Everyone has their reasons to use cloth nappies. Here are the ten most talked about reasons. If you have one that was not mentioned pop it in the comments below.
Transcription: The top 10 reasons to get into cloth nappies.
Andrew: Hey there Vicki.
Vicki: I'm good Andrew. How are you?
Andrew: Fine. How did you guys sleep?
Vashti: Good. Thanks, Andrew. You asked Vicki first today.
Vicki: He's doing that on purpose now.
Andrew: I'm going to do it until you complain.
Vashti: Okay. Fair enough.
Vicki: [00:00:30] So until I complain again because I'm the complainer. Middle children always complain. Were you a middle child or?
Vashti: I was the eldest.
Vicki: That's not Surprising. Both of you being eldest children, yeah, I get it.
Andrew: Pretty sure that's a superhero name.
Vicki: What?
Andrew: The Complainer.
Vicki: The Complainer.
Vashti: Vicki is a bit of a superhero.
Vicki: Well, I certainly ain't a Martha Stewart, am I?
Andrew: Today's subject [00:01:00] is 10 reasons too, sorry, top 10 reasons to get into cloth. I'll get 10 things here, and I'm sure you guys are going to get a bunch of things as well. So my number one was cloth nappies have hit the 21st century, as in they're not just flat cloth anymore.
Vashti: No, they're not. There's so much easier to use. I like to call them just like a disposable with the only difference being that you wash them.
Vicki: I haven't really got much to add to that.
Vashti: I think it's like an all [00:01:30] in one. It's just one piece, you know. You've got the cover, like the waterproof shell on it, you've got all the absorbency stitched in, and you've got the closures. Whether it be velcro or snap closure, it's all there, and there's nothing else that you have to think about. You just put it on, do it up, [crosstalk 00:01:50].
Vicki: I actually think they need to do, you know your question, this is really going to show my age, but all I can think of is beyond-
Vashti: Beyond 2000?
Vicki: Beyond [00:02:00] 2000, that was like the science show. That's all I can think of. Like that's all I have.
Andrew: The only reason I cancelled that show is that it got to 2000.
Vashti: It did.
Vicki: Yeah. Fair enough.
Andrew: And it's also the reason why they've never done another space 1999.
Vicki: That's probably why they haven't done any more partying songs, you know.
Vashti: Party like it's 1999.
Vicki: Yes.
Andrew: Good point. The next one I've got is more economical.
Vicki: Can Be.
Vashti: Yeah, definitely. [00:02:30] Well, we did the whole facts and figures episode a while back.
Andrew: We did a whole show on the cost.
Vashti: Yeah. Definitely, if you're going to be using, you know, you or Terry Flats prefers old or the cheaper options, then it's going to come out a lot cheaper. But if you're going to go for your more expensive, like a top of the line work at home moms that are hand-designed [00:03:00] and custom made, it can work out more expensive. So it really comes down to, you know, what style you choose as to whether or not it is going to work out better for you cost wise. But for your first child, it's not a huge saving really. It's a little bit of saving but not massively. Your savings really come in on your second and subsequent children. And then also if you decide to own sell your nappies when you're finished because you get some of your money [00:03:30] back.
Vicki: I'm thinking all just depends. Like you can get caught up in the consumerism of like having [crosstalk 00:03:37].
Vashti: Got to catch them all.
Vicki: Yeah. Exactly like a Pokemon. Got to have them all. But you know, you can be as minimalist or as congenerous as you like.
Vashti: Congenerous as you want.
Andrew: So you're saying if you buy that designer one of $100 nappy prints, you're not going to save much money?
Vashti: No.
Vicki: No. But then again, when you are, [00:04:00] you know, buying those types of things generally like a painting, you're investing. So, you know, it may increase in value. It may-
Vashti: I still remember there were some designer prints, like limited edition prints from some of the businesses years ago.
Vicki: Idi. Idi was a classic example. They used to sell for more than-
Vashti: They retail.
Vicki: They retailed for. And I'll say, you know what, if you can get your hands on something like that, [crosstalk 00:04:30], [00:04:30] why not make some money?
Vashti: I think it's perfect. You do what you need to do. And you know, why shouldn't your child have, you know, designer prints on their bum and have it looking absolutely gorgeous and stunning and matching every outfit in your wardrobe if you can afford that? And if you want to spend your money on that, why not?
Andrew: That brings me to number seven. They're also a [inaudible 00:04:59].
Vashti: They are.
Vicki: [00:05:00] Lazy parents. Now, this is my forte, lazy parenting. Lazy parenting hacks, cloth nappies, just the ultimate lazy parent option.
Andrew: [crosstalk 00:05:15] tee shirt.
Vicki: Yeah, exactly. If you can be bothered putting a tee shirt on. Don't even have to go that far.
