Nappies are obviously a necessity when you have a little one – but, with thousands of nappies going to landfill each day, how can you make this must-have that bit more sustainable? We pick out the best eco-friendly nappy brands and sustainable baby products out there right now.
Globally, more than 300,000 disposable nappies a minute are sent to landfill, incinerated, or end up in the ocean. Once waste reaches landfills, very little of it can break down and decompose. What does succeed in decomposing releases methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming when released into the atmosphere.
Disposable nappies can take up to 500 years to decompose and even so-called bio-degradable nappies don’t break down properly in landfill. Using reusable nappies can halve weekly rubbish, reduce carbon footprint by 40% and protect the planet our children will inherit. Even one reusable nappy change a day makes a difference to the millions of tonnes of disposable waste.
The Best Eco Nappy Brands to Buy Now Help the Planet
Buying eco and reusable nappies really can help contribute towards living more sustainably. Here, we pick out some of the best eco nappy brands out there right now.
The Nappy Gurus
The Nappy Gurus offer cloth nappies, eco-friendly products, period pants and more. Back in 2009, The Nappy Gurus concept was born as a way to reach parents and help them to get started on their cloth nappy journey. By 2013 they had a team of dedicated mamas across the UK on a mission to share the love of cloth.
Founder of The Nappy Gurus, Laura Davies, says: “We are not only advocates for reusable nappies and washable wipes, but we are advocates for using a wide range of sustainable products.
“With 88% of parents looking to make eco-conscious resolutions in the new year, we are looking forward to seeing how this reflects into their baby showers and other celebrations.”
Mama Bamboo
Mama Bamboo’s nappies are soft, breathable and temperature regulating, helping to reduce nappy rash. Made with 100% plant-based top and bottom covers, their nappies are free from elemental chlorine, alcohol, latex and PVC.
Mama Bamboo was the first European nappy company to be B-Corp certified. A B-Corp business is one that meets the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
LittleLamb
Reusable nappy brand LittleLamb was created by mother of six children, Esme Pfaff, who resorted to using terry cloths and safety pins to save on costs and ensure she never ran out of nappies. She was inspired to make a cloth nappy brand that was high quality, while remaining affordable.
Typically, one baby uses 6,500 disposable nappies from birth to potty training – equivalent to one tonne of waste per baby. Using LittleLamb’s reusable cloth nappies that are made from natural and recycled materials is both cheaper and better for the planet.
Worried about hygiene? Simply store dirty nappies in the nappy pail, separating any washable boosters, inserts or liners, and close the Velcro tabs over on themselves. When you have a load ready, put them in the washer on a 40˚C wash with half the recommended dose of detergent, before giving them an extra rinse and air drying.
LittleLamb offers an All in One or Pocket Nappy – instead of plastic tabs, they have velcro tabs or poppers on the side to adjust the size. They are also super-cute and give baby a well-padded bottom, which is great for when they are learning to walk!
Babi Pur
It’s more important now than ever to be sustainable, especially as disposable nappies are considered to be “one of the world’s greatest waste problems”. Babi Pur sell a huge variety of beautiful cloth nappies and rigorously test them to make sure they’re up to the job.
Their friendly team are experienced and trained in everything cloth-nappy related, helping you personally choose your nappies and providing you with excellent after-care.
Kit and Kin
Kit and Kin’s disposable eco nappy is the most accredited eco-nappy on the market – it’s super absorbent, hypoallergenic and sustainable with super cute animal designs, with Dermatest, Allergy Certified, FSC and Carbon Neutral Plant accreditations.
The clever flash dry layer instantly absorbs and lock away wetness, keeping baby’s bottom comfortable, with patented channel technology to evenly distribute liquid around the nappy, which means no sagging and up to 12 hour leak protection.
They also have reusable options in three adorable designs that are one size fits all (with handy poppers and adjustable waist) – made from sustainable and plant-based materials. In fact, every nappy rescues two plastic bottles from landfill, while keeping your baby’s bottom dry and comfy for up to 12 hours thanks to the super absorbent and gentle 100% naturally-derived core.
Bambo Nature
Bambo Nature’s nappies are made at the head office in Denmark and the company has its own manufacturing plant. This means it has full control of the manufacturing process as well as the carbon footprint.
