Cloth Nappy Info

Are cloth nappies cheaper than disposables?

  • How much do cloth nappies cost? 
  • How much will I save using cloth nappies? 
  • Are cloth nappies cheaper than disposables when you factor in washing, drying, and detergent? 

Aside from environmental benefits, these are some major considerations for parents when choosing reusable nappies.

We break down the cost of reusable nappies vs disposables to help give you the complete picture. 

Are cloth nappies cheaper than disposables?

How much do cloth nappies cost?

Some people initially balk when they realise the upfront cost of purchasing a stash of cloth nappies. It may seem like a lot compared with a large pack of disposable nappies that costs around $35. However, as you will see from our calculations below, cloth nappies certainly work out cheaper over the long term.

Cost estimates do vary greatly based on factors such as the style and brand of disposable and reusable nappies. In this article we’ve tried to provide a comparison based on some average figures. If you’d like further detail based on different price points, our table below provides further data.

Disposable nappies can retail from 25c up to approximately $1 each depending on the brand, style, and quantity purchased. For example, pull-ups, night nappies, and swim nappies often cost $1 or more.

Reusable nappy prices also vary greatly depending on type, brand and materials used. Traditional terry towelling flats or pre-folds can start at as little as a few dollars each. On the other hand, modern cloth nappies can range from around $7 online up to around $37 each for the more premium boutique brands, many of which are designed in Australia. You may be able to get cheaper deals through sales (many retailers now do EOFY sales and bundle deals etc), or by purchasing secondhand.

The cost of cloth nappies vs disposable nappies

For the sake of comparison let’s say that disposables cost 30c each, and reusables around $35. Taking the average usage of 4000 to 6000 nappies per child until toilet training, you will spend around $1200 – $1800 on disposables.

Compare this with purchasing a stash of around 20 – 25 nappies for full-time use at a higher price end of $35 per nappy, and you’ll pay around $700 – $875. As mentioned earlier, this could however be as little as a few hundred dollars for cheaper brands or even under $100 for terry towelling or pre-folds.

The table below summarises some calculations based on a few different scenarios

Disposable nappy cost calculations

Nappy type Price per nappy Number of nappies per child* Total cost
Disposable nappy (budget) 25c 4000 (around 2.5 years of age) $1000
    6000 (around 3.5 – 4 years) $1500
Disposable nappy (mid-range) 50c 4000 $2000
    6000 $3000
Disposable nappy (premium) $1 4000 $4000
    6000 $6000

*Based on UK study of just over 4 nappy changes per day. However this figure is an average over the years a child is in nappies, so the age guide is a rough estimate.
Newborns generally go through around 10 – 12 nappies per day whereas older children might use 4 – 6 per day, or only at nap times and/or overnight.

Cloth nappy cost calculations

The below costings are guidelines based on a few different cloth nappy systems from birth to toilet training. It can be difficult to calculate as there are so many factors and wide variation of pricing across different brands. We’ve based our costings on average price points and recommended nappy usage at different ages. This allows you to work out an estimate based on the system and combination you choose.

For example, some families prefer to start with flats or prefolds for their newborn and graduate to one-size-fits most (OSFM) once their baby gets a bit bigger (around 3-6 months). A set of flats plus covers for a newborn, plus 20 midrange MCNS for an older baby/toddler, plus a set of 3 night nappies would total around $780.

Of course, it isn’t necessary to purchase all of these different types of nappies for each age, but this will give you an idea of total costs if you wish to go that route. A full set of flats or prefolds with covers for $200 – $300 could easily see you through toilet training.

While night nappies are not always necessary, many people do opt for a night nappy system. Therefore we’ve provided an average price for 3 nappies plus a cover should you wish to factor this in.

It is worth checking out our guide to different types of cloth nappies for further explanation.

Nappy type Price per nappy* Number of nappies per child** Total cost
Terry-towelling flats $3 30 (for newborn) $90
Nappy covers $10 10 $100
      $190
Prefolds $7 30 (for newborn) $210
Nappy covers $10 10 $100
      $310
Modern cloth nappy (budget) $7 20 $140
    25 $175
Modern cloth nappy (midrange) $22 20 $440
    25 $550
Modern cloth nappy (premium) $37 20 $740
    25 $925
Night nappy $50 3 $150
       

*Prices are an average based on various brands on the market
**Based on full-time usage at the specified age

How much will I save using cloth nappies?

