Cloth Nappies

Nappy Choices

Auckland Council sees parenting as one of humanity's most important roles. The council supports parents to have choices in parenting, particularly in terms of convenience in today's busy lifestyle and in terms of impacts on the environment.

Choices relating to nappies are an important part of parenting. Disposable nappies are convenient, but create landfill waste, use energy through their manufacture and incur freight and create costs for parents.

In contrast, cloth nappies have a purchase or hire cost, but their use reduces volumes of landfill waste. They can also be used for subsequent children. On the flipside, depending on how parents wash and dry cloth nappies, their use can create significant energy usage and the discharge of detergents into the wastewater system.

However, cloth nappies provide parents the ability to make choices about laundry methods and energy use. The council also believes parents should have choices in how they affect the environment through the actions that are best for their babies.

For these reasons, Auckland Council supports parents having access to both cloth and disposable nappies. The council works with community groups to advertise the availability of cloth nappies for hire. The council is also beginning to work with disposable nappy manufacturers to look at how the environmental performance of their products can be improved.

450 disposable nappies = 1 cloth nappy

For more information on the various types of cloth nappies available and how to use, please look at the Nappy Ladies website and view the article below - Ask the nappy lady.

An article about choosing cloth nappies appeared in Good magazine, view the article below.

Note: You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer in order to view and print these documents. For help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful Tips.

Note: You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer in order to view and print these documents.  For help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful Tips.

Cloth Nappies for Hire

Auckland parents and caregivers are being encouraged to take part in a trial cloth nappy scheme based on the various types of cloth nappies, which are currently available in New Zealand The scheme offers cloth nappy trial packs and hire kits to parents.

Note: You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer in order to view and print these documents. For help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful Tips.

Cloth Nappy Hire Kits (Size 1182K)
These are available in three sizes (newborn/small, medium, large) for a 7-week trial period.

There are three basic types, prefolds - a modern version of the old flat nappy with extra layers for absorbency; fitted nappies - with fitted legs and waist; and pocket nappies - that incorporate a waterproof cover and a stay-dry liner sewn together.

Each hire kit also contains a range of covers, boosters and inserts. 12 reusable liners that come with each kit are yours to keep. Kits cost $60 (plus a $40 bond) for a 7-week hire period.

Cloth Nappy Trial Packs

Auckland parents and caregivers are also able to purchase trial packs for $15 containing $70 worth of nappies from a range of New Zealand cloth nappy suppliers.

The trial packs include a range of different styles of cloth nappies that are available. These styles include prefolds, pockets, fitted nappies and wraps/covers. This year’s suppliers include Nappy Days, Ezpz Baby, Nudey Rudey, Little Lamb and Snazzipants.

Cloth Nappy Know How Classes

Hire Kits and Cloth Nappy Trial Packs

The Cloth Nappy Know How classes will inform parents with all they need to know about modern cloth nappies. The classes are designed to inform parents who are planning to give cloth nappies a go. By attending the classes, parents can either purchase the Cloth Nappy Trail Packs or sign up for a Cloth Nappy Hire Kit.

The cloth nappy classes will cover:

• The five main nappy options available to parents - disposables, pre-folds with covers, pocket nappies, fitted nappies with covers and all in ones
• Liners and boosters – what are they and why would you use one
• Fabrics – what are the available options for modern nappy fabrics
• How to choose your nappies? – which one will be suitable for your baby
• Washing your nappies – no different to washing clothes

Classes are held at the Cloth nappy education centre on the second and third Saturday of every month (apart from January) between 12:30pm and 2:00pm.

2011 dates

• 12 February
• 12 March
• 9 and 16 April
• 14 May
• 11 and 18 June
• 9 and 6 July
• 13 and 20 August
• 10 and 17 September
• 8 and 15 October
• 12 and 19 November
• 10 and 17 December

Interested parents or caregivers can phone the Council's 24hr Call Centre to make a booking with The Cloth Nappy Education Centre.

All Auckland residents are welcome to attend the class for free and are able to either purchase a trial pack for $15 (please bring cash) or book a hire a kit for seven weeks.

Learn To Sew Your Own Nappies

Do you already have a sewing machine and are expecting a new arrival? Then consider coming along to one of our sewing nappy classes!

Part of your registration costs, you will receive a DIY cloth nappy kit which contains the material for you to get started in sewing your own cloth nappies. Your tutor, Michelle Foster owner of Ezpz Baby, will guide you through how to make your own pocket nappies.

Classes cost $60 (includes your DIY cloth nappy kit) and are held on the first Saturday every second month.

To register please contact the Cloth Nappy Education Centre on (09) 834 9214.

Cloth Nappy Education Centre

The Council is sponsoring a Cloth Nappy Education Centre from mid March 2007. Situated at 601 Te Atatu Road, Te Atatu Peninsula, the centre is open from 9.00am to midday, two days a week (Thursday, Saturday).

To book, download the Cloth Nappy Hire Booking Form (Size 182K)

Note: You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer in order to view and print this document.  For help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful Tips.

Note: You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer in order to view and print these documents. For help opening PDF files or tips on copying information see Helpful Tips.

Cloth Nappy Trial Packs at Waitakere Hospital

On 2 April 2008 till 30 June 2008 Waitakere City Council teamed up with West Auckland Health Services Foundation giving away modern cloth nappy packs. Mums received a pack of four changes worth of nappies when they left the Waitakere Maternity Ward with their new baby, valued at $60. During this trial period the Waitakere Maternity Ward also used cloth nappies.

Waitakere City Council and West Auckland Health Services Foundation proudly support the parents of Waitakere to make an informed choice when it comes to what type of nappy they prefer to use on their baby. With today's busy lifestyle convenience and practicality are important factors for parents. That is why these packs were created, to show that cloth nappies are cheaper in the long run, to lift myths that cloth nappies are time consuming and a thing of the past. Modern cloth nappies come in a range of colours, styles and materials and they are easy to use.

The suppliers behind the trial were Real Nappies, Honey Child, Snazzipants and Nappy Days.

From these packs, parents can make informed choices on what they prefer to use on their baby. Providing modern cloth nappies packs, parents can take into account the cost related to both disposable and cloth nappies and the impacts to the environment that each have.

View the NZ Herald article.