It's undeniable that we live in a disposable society. Fortunately, more and more folks are becoming aware of the harmful consequences of that lifestyle and want to make a positive change. I believe that using cloth nappies is a great way to ease our burden on the earth and to save hundreds of dollars at the same time and that's why I use them and we sell them at Elves in the Wardrobe. The environment and health impacts of disposable nappies are well documented and in Australia, we use around 5.6 million disposable nappies per day. This amounts to 2 billion disposable nappies per year going to landfill. Most commercial disposable nappies don’t breakdown easily. It is generally acknowledged by scientists that each nappy takes up to 500 years to decompose. Widely available disposable nappies have been shown to contain a cocktail of toxic chemicals, many of which have already been banned from women’s hygiene products, so it's kind of worrying that they are still in baby's nappies. These chemicals include tributyl tin, chlorine, perfumes, sulphates and sodium fluoride. Also, the plastics used in disposable nappies often cause painful heat rash and skin irritations. CLOTH NAPPIES REDUCE IMPACT ON THE PLANET AND YOUR PURSE. SURE, THERE’S A MODEST UPFRONT INVESTMENT WHEN CHOOSING CLOTH NAPPIES. BUT COMPARED TO BUYING DISPOSABLE NAPPIES OVER THE YEARS UNTIL POTTY TRAINING, YOU’LL BE SAVING HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. PLUS, YOU’LL KNOW YOUR CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR. There are many many different options available now, including nappy services if you don't want to deal with cleaning. At Elves in the Wardrobe, sell Disana’s Natural Cloth Nappies because they are cost-effective, natural and ethical. They are are made from fair-trade cotton, wool and silk that’s approved and untreated. They’re breathable and absorbent and benefit from the natural heat-regulating properties of natural fibres. Disana’s cloth nappy system uses a knitted tie-on nappy made from pure organic cotton which provides great absorption. You can choose from brushed cotton, raw silk or paper fleece to aid absorption and help keep baby drier for longer. The Disana system also has woollen over-pants – made from soft organic wool, these provide more absorption and the final outer layer. To make them even more leak-proof, just wash them once and lanolin to fluff up the fibres. Cleaning dirty cloth nappies is easier than most people think. Simply remove any solids and paper liners into the toilet and keep the tie-on nappies in a mesh bag. When a load is ready, wash in your machine at 60 degrees. You’ll find they dry fast and are soon ready to go again.