Mother Nature Products

benefits

For the past 20 years 95% of mothers saw disposable nappies as an essential item. This is beginning to change as we become better informed about the negative effects, as well as a result of the revolutionary way in which cloth nappies are now made. Here are a few good reasons why more and more mothers are either fully or partially converting to the use of cloth nappies. The more often used, the greater the benefits.

REDUCE HEALTH RISKS

Disposable nappies contain paper pulp, plastic, absorbent gels, chemical additives and perfumes. All these materials impact on the health of your child as well as the environment.
The absorbing gel in nappies (sodium polyacrylate) has not been tested for long term effects on reproductive organs from 24-hour exposure. This chemical has been banned in the use of tampons because of a link to toxic shock syndrome.
Studies at the University of Kiel in Germany have raised concerns about the rise in male infertility, which they link to the use of disposable nappies. Disposable nappies have been found to maintain testicles at higher temperatures, a potential cause of lower sperm counts.
There is a misconception that disposables reduce nappy rash. In fact, research studies at Bristol University, Britain, indicate that the type of nappy has no bearing on nappy rash. Frequency of change and length of exposure to ammonia in urine especially when mixed with faeces are the factors affecting nappy rash. Any nappy left on for too long will result in irritation to baby's delicate skin.
Disposal of human faeces along with household rubbish has been found to contain over 100 different viruses such as polio from vaccinated babies, which can survive for about 2 weeks and possibly contaminate ground water suppiles.
Nappy waste from hospitals etc. is usually incinerated. This is an expensive process, which carries health risks as toxic substances (such as dioxins) are released in air emissions and ash.
Allergies to the chemicals used in disposables have been identified in some babies. Using natural cloth nappies alleviates some of the symptoms.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

One baby uses approximately 5000 nappies in a 2.5 year period. Due to the plastic content, disposable nappies are not biodegradable.

Biodegradable disposable nappies which replace the plastic content with a biodegradable film are 70% degradable but tend to be expensive to produce and still need to be disposed of. The "poo" in nappies mixed together with household waste lets off a gas called methane which contributes to global warming.

Sanitary landfill sites are not designed or permitted to contain faeces and therefore have no solution to the growing number of dirty disposable nappies ending up at the dump. Basically "poo" belongs in the "loo"; which then goes through the sewerage system for downstream treatment.

ENERGY & RESOURCE IMPACT STATISTICS: DISPOSABLES VS REUSABLES

Requires 3.5 x more energy to produce

Uses 8 x more non-regenerable raw materials

Uses 90 x more renewable material

Produces 2.3 x as much waste water

Produces 60 x as much solid waste

Needs 4 – 30 x more land for growing natural materials

In Britain: 8 million disposables are used every day. 7 million trees are felled and 14 thousand tons of plastic are produced every year to supply these nappies. As the practice of landfill disposal is becoming less acceptable and costly, many local municipal authorities in Britain are now considering offering families various incentives for using cloth nappies instead of disposables.

Cape Town is currently facing a major landfill airspace crisis. Two years ago 6 landfills were operational, and a few months from now we will have only 3 operational. Of the 3 landfills, Bellville will close in approximately 2013, Coastal Park approximately 2022 and Vissershok in about 2017.

Household waste is increasing by a rate 4 - 5% higher than the growing population rate in the Cape. The more affluent an area becomes the greater the amount of waste disposed. Affluent areas generally use more disposable nappies and our supermarkets are reporting record sales in disposables.

There are some smaller municipalities in the Western Cape with even bigger problems than Cape Town. Some will be closing in approximately 6 months time with no alternative solution. The Johannesburg City area also has a crisis at hand.

MOTHER NATURE NAPPIES ARE TRENDY

Our 100% natural bamboo/cotton blend nappies are 60% more absorbent than ordinary cotton nappies. The bamboo yarn has a natural antibacterial quality and is more eco-friendly to manufacture than cotton or plastic nappies. It is also more durable than cotton, yet feels like silk.
The Mother Nature Nappy is shaped to fit snugly and eliminate the heavy bulk associated with cloth nappies. They are fastened with strong, durable plastic poppers which snap on easily and hold the nappy well - no need for pins! The nappy is designed to fit from birth to 2.5 yrs and adjusts accordingly.
Either a bio-degradable, flushable liner or a non flushable reusable liner is used inside the nappy. The liners allow urine to pass through thus keeping delicate bottoms drier for longer as well as protecting the nappy from becoming heavily soiled. The solids are then disposed by flushing down the toilet, either with the bio liner or by shaking off the solids then putting the liner in the bin. Liners are cheap and sold in most supermarket outlets.
The nappy covers are made from a breathable laminate, which allows flow of air to the skin whilst the nappy is on. The night fleece cover is even more breathable which is why it so highly suitable for night use. There are 3 sizes which fit so as to prevent any leaks. Both come in fun colours and patterns.
No old-fashioned pre-soaking or boiling is required. Just rinse well and wash the nappies at 50-60 °c in a washing machine.
One of my favourite advantages is that cloth nappies are not as smelly when soiled and there is no living with the legacy of disposables every time you open the bin!
Lastly, the fact that babies in cloth nappies tend to potty train roughly 6 months earlier can only be of benefit to their carers.