My simple calculation above shows you could save a minimum of $900 by using reusable nappies.  This makes them around 50% cheaper than disposables – and this was using fairly conservative figures and prices for each option.

However as the table demonstrates, you could easily purchase a decent cloth nappy stash on a much smaller budget. If using a basic flat or prefold system costing around $200 to $300, you could save over $4000 to $5000 using cloth nappies.

That’s an enormous saving!

How much will I save using cloth nappies?

For my first son, I purchased quite a large nappy stash of newborn nappies, fitted nappies, and night nappies by buying both new and second-hand for around $1000. I definitely could have gotten away with fewer nappies, but I wanted to try a few different brands and styles. I also landed some excellent bulk second-hand deals that had barely been used.

Another huge factor is that the savings multiply for every child you use cloth on. When my second son was born, I already had all the nappies I needed (I must admit it didn’t stop me from purchasing a couple of extra cute prints though)!

My eldest toilet trained at around 2.5 years but still wears a night nappy, and my youngest (1 year old at the time of writing) will probably be in nappies for another 1.5 – 2 years.  Not only have I avoided contributing somewhere in the realm of 8000 – 12,000 nappies to landfill, but our family has saved somewhere between $1400 – $2600.

How much will I save using cloth wipes?

Another huge saving that many people don’t initially factor in is cloth wipes! These can be super cheap to get set up (or even free if you cut up old cloth or use old face washers!). Let’s say you spend $50 buying two packs of bamboo wipes, supplemented with some cheap face washers from Kmart.

Compare this with disposable baby wipes. From experience, you might go through one pack of 100 wipes per week. Again, prices of wipes vary hugely between brands, starting around $2.50 per pack (buying bulk) up to $17 for premium water wipes or fragrant-free versions. This equals somewhere between $325 to a whopping $2,210 spent on disposable wipes.

So there you go – you could save somewhere between $275 to $2160 using cloth wipes! Plus it’s super easy to pop them in the washing with your nappies, addressing another major landfill issue.

What are the cheapest cloth nappy options?

Even after doing the math on the savings, it can still seem a lot to fork out upfront when you are probably also purchasing several other big-ticket baby items. If you are concerned about costs, terry towelling flats or prefolds can be a cheap way to get started. You can pick them up very cheap at Big W, for example. There are also other options such as buying secondhand nappies or hiring from a cloth library.

While you may have the cash and are tempted to go all-in on a full-time pack with one brand, it can be worth purchasing a variety of brands and styles until you work out which ones you like and which best suit your bub. Many brands offer trial packs that include different styles of nappies. Several cloth nappy retailers also stock a variety of brands and will allow you to mix and match.

How much does it cost to wash and dry cloth nappies?

Electricity, water, and detergent usage are really the main additional costs associated with washing reusable nappies. Therefore, in order to provide accurate comparisons it is only fair to include these costs in the calculations.  

However, even after factoring these costs in, you will still be far ahead in terms of savings.

 

The cost of washing and drying cloth nappies

There have been studies that have calculated the extra electricity, water, and detergent bills. Again, these factors can be highly variable depending upon where you live, what type of energy and water systems you have installed, your energy providers, and what type of detergent you use. Ballpark figures estimate somewhere in the range of an extra $100 per year, give or take.

There are also things you can do to minimise these expenses, such as:

  • Waiting until you have a full load to wash (you can also add clothing and other items to your main wash)
  • using a front loader washing machine
  • drying your nappies on a washing line, instead of using a dryer.

To offer my personal experience, our 7.5kg front loader washing machine utilises rainwater, and we have solar to offset our electricity bill. We also line dry our nappies outside most of the year-round in Queensland (inside when raining). In terms of extra washing, I would do an additional 2-3 loads of prewashing per week, as I add the boys’ clothes and other baby items to my main load. I honestly could not say there’s been any noticeable difference in our hot water or electricity bills since starting cloth.

So there you have it! As this article has shown, we do need to consider several factors in our calculations. However, hopefully we have provided enough information to help you estimate your savings depending on the option you choose.

Ultimately, you can make cloth nappies as cheap or expensive as you wish, but most likely you will save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in the long term.