One child uses over 4,500 nappies from birth to potty, which is a pretty extraordinary figure to get your head around, as is the amount of time you therefore spend changing a wriggly baby - about 170 hours depending on how speedy you are! 

Are reusable nappies cheaper than disposable nappies?

The short answer is yes, but it's a complex question as it depends on which disposable nappy brand you're comparing them to, how often your baby needs changing, and how long they're in nappies for. 

Based on a recent BBC Radio 4 programme, Sliced Bread, which analysed the cost of reusable vs disposable nappies, the average baby uses 4,515 nappies over 2.5 years.

If you use disposable nappies you'll need 4,515 of them. If you use reusable nappies you'll need 20 for full-time use and each one will be used 225 times.

Compared to the cheapest disposable nappies on the market, the cost of full-time reusable use is a bit less than the disposables. If you're using premium, branded or eco nappies then reusables are at least three times cheaper than disposable nappies. In both cases, if you go on to use the reusable nappies on subsequent children you'll save a lot more.

Full-time Starter Kit of 20 nappies (includes nappies, laundry set, disposable liners): £300

Cost of washing (electricity, water, detergent): 4.8p per nappy

Can I try them out first? 

Yes! We offer a nappy trial. Buy a nappy, try it out for a month, and either keep it or send it back for a refund if you're not getting on with it.

When you know you love them you could always ask for more nappies as gifts from friends and family, or add to your collection one nappy at a time.

The nappies should work for you, so there's no pressure to go full-time and many parents mix and match with disposable nappies when it suits them.

What do I need?

Once you know you love reusables, the best value is to buy a Starter Kit which includes almost everything you'll need at a discounted price.

Full-time use is 20 reusable nappies, and if you'd like to try them for one day you'll need about 5 (depending on how many changes your baby has).

Laundry Set 
(Nappy bucket with lid + laundry bags)
£19 if bought separately. Cheaper if bought as part of a Starter Kit.
The laundry bag hangs in the nappy bucket. Fill it with dirty nappies and on wash day take take the laundry bag and pop it into the machine. 

Hemp and Charcoal Boosters 
From £3
A booster is an absorbent pad that fits into the pocket of the nappy and soaks up the wee. Like sanitary towels there’s a range of boosters in different absorbencies. Each nappy comes with two Bamboo Boosters which are our go-to, but if you’ve got a heavy-wetter, and for nights, you’ll want to try hemp and/or charcoal boosters, which are the most absorbent.

Reusable or Disposable Nappy Liners 
£5 for a pack of 5 resuable ones. £5 for a roll of 100 disposable (included free in our Starter Kits)
A non-essential but very useful item, these liners sit on top of the nappy closest to the skin, and ‘catch’ the poo. They can then be thrown away and mean you have minimal contact with the poo. We recommend them for tiny babies and their softer poo, and for runny tummies.

Reusable Wipes (not in the kit)
From £6
The reusable, washable swap for baby wipes. Can also be used for cleaning faces, spills and more.

Wet Bags (not in the kit)
From £7
Wet bags are great for out and about and to store the nappies in at home, and are available in a range of sizes. The Medium size has two zipped compartments, perfect for separating clean and dirty nappies.