LIVE WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE PLANET – WHY WE ARE GREEN

If all the nappies we have sold so far are used for their full five year life span... Mother Nature Products will have kept over 1.12 billion non-biodegradable nappies off our over-stretched landfill sites. And we'll keep counting!

Our philosophies:

Create less waste - we apply our technology to create a less wasteful economy.
Do no harm – all products have some impact on the environment but some more than others. We strive to make our green products durable, repairable, energy efficient and made with recyclable materials to minimize the environmental impact through manufacture, use and disposal.
Strive for sustainability – we like to look to long term goals as opposed to short term satisfaction.

Manufacture:

We use bamboo yarn. Bamboo is highly regenerative – it grows back after harvesting swiftly and easily using a far smaller land area than cotton and it does not require crop spraying.
Our toweling manufacturers are locally based and only use biodegradable dyes and recycle their grey water.
With our nappy system one needs more nappies than covers and only one size nappy thus redcing the load on the environment.
We keep our carbon footprint as small as possible, by manufacturing locally and avoiding long transport hauls. We plan to export our products but will exercise carbon off-setting.
Our skin care products are handmade, and locally made.
We use mostly locally-sourced natural ingredients.
Our fabric off cuts are donated to the SPCA who use them as stuffing to make animal mattresses.

Use:

We advise all customers on ways of minimizing water, energy and chemical usage in caring for our nappy products.
Our nappy products are reusable to extend their life cycle and good quality - made to last.
Our bio-degradable liners mean that all waste can be flushed for down-stream sewerage treatment, instead of being discarded and landing up in landfill sites, which are not equipped to deal with faeces. They are safe to flush into septic tanks.
We have increased our washable & reusable products which can all be washed along with the nappies.

Disposal:

All packaging is either used, for example our buckets, or minimalist and bio-degradable where possible.
Our nappy liners are fully biodegradable.
Our skin care range is contained in glass containers which are recyclable.

SAVE MONEY

We have created a table breaking down the cost of nappies over a 3 year period, assuming the average amount of nappy changes is 5040 (or 5.4 per day - any less than this is not considered safe for delicate skins):

5040 CHANGES (5 per day) OVER 3 YEARS:	ESTIMATED COST	YOU SAVE
Disposable nappies - average price - amounts to R430 per month	R 15 480.00	N/A
Mother Nature Nappy - full time use * full pack of 22 nappies + 3x3 covers + 2x3 night fleeces + disposable liners - 5 packs per year + washing cost R1000 - amounts to R145 per month	R 5,255.00	R 10,225.00
Mother Nature Nappy - part time use only * 10 nappies + 3x3 covers + liners 3 packs per year + washing R500 + day disposables R6240 - amounts to R254 per month	R 9,145.00	R 6,695.00

*14% vat inclusive

Mother Nature Cost Saving Tips:

If possible, pass some of your Mother Nature Nappies on to the next child & the savings go up drastically!
Resell your nappies (such as on gumtree.com) to recover some of the initial outlay cost
Instead of disposing of each liner it is possible to rewash the wet unsoiled liners with your nappies, you could save hundreds of rands
Use our washable nappy liners and wipes to save money
Use our washable nursing pads and washable sanitary towels to add to the savings
Use our swim cozzie and potty trainers in place of the disposable version

YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

Measure your carbon footprint and find out more about ways of reducing your ecological impact through simple lifestyle changes by visiting: www.carbonfootprint.com.
It takes a collective effort, starting with each individual, to really make a difference.

Other web sites of interest:

www.enviropaedia.com - The Enviropaedia is a knowledge and network building project designed to motivate and facilitate wide scale participation in social, environmental, economic and political sustainability.

www.recycling.co.za - The National Recycling Forum (NRF) is a non-profit organisation created to promote the recovery and recycling of recyclable materials in South Africa.

www.iwmsuk.com - Intelligent waste management solutions for businesses in the UK and Ireland

www.thestoryofstuff.com

www.urbansprout.co.za

INFORMATION RESOURCES

Women's Environmental Network, United Kingdom

The Real Nappy Association, United Kingdom

Cherwell District Council, United Kingdom

Mumsnet

London Borough of Ealing Government Services

Mother Nature Products' own research from local resources

MINTEL Market Intelligence Report, (2004) Nappies and Baby Wipes - UK 8. MINTEL Market Intelligence Report, (2004) Nappies and Baby Wipes - UKFreeman, H., (2003), 'Get Real! Reusable nappies help waste minimisation', Wastes Management, March, pp39-41

http://adc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/83/4/364

Getting To The Bottom Of Nappy Rash. Philipp R, Hughes A, Golding J & The ALSPAC Survey Team (1997). British Journal of General Practice, 47, 493-497

City of Cape Town Department of Solid Waste Management & IWMP Statistics

©2006 Mother Nature Products 2006/001059/23
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