Some technical jargon

Ok so you're looking at the mound of nappies available on the market and haven't a clue what anything means. Whats the difference between Aplix and Poppers? How does Bamboo work and what on Earth is Zorb???
Well, let me break it down for you........
Each nappy will have different ways of being fastened:
The most iconic being the ''Safety pin'' on a terry towelling square - well folks the humble safety pin has now evolved into a ''Nappy Nippa'' an amazing peice of kit that works much in the same way grippa rod does on your carpet. It's a Y shapped peice of extremely strong rubber/elastic with a gripper hand on each arm. The little grippers will grab onto the terry towelling and pull the nappy together (for a detailed look at how this is done take a look at my new link......how to put a nappy on)
Next up is my personal favourite way of securing a nappy - Poppers or Snaps, exactly what it says on the tin - very similar to the poppers on baby clothes and work in exactly the same way - you may find the most common Popper or Snap on a nappy is plastic often co ordinating with the nappy itself.
Then there's Aplix or Velcro - Aplix is just a more sophisticaed version of Velcro but looks and works in the same way.
So, now for the fabrics.........
Every fabric has a different absorbancy and over the years nappy manufacturers have searched for the most absorbant and the kindest to baby's skin. Here's a list of the most common fabrics.
Cotton Terry - a time old favourite, great to boost any nappy, soft on the skin and easy to get hold of.
Microfibre - Yes, the stuff you find in the kitchen but layered up into a pad. Great absorbancy but not too soft on the skin so will need a layer of something soft over the top.
Bamboo fibre - Quite similar to Cotton, used as terries or as ''Bamboo Velour'' is lovely and soft and extra absorbant. Often found as ''Organic Bamboo''
Zorb - Non allergic cotton/viscose/bamboo fibre which is fantastically absorbant - ideal as a booster and soft enough to use close to skin
Fleece - Most often used to cover boosters as it both provides a stay dry layer and is soft on the skin - ideal for nappy linners
Hemp - Another age old favourite, again can be used as a terry nappy or as a booster and is great for absorbancy - not too soft on the skin though so will posibly require something on top.
　

So how much will it cost??

Ok, so I'm on a mission to work out exactly how much I have spent on cloth nappies, nappy acsessories and washing/drying nappies since starting with them in 2010.
On average, an entire birth to potty set up can start at around £80 and some systems are as much as £250 - this all depends on the type and brand of nappy you use. I personally have tried various different styles and brands so my actual spend may look huge compared to how little you need to spend on nappies so as a comparrison I have also worked out how much it would cost for a mid range priced birth to potty system - I have used the energy ratings on my own appliances at home to calculate the cost of running a washing machine and tumble dryer and a cost of mid range detergent has also been added.
So here goes............

	mid range system	my usage	mid range disposable nappy
Nappies	165	300	864
acsessories	45	45	80
washing machine usage for a month x 18	43.2	43.2
tumble dryer usuage for a month x 18	86.4	86.4
detergent 3 washes a week x 4 weeks x 18	8.64	8.64
Total	348.24	483.24	944

　
I found the energy information from
http://www.ukpower.co.uk/tools/running_costs_electricity/
I also based the calculations for the disposable nappies on a mid range nappy with mid range disposable wipes and nappy sacks using this calculation average of 5 nappies a day X 18 months. 64 wipes a week (an average pack) x 18 months and 1 pack of nappy sacks (containing 100) per month
Makes interesting reading don't you think?