Let’s look at the main considerations and differences;
1. Cost
The difference in cost between cloth and disposable nappies can be enormous.
On average a newborn will go through 10 – 12 nappies a day. A toddler between 6 and 8.
Some estimates are that your baby will go through between 6000 – 7000 nappy changes before they switch to undies.
When you are buying disposable nappies in your weekly grocery shop, they might not seem so expensive – some of the generic brands can be bought for about $10 a pack. However, it’s when you start adding up the cost of disposables over the entire time your baby is in nappies that it looks a little different. Depending on the brand of nappies, the cost of disposables can range from approximately $1500 to $3000 over your baby’s nappy wearing life. And that’s if you only have one child. When you have three, like me, those costs add up real quick!
The cost of cloth
Cloth nappies will have a far bigger up-front outlay. If you are wanting to put your baby in cloth nappies full time, the initial outlay can range from approximately $400 to $900 for modern cloth nappies (MCNs).
If you are on a budget there are other options for cloth nappies. You can often buy MCNs second hand – just make sure they are in good condition (unless you are handy with a sewing machine). You could also buy the ‘old school’ cloth or terry squares.
Cloth nappies can also be used for your next baby – giving you better value for money. The nappies I bought for my first born are still going strong on my third baby 6 years later.
You can also resell your cloth nappies once your baby days are over – helping to recoup at least some of the costs.
But doesn’t washing also cost money?
To say that the only difference in cost between a cloth and disposable is in the purchasing wouldn’t be providing the full picture.
With disposable nappies, the cost of purchasing is the cost. Not so with cloth nappies.
Cloth nappies require cleaning – which costs time, energy, water and laundry detergent/soap nuts or whatever laundry product you choose to use.
You need to take into account
- how efficient your washing machine is
- whether you have a front loader or top loader (front loaders are more efficient)
- whether you wash in hot or cold water
- the cost of water to do a load of washing (don’t forget the cost of flushing the toilet every time you flush a poo)
- the cost of detergent
- whether you use a dryer or the good ol’ fashioned ‘solar dryer’ ie the sun.
Estimates for the cost of washing cloth nappies range from
| Top loader (older style) Cold wash |
Top loader (older style) Hot wash |
Front loader (new style) Hot wash |
|
| Total yearly cost | $88 | $118 | $68 |
2. Environmental impact
One of the main reasons many mums choose cloth over disposables is the environmental impact.
Remembering that your little one will go through between 6000 and 7000 disposable nappies in their nappy wearing lifttime, this equates to approximately 288 – 360 kg of waste, per year. Or 2 -3% of our annual household waste. This compares to approximately 3 – 6 kgs of waste with cloth nappies.
We’re not really sure how long it will take for disposable nappies to break down but some estimates are between 250 and 500 years depending on conditions. To give this some context, if Mary Queen of Scots used disposable nappies, we could still be finding remnants of them today.
It seems pretty obvious which is better for the environment, right?
On the face of it, cloth nappies would be the obvious answer. Unfortunately it’s not that simple.
According to the Life Cycle Assessment of resuable and disposable nappies there isn’t a great difference on overall environmental impact between cloth and disposable nappies when taking into account manufacturing, land resources for production, non-renewable energy amongst others. This is based on the assumption of hot washing and tumble drying cloth nappies.
One of the main differences is that the end-user (ie Mum or Dad) has more control over the environmental impact of a cloth nappy than over disposables.
‘Home-washed reusable nappies washed in cold water in a front-loading washing machine and line-dried were found to use less energy and land resources, comparable water resources, and produce similar or lower quantities of solid waste, compared to the other nappy systems.
How to reduce your environmental impact
If you do choose cloth nappies there are a number of ways you can reduce your environmental impact
- use a cold wash instead of hot
- line dry instead of tumble dry
- when replacing appliances, choose energy efficient appliances where possible
- wash fuller loads
- keep your stash of nappies for other children (or resell/gift for resuse)
- using reusable wipes
Convenience
This is where disposables win hands down. No washing, no cleaning, no folding – you simply throw them away when you are done.
When you are out and about, disposables can be a much easier solution. Not that you can’t be out and about while using cloth nappies – it just means having to carry the dirty nappy with you rather than throwing it in the bin.
Also, time is precious. You need to consider whether adding more loads of washing into your week is a feasible option.
Fit
Cloth nappies come in a number of different options. Some are designed to fit most sizes/ages (One size fits most). Others are fitted to different ages and sizes, meaning you need to get new nappies as baby grows.
OSFM nappies tend to be quite bulky on newborns, or may not even fit them in those early days. Fitted nappies, on the other hand, tend to be more snug.
Like clothing though, sizing is not standard and it tends to vary greatly from brand to brand.
My best advice is to try a couple of brands first and see how they fit before committing to a full-time, or even part-time kit.
How to make a decision on cloth vs disposable nappies?
At the end of the day, it is going to be a personal preference. And don’t feel like you have to commit 100% to either option. We are mixed nappy household. We use cloth nappies during the day and disposables at night with my youngest. Cloth nappies aren’t as absorbent as disposable nappies so if my little one slept through the night, and we weren’t then changing her nappy, she would get nappy rash.
Ask yourself the following questions;
– How much do I want to spend on nappies?
– What is my motivation for choosing one over the other (ie convenience, cost, environmental impact)?
– How much time do I have to commit to washing etc for cloth nappies?
– Is baby likely to go to daycare and if so, do they allow cloth nappies?
– What is the weather like where I live – will I be able to get cloth nappies dry?
Sometimes your baby will dictate the types of nappies you choose depending on whether they have any sensitivities to particular brands or can tolerate being in the less absorbable cloth. Keeping in mind that you can change nappies more regularly if skin irritation is a thing with cloth nappies for your baby. It’s worth being aware that some washing powders can also cause reactions.
You might find that using a mix of disposables and cloth nappies works well for your family. At the end of the day, you need to make the best decision for yourself, your baby and your lifestyle.
Kate Vivian is a self-professed pregnancy and birth geek who is finally learning to embrace the chaos of having 3 kids. It was the birth and ‘bringing baby home’ experience of her first baby, and the overwhelming guilt that went with it, that led her to start Bright Mums – and create a world where Mums matter.
A Certified Hypnobirthing Australia Practitioner, childbirth educator and postpartum doula, Kate works with Mums-to-be not only supporting them through pregnancy, and birth but also teaching them to honour themselves at a time when the world is telling them their baby is the most important thing.
With almost 2 decades in adult education, Kate has the ability to create a safe space, a non-judgey space. A place where Mums can relax and feel supported regardless of what their journey looks like.
A keen traveller in a former (pre-kids) life, Kate dreams of the day her kids are big enough to take skiing and they can completely show her up while she is busy falling down mountains.
You can find out more about Kate or how Hypnobirthing Australia classes by clicking below.