4 OCTOBER 2012
Cloth nappies the solution to the worldwide
disposable nappy shortage
With a possible shortage of disposable
nappies looming worldwide, reusable cloth nappies can provide a very real
solution for parents worried about how to look after their babies’ bottoms.
Following an explosion and fire last Saturday afternoon at a chemical plant in
Himeji, Japan, production has ceased at Nippon Shokubai, the company
responsible for the leading production of super-absorbent polymers used in the
manufacturing of disposable nappies for the international market. Industry
watchdogs say if work at the fire-damaged factory remains suspended for some
time, it could seriously affect the supply of disposable nappies to New Zealand
and the world.
“Zero Waste estimates over seven million
disposable nappies are used in New Zealand every week,” says The Nappy Lady,
mum and sustainable parenting advocate Kate Meads of Tauranga. “One million
disposable nappies are used every day in our country. If the world is on the
brink of a disposable nappy crisis, could see empty supermarket shelves and
parents buying disposables on the internet for inflated prices – much like the
Marmageddon crisis we’re also experiencing here in New Zealand.
“But there is a simple, sustainable
solution to this problem. Modern cloth nappies are in ready, ample supply, and
once parents start using them, you’ll never have to worry about running out of
nappies again. Simply wash them, hang them to dry overnight, and they’re ready for
another round of bottom changes.”
Modern cloth nappies are so advanced in
design that they’re just as convenient to use as a disposable, Kate asserts.
“And unlike disposables, they’re environmentally conscious and will save
parents thousands of dollars per child. A single baby will need 6,000 nappy
changes in the first two-and-a-half years of life, and at around 50c per nappy,
parents are literally throwing their money away.
“If disposables suddenly skyrocket in price
because of a worldwide shortage, cash-strapped parents will really struggle to
afford this basic baby product. Nappies are something you really can’t do
without if you have a baby. That’s another reason modern cloth nappies are such
a good choice – they can save parents around $4,000 when compared to what you
spend on disposables.”
Kate is urging parents who are worried
about running out of disposable nappies not to stockpile them in fear of a
shortage, but to give modern cloth nappies a go instead. “Every parent should
have modern cloth nappies in their survival kit,” she says. “Modern cloth
nappies are nothing like what our mothers and grandmothers used. They don’t
need scrubbing, they’re comfortable and they are easy to use, easy to wash and
take no more time to put on than a disposable nappy.
Now is the time to investigate switching
from disposable to cloth nappies. Kate,
The Nappy Lady is currently working with 14 local New Zealand Councils where
parents can get a variety of different cloth nappy trial packs in her various
nappy schemes, with some packs worth up to $150 worth of modern cloth nappies
for only $20. Check with your local
council or The Nappy Lady Website (www.thenappylady.co.nz)
to see if there is a Nappy Lady workshop near you so you can make a rational,
informed decision about your options.
--ENDS—
For more information, high-res images, or
to interview The Nappy Lady, contact thenappylady@me.com
or call Kate on 027 22 11 242