Vashti: No.
Andrew: If it helps stay still long enough for you to put a nappy on them, [inaudible 00:05:27] tee shirt on as well.
Vashti: [00:05:30] See I've never had a heavy drama with putting nappies on my kids.
Vicki: I didn't have all this either.
Vashti: You know occasionally they'd try and do the wriggle and squirm and stuff like that. But on the whole my kids usually we're pretty good with getting their nappies on. Not harder than putting a disposable on because it's all contained.
Vicki: If you are, while we're on that subject if you are struggling with your child doing, you know-
Vashti: The crocodile death roll.
Vicki: The crocodile death roll, just, [00:06:00] like when you've got a toddler, and you're trying to feed the new baby, have something that is specific for the change table. So we used to use the [inaudible 00:06:11] on the hands and so that was like a little bubble or you know, a foam so they could play with it and what have you, and in that time you're able to change their nappies, but also keeps their hands out of their pants. So if they happen to have the poopy nappy, you know, having to kind [00:06:30] of clean hands as well. But, you know, like it can be a favourite toy. It can be anything.
Andrew: But you only get the [inaudible 00:06:36] on from their hands?
Vicki: Yes.
Vashti: True.
Vicki: But yeah. Just something to keep them entertained for a minute. Literally, you just need a minute. But keeping it as a specific, you know, something that they're not allowed to have. The only time they are allowed to have it is when they're getting their nappy change. That's the secret.
Andrew: So the toy they play with only when they're on the change?
Vicki: Yeah, that's it. That can even be your phone. That's [00:07:00] a good one.
Andrew: That's a good carrot. [crosstalk 00:07:02].
Vicki: That can open up such a can of worms.
Andrew: Then maybe [crosstalk 00:07:06].
Vicki: Remember Peekaboo Band?
Andrew: Oh yeah.
Vicki: We'll just give you, I think Abby would have been what, two or three or something like that and Peekaboo Band, I don't know if it's still around. Basically, they'd press it, haven't you? Oh, they push the button, oh, sorry. No, there'd be an animal behind the barn doors, and they'd go knock knock. And it'd make it sound like, you know, and then they'd press-
Andrew: [crosstalk 00:07:29] making that a new ringtone.
Vicki: And you [00:07:30] press it, and it will open up the door, and there was the baby cow go moo. Okay. So, and apparently, it was a toddler, and that's where it starts. We haven't got the device out of her hand since 14 years old now.
Vashti: Caitlyn decided to wake up at quarter past three the other morning, and I had my phone underneath my pillow and trying to get him to sleep, I've obviously [00:08:00] dozed back off, and he hasn't gone to sleep yet. And he rang my mum four times because she's listed as one of my emergency contacts on my phone. So he got into the emergency section and rang my mum because he saw her photo and he wanted to talk to her, but he didn't actually speak to her because he didn't want to wake me up. And it was only when my mum rang me at quarter past four, saying, "Is there a problem? You've rung me four times." And I'm like, " [00:08:30] No, that's Caitlyn."
Vicki: Didn't the kids used to do that to trick?
Andrew: Yes. Yeah. A couple of times. [inaudible 00:08:36] from our kids. Yeah.
Vicki: Yeah. That's funny.
Andrew: Babies are healthier in cloth nappies.
Vicki: Define healthier.
Vashti: That's a tough one to answer because, you know, yeah, disposables are chemical, but I wouldn't say [00:09:00] that they're healthier.
Vicki: Pretty less likely to get nappy rash simply because you're changing the nappy more often. I think-
Vashti: But you're more aware of it.
Vicki: You're more aware. Yeah.
Vashti: It's not necessarily that you're changing more often. It's just that you're more aware when they're wet, so they're changed quicker.
Andrew: So it's going to be the top 9 reasons [crosstalk 00:09:21] cloth.
Vashti: Yeah.
Vicki: Are you going to take that one out? Are you?
Andrew: I'm going to get back to the beginning and change that. Yeah.
Vicki: We can do it like we do the videos. [00:09:30] Just, you know, no cuts.
Andrew: No cuts.
Vicki: No cuts.
Andrew: Except for the-
Vicki: The flashing. I didn't flash. Did I flash?
Vashti: You did. I've seen the evidence.
Andrew: You even did that in the last podcast.
Vicki: Did I?
Vashti: Yeah. You showed me your purple bra. Vicky's just gone silent now. She's looking all embarrassed.
Vicki: No. [00:10:00] I have no recollection. But you know, let's be fair. I do have three children, and you know, I can barely remember what's for dinner even though I've already pulled the pizza out. How many times have I asked you what's for dinner? What are we doing for lunch?
Andrew: And there's a Pizza sitting-
Vicki: There's a Pizza sitting-
Andrew: A frozen pizza was sitting on the bench thawing out.
