Cost comparison of popular nappy systems

I set out below sample costs for some of the more popoular nappy systems. The number of nappies shown is a guide only. Note that all nappies can be purchased singly and many people choose to mix 2 or 3 different nappies, or move to a different system as their baby moves up in size.

Washing every day			Washing every 2-3 days
Econobum (Onesize Cotton Prefolds)			Econobum (Onesize Cotton Prefolds)
12 nappies & 3 wraps	£45		24 nappies & 6 wraps	£89
12 fleece liners	£8		24 fleece liners	£16
	£53			£105
Flip Onesize Stay-Dry			Flip Onesize Stay-Dry
12 nappies & 4 wraps	£84		18 nappies & 6 wraps	£126
	£84			£126
Big Softies (2-part Onesize)			Big Softies (2-part Onesize)
12 nappies	£99		20 nappies	£165
4 onesize wraps	£42		4 onesize wraps	£42
	£141			£207
Bumgenius Onesize Pocket nappies			Bumgenius Onesize Pocket nappies
12 nappies	£171		20 nappies	£277
	£171			£277
Stretch Bamboozles (2-part, multi-size)			Stretch Bamboozles (2-part, multi-size)
12 size 1 nappies	£120		20 size 1 nappies	£200
8 size 2 nappies	£88		15 size 2 nappies	£165
12 fleece liners	£8		20 fleece liners	£14
4 small wraps	£36		4 small wraps	£36
4 medium wraps	£36		4 medium wraps	£36
4 large wraps	£36		4 large wraps	£36
multibuy discount	-£12		multibuy discount	-£22
	£312			£465
Bumgenius AIO (3 sizes)			Bumgenius AIO (3 sizes)
12 small	£122		20 small	£196
8 medium	£83		15 medium	£147
8 large	£83		15 large	£147
	£288			£490

Comparison with disposable nappies

Figures produced by Go Real suggest that an average baby will need 4732 nappy changes before being potty trained. Costs for disposable nappies vary between £620 for the cheapest supermarket own brand nappies and £1276 for a high-cost eco-disposable brand.

Overall laundry costs
Go Real estimates the cost of washing machine depreciation + detergent + energy + water over 2.5 years to be £102, or £124 for homes on a water meter. These cost comparisons use the higher figure.

For more detailed information on these figures, see this explanation produced by Go Real

Overall cost of home laundered nappies over 2.5 years and saving over disposable nappies

So, even the most expensive system, with enough nappies for 3 days and purchased in 3 different sizes, can still save you money over the cost of using disposable nappies. And that's just for one child - if you use them again on your next baby, or sell them on after you have finished with them, you will save even more!

Parents can save even more money by using washable wipes instead of disposable wipes.

If you are still not convinced, or your partner needs a bit of persuasion, see here for what you could do with the money saved :)

References