Cloth nappies

Cloth nappies are a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to disposable nappies. You can use them from birth, they are easy to wash at home, and they work just as well as disposables. Choosing cloth nappies can save you money and help cut down on waste going to landfill.

Why consider cloth nappies

Every year, around 160 million disposable nappies are thrown away in Scotland. By the time a child is potty trained, they can use about 5,000 disposable nappies. This can cost around £800 and creates a lot of waste.

Cloth nappies usually cost around £200 to buy. Washing and drying them costs about £1 a week. They can be reused for another child, which makes them even better value.

How cloth nappies work

You can use cloth nappies from birth. Most modern cloth nappies wash at 60 degrees and do not need soaking before you put them in the washing machine.

You change cloth nappies just as often as disposable ones. When used and washed properly, there is no higher risk of nappy rash.

How many nappies you need

The number of nappies you need depends on how often you want to do laundry:

• about 20 nappies if you plan to wash every day
• about 25 nappies if you plan to wash every two days

This gives you enough nappies to use comfortably without running out.

Find out more and get support

If you want advice from other parents or help getting started, there are organisations that can help you learn more about using cloth nappies. See what to do with disposable and cloth nappies.