Q: I am just learning about cloth nappies, where do I start?

We believe it is really important to be well informed and feel confident about your choices. There is plenty of information on everything you need, how to use it and how to wash it on this site. Have a good read of the pages in the menu on the left of this screen and give it some time to sink in. If you have any further questions, or would like some advice tailored to your situation, please just contact us.

Q: I'm very interested but will I cope with the washing?

Many people will warn you off cloth nappies quoting the amount of work involved. However, if you read our Washing page, you will see that washing nappies no longer involves soaking and buckets of Napisan. In any case, cloth nappies like these are more reliable than disposables and fewer leaks = less washing. In my own experience, using cloth nappies was less work than disposables because they never ever leaked. Be careful to ask the skeptics exactly what they tried themselves. 100 to 1, they have never used cloth, or only used the 'old-fashioned' kind. That is a world away from what you're looking at.

Q: I'm keen to try but it's a big investment - what if they don't work for me?

If you're quite unsure, just buy one or two nappies and a cover and give it a try. You can always come back for more. If you don't like them, there is a roaring secondhand market on Ebay, so you'll still get most of your money back. If you're almost entirely convinced, but just feel nervous about the amount of money involved, get a full set of nappies, and just use one or two items at first. If all goes well, you have the rest of the nappies there to use straight away. If not, you can return any items, provided they are in original condition, for a full refund (see our Policies). I have made this offer for years, and have never had the remainder of the package returned, but the offer provides a safety net for the cautious.

Q: Will my baby get more nappy rash in a cloth nappy?

No. Recent studies have shown that there is no significant difference between cloth and disposable nappies for nappy rash. If your baby does develop rash, check that you are not using too much detergent, which will cause a residue to build up in the nappy. This can be fixed by running the nappies through a hot wash twice without detergent. Any queries, please just contact us.

Q: Can I use Tots Bots at night?

Most babies can get through the night with just a Tots Bots nappy. Some heavy wetters also need extra absorbency, which is achieved simply by adding extra cloth to the nappy (known as "boosting"). We sell boosters for this purpose, but the booster can be in any form, as long as it is absorbent: eg. a folded washcloth or old teatowel, or an old terry nappy cut into strips. We recommend putting the booster between the nappy and the cover, rather than between the baby and the nappy, so that the fit of the nappy isn't altered.

Q: What is Aplix and how well does it last?

A high quality brand of velcro. Poor quality velcro does not 'grab' like Aplix, and it certainly doesn't wear as well. The nappies all have laudry fold back tabs, to ensure that they don't all get stuck to each other in the wash. If you do these up routinely, you'll find that the velcro lasts exceptionally well - generally even longer than the fabric of the nappy!

Q: Where can I 'touch and feel' before I buy?

We have quite a number of stockists, many with brick and mortar stores. Please refer to our stockists page to find one near you.