This is a typical question we get asked a lot and the truth is that there is no “one size fits all” answer. It depends on your budget, your lifestyle, your baby and which brands you want to use; which is why we recommend that you pop us a visit so that we can offer you the one on one, personal, professional, consultation that Live Gently is famous for. In that discussion we can work through all your needs and determine what would be a good fit for you. But if you still want a sneak peak at prices, here’s the link to the pdf.

Yes, we do.

Yes, we do using the Pargo delivery service. Simply contact us to order what you need and we’ll courier it to your nearest Pargo store once we know the cost and dimensions of the package.

We love to hear from new eco-friendly product producers or cloth nappy retailers. If you would like to get in touch with us about potentially stocking your product, please send us an email.

Types of materials:

Microfiber: A type of fabric (synthetic fibre) mostly used in inserts, usually for pocket nappies. This material wicks moisture away quickly but is not very absorbent and will not hold moisture for long. It does dry very quickly.

Microsuede: A synthetic fabric that has a stay dry feel. It is generally used in pocket nappy linings or on booster inserts.

Bamboo: A natural material used with modern cloth nappies. It is quite absorbent and doesn’t take too long to dry in relation to hemp.

Cotton fleece: A natural material used with modern cloth nappies. It is as absorbent as hemp but is a little bulkier when using in a flat fold.

Hemp: A natural material used with modern cloth nappies. It is the most absorbent of all. However, as it is the most absorbent, it generally takes longer to dry than the other materials.

PUL: Polyurethane Laminate – an outer waterproof fabric used in modern cloth nappies.

Fleece: Water repellent fabric used in making covers. These are generally preferred for night time use as they are soft on baby’s legs and more breathable than PUL.

Reference: SACNU

Types of nappies:

Flats and covers:

This requires one to fold the flats to put onto baby and then secure with a snappi. It requires a cover as well. This option tends to be the most cost effective and the parts can dry very quickly. However, this option is sometimes not convenient for dads or crèches.

Fitted and prefolds:

Fitteds and prefolds require no folding and are made completely from absorbent material. They do require a cover. These are nice options for newborns or night time use.

Pocket nappies:

This nappy comes with a PUL (waterproof) outer with a stay dry, microsuede inner with a “gap/pocket” at the back of the nappy. Inserts are stuffed into this gap. Inserts are stacked from least absorbent closest to baby to most absorbent as your bottom layer. This ensures that moisture is wicked away quickly from baby by the top layers and then held onto by the bottom layers. This option tends to be a favourite with parents as its quite convenient, the parts can separate making them easier to dry and they are not too expensive.

All in ones/all in twos:

This nappy is very similar to the pocket, however, the inserts are already attached to the nappy and no stuffing is needed. You simply put on baby and go. This is a very nice and convenient option, however drying times can take longer as the parts cannot be separated.

Snap in ones (SIO):

These are quite similar to all in ones except the inserts snap into the nappy making them very easy to get ready and easy to separate for drying purposes.

How to wash cloth nappies

1. Store your nappies in an open, dry bucket (no steri nappy) until wash day.

2. If you have a poop nappy, dispose into the toilet (if on solids) and rinse, if necessary, before storing in the dry bucket. You can use fleece or disposable liners to catch most of the poop and a bidet spray or toilet bowl can be used to rinse anything extra off.

3. On wash day, pre rinse the nappies.

4. Then wash nappies on longest, cotton/fuzzy cycle with a dose of your normal detergent for heavily soiled loads. Do not use any softener in your wash as this will ruin the absorbency of your materials. Make sure the machine is ¾ full to ensure enough agitation in cleaning the nappies. If it’s not full enough add a towel or two.

5. Only if nappies still seem soapy at the end of the wash, do one more rinse cycle.

6. Hang in the sun to dry or tumble dry on low. If you have any stains, the sun is your best whitener. You can also rub a little bit of sunlight bar soap on the area to get rid of stains.

Reference: SACNU

When and how to strip nappies

Strip only in the following circumstances:

1. Nappies smell when they come out of the wash or as soon as they are peed in. This indicates an ammonia build up and that they are not getting cleaned properly. Clean nappies should smell like nothing. You should strip your nappies and then ensure that you correct your wash routine going forward.

2. Pre-loved nappies should be stripped just to ensure that they are clean and ready to use on your baby.

3. Baby has a yeast rash. Cloth nappies will need to be treated to ensure no reinfection.

4. Nappies that are leaking. However, you should first ensure that your fit is correct on baby, you have enough absorbency in your nappy and that you change frequently enough. If these are all fine, it then could indicate a build up issue and the nappies need to be stripped and your wash routine adjusted going forward.

Reference: SACNU

1. Water used to manufacture one disposable is 34 litres which equates to 6.1 kl for a month’s supply of disposables. Washing cloth nappies only uses 1.2 kl of water. That’s a huge water saving!

2. The amount of waste produced by a child wearing disposables from birth to potty training is nearly a tonne (952kgs), which sits in our landfills. The first disposable ever worn is still on this planet folks! Did you know that every day in South Africa, 10 million disposables are used! A child in cloth nappies will only create 2.2kgs of landfill waste from birth to potty training.

3. Disposables from birth to potty training will cost approximately R15,500. Having a cloth nappy stash over that same period will only cost approximately R3,500. The savings increase exponentially if used for more than one child. What a saving financially!

4. From a health perspective, children in disposables tend to suffer more from nappy rash due to the harsh absorbing chemicals and nappies being left on longer than they should be. Cloth is more breathable and free of chemicals, which is better for baby.

Reference: SACNU

We love to spread the word about modern cloth nappies and currently attend various antenatal classes run by hospitals and privately as well as water sanitation workshops run by municipalities. If you would like us to speak at your event, please send us an email.