievably soft too. So if you are considering using cloth nappies, do some research and you may be pleasantly surprised. Things have changed a lot – the humble terry nappy has grown up and come a long way!
April 27th, 2010 at 12:21 am
Great find on these ones! Never knew anything about terry nappies before I saw your links! Thanks again!
Cheers!