Nappy500 Press Release

Nappy 500 is an Australasia-wide celebration of the Ozclothnappies group reaching its 500th-member milestone.

Local releases: Insert local date/time/location/contact details here

Ozclothnappies is a volunteer discussion and advocacy group helping parents make informed choices regarding their children's nappies. There are real life chapters in 6 states participating in this nationwide Nappicino. All parents, prospective parents and anyone interested in easier, healthier, less expensive real nappies are invited to picnic & coffee gatherings across Australia and New Zealand.

Ozclothnappies was created in March 2003 by Lara Hopkins and Janie Hutchings who met by chance on an American cloth-diaper email list. Both had young babies at the time and were struggling to access local information on modern cloth nappies. So Lara and Janie banded together and created Ozclothnappies in order to develop local resources for Australia and New Zealand.

Word spread via online forums, parenting groups, and daycare centres, and membership grew rapidly. As Ozclothnappies members learned to sew modern cloth nappies, many started their own businesses, and cloth users no longer had to import these products from the USA, UK AND Canada. Dozens of WAHPÕs (Work at Home Parents) have had their start as a member of Ozclothnappies. Gone are the days of the folded terry square, pins and plastic pants - and in their place are fitted, pocket, and all-in-one nappies with elastic leg and waist fittings, snap and hook & loop (Velcro(tm)) fastenings. Modern nappies are made of fabrics such as hemp, organic cotton, fleece and microsuede. This means they are as easy to use as a single-use nappy and do not require complicated soaking and washing routines. Real nappies with reusable liners and breathable covers, made of fleece, wool and new age laminate fabrics keep delicate baby skin cooler, healthier, and free of irritation from perfumes, plastics and bleaches.

As well as offering cloth information, advice and support, Ozclothnappies members are increasingly advocating for real nappies at playgroups, health centres and in markets, fairs and parenting and children's expos. A strong social network of like-minded parents across Australia and New Zealand has been forged. Ozclothnappies is closely affiliated with the New Zealand Nappy Network, Modern Nappies, and Cloth Nappy Advocates groups.

Most cloth nappy users begin using cloth nappies for financial and environmental reasons - who wouldn't want to save over $2000 per child and reduce their household rubbish by 50% in the baby years? Ozclothnappies members find that they continue with real nappies because they realise the nappies are cuter, more comfortable, and healthier for their babies - and because they're so much easier to care for than most people think.

Some people are concerned about water usage. A little known-fact: with a moderately efficient washing machine, washing cloth nappies for one baby uses the same or even less water than one toilet-trained person. Sadly, some high-profile nappy "environmental" studies have been sponsored by big business and seriously flawed by false assumptions, eroding opportunities for truly informed choice.

Some more realistic environmental discussion can be found in these links:

• http://www.zerowaste.co.nz/default,507.sm
• http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/diapers/politics.html
• http://www.letsrecycle.com/info/waste_management/news.jsp?story=4490
• http://www.wen.org.uk/general_pages/Newsitems/ms_LCA19.5.05.htm
• http://realdiaperassociation.org/pressrelease_uk-diaperstudy.php