Only the safest materials are used, with materials which are not only kind to the environment but on baby’s skin too. During the manufacturing process, 95% of all product waste is recycled by being put back into the machines and used to make the final product, minimising end wastage. The remaining 5% is put to good use too – it’s burnt as fuel for local communities.
Bambo Nature also make training pants and wipes, all of which boast the same eco credentials as the nappies and share a host of industry awards.
Mum and You
Designed by mums for mums, Mum & You offers sustainable, eco-friendly nappies and baby wipes. Made from wood pulp from sustainable forestry, Mum & You’s Nappychat eco-nappies boast a cotton-like, soft and breathable fabric that’s super absorbent.
Nappies make up 3% of all household waste with one baby going through an average of 5,000 nappies before potty training, alongside 9.1 million wipes ending up in landfill each year. Mum & You baby wipes are made of plant fibres; they’re plastic free and biodegrade in 15 days in simulated landfill conditions.
Designed for newborns’ delicate skin, their hypoallergenic skincare range is also perfect for babies first bath, right up until they’re toddling, with their face and body washes having been formulated to be free of all major allergens, making them ideal for babies’ sensitive skin.
Pura
Pura’s newly-launched nappy pants and Mumsnet-rated, Allergy UK-approved nappies provide the perfect balance between a happy baby and a happy planet. Both products boast a super-absorbent plant-fibre core that provides up to 12 hours protection from leaks, are made with green electricity and have no production waste to landfill.
Starting at £2 per pack, the award-winning 100% plastic-free wipes contain 99% water and organic aloe vera. The wipes are clinically proven to be suitable for newborns and babies with eczema-prone and sensitive skin.
Launched in Cheshire in June 2020 by new parents Guy and Abi Fennell, Pura’s mission is to bring “easy eco” to all parents with its range of affordable but high-quality eco-friendly products.
TotsBots
TotsBots, a leading reusable nappy brand offering the versatile, all-in-one Award-Winning Easy-Fit nappy design, is a Glasgow-based reusable nappy brand that was founded 20 years ago by parents Fiona and Magnus Smyth, who developed reusable cloth nappies after their second child was born, due their concern over the level of waste sent to landfill through using disposable nappies.
TotsBots was the first brand to make the waterproof fabric on the exterior of their nappies from recycled polyester yarn, diverting two plastic bottles on average from going to landfill per nappy.
Now owned by Frugi, TotsBots’ new Farming Life collection, a bright and colourful range of planet-friendly nappies, is available in both the EasyFit range of TotsBots extendible all-in-one reusable nappies and the Bamboozle night nappy system for overnight dryness. TotsBots nappies also come with a range of matching accessories such as the Happy Mat with an absorbent fluffy top, the Waterproof Nappy Bag and Wet & Dry Bag, all made using recycled plastic materials.
TickleTots
As seen on Dragons Den, Tickle Tots’ All-in-One Nappy consists of a waterproof outer layer with a sewn-in absorbent core of bamboo fabric making them super slim, whilst maintaining great absorbency.
Created by mum-of-two Sophie who wanted to make eco-friendly, reusable baby and feminine hygiene products that actually work and don’t destroy the planet, through years of research and development, Tickle Tots’ cloth products have evolved to be eco-friendly, safe, gentle and highly effective.
The environment is at the heart of Tickle Tots, from the products themselves to the materials used, packaging and supply chain. Plus, all the prints start life as hand-drawn illustrations inspired by Sophie’s children and rural surroundings.
Pim Pam
Reusable nappy brand Pim Pam puts the beauty into changing little bottoms with its covetable new collection. The Brighton-based label was conceived by an illustrator whilst on maternity leave and boasts a wide selection of unique designs, from simple Scandi-inspired patterns to hand drawn animals and motifs.
Pim Pam specialises in pocket nappies, which come with a waterproof shell adorned with a charming print and fasten with adjustable snaps. Each nappy is lined with super-soft microfleece to keep baby’s skin dry and wicks away the moisture to the absorbent part of the nappy – the booster (each nappy comes with two bamboo terry and microfibre inserts for extra absorbency).
Pim Pam’s pocket nappies come in ‘one-size-fits-most’ (8-10lbs to 35lbs), designed to grow with a newborn until they are potty-trained.