Vicki: That I pulled out of the freezer.
Vashti: Because it's a pizza movie night. Isn't it?
Vicki: It is. It's Friday night.
Andrew: [00:10:30] Cloth nappies are more reliable when it comes to leaks.
Vicki: That I will agree. They're definitely.
Vashti: Yes, definitely. I've never ever had a blow out in a cloth nappy.
Vicki: I think it probably is the key to any cloth nappy, but oh, sorry, any nappy. It has to be put on correctly. But if you think about, you know, from a scientific perspective, cloth nappies generally have six mills elastic. So that's what's containing. [00:11:00] They outweigh-
Andrew: Cloth nappies or disposable?
Vashti: Cloth.
Andrew: No. The cloth will have, sorry, a six millimetre you know, thick.
Vashti: Thick or wide.
Vicki: Yeah. The barrier between the outside of the nappy and the inside. And I'm talking all in months compared with a disposable that has got two or three rows of sharing elastic which is a pretty much stretchy string. So when you actually think about it from a practical perspective, this just [00:11:30] a more significant barrier.
Andrew: I guess it's probably more with the product design too. Cloth nappies are aimed to be used over and over and over again. Disposable nappies are designed to be used once. So you can see them, you know, the amount of effort that goes into disposable nappies, [inaudible 00:11:46] goes into a cloth nappy. Cloth nappies breathe and are more comfortable.
Vashti: They're definitely more breathable. Like a disposable nappy is, it's plastic.
Vicki: We're [00:12:00] going to see people racing out to go buy plastic pants for themselves.
Vashti: No.
Vicki: I'm wearing plastic pants. I really enjoy this. Said nobody ever.
Andrew: I've seen plastic shirts.
Vicki: Really plastic shirts?
Andrew: Yeah. You know back in the 80s it was popular too, when you go for a run, to put a plastic bag on because you sweat more.
Vashti: Okay.
Andrew: That was the theory. So I would be seen people making the shirts out of plastic bags.
Vicki: Really?
Andrew: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Vashti: That's a new one.
Vicki: [crosstalk 00:12:30] older now.
Vashti: He is. Isn't he?
Vicki: He is. [00:12:30] I think you're showing your age.
Andrew: [inaudible 00:12:34] 80s.
Vicki: Yeah. But I was a kid in the eighties.
Vashti: I wasn't looking at people running, that's for sure.
Andrew: I lived in [inaudible 00:12:42] when I was 16. So I'm pretty old.
Vicki: I actually I do remember that whole wrap yourself up in plastic kind of thing that happened, you know, Richard Simmons kind of era.
Andrew: The same ways [inaudible 00:12:58].
Vicki: [00:13:00] Oh, that's funny.
Andrew: Faster toilet training.
Vicki: Generally. I don't think there's actually any studies on it, but the incidental evidence indeed points in that direction.
Vashti: Look, every child is different. Every child is going to toilet train-
Vicki: When they're ready.
Vashti: At different age. There's no right or wrong period. The [00:13:30] global average for toilet training is around about two and a half years for day training and somewhere between four to seven years for night training.
Vicki: Those averages definitely blew out once disposable nappies came in. There are individual studies on that that the introduction of disposable nappies actually kept kids in nappies longer.
Andrew: That's because their bodies aren't being trained to know when they have wet themselves.
Vashti: [00:14:00] Yeah. Well, the way disposable works is that it draws all the moisture away. It doesn't allow them to feel damp in any way. Cloth nappies while a lot of them will have a stage or layer in them to draw the moisture away.
Vicki: It's not the same.
Vashti: They still will feel the dampness, so to speak.
Vicki: And I actually think toilet training and toileting and all of that, it starts from birth. You know, like a bum is wet, [00:14:30] it cries, it gets changed. Do you know what I mean? Like those paths are being written from when a baby's young. So I think you'll find that babies that are in cloth nappies from birth through to toilet training, will toilet train faster than babies that are even, you know, started later.
Vashti: [crosstalk 00:14:53] or start later.
Vicki: And you know, again there are no real studies on that. That's purely incidental [00:15:00] kind of-
Vashti: Conjecture.
Vicki: Yeah. Then we just, you know, after 14 years you get a reasonably good feel of what happens with cloth nappies. Yeah. I'm certainly not saying that that's the rule or anything like that. That's just what I've found along the way.
Andrew: I think [inaudible 00:15:25] is easier too. And [crosstalk 00:15:28].
Vicki: Three days. [00:15:30] Actually Gabriel was the tough one, but technically he was toilet trained because he asked for a nappy to poop in. He just didn't want to do it in the toilet. So to me [crosstalk 00:15:41].
Vashti: And there's a splash at the end.
Vicki: Yeah. He certainly has no troubles now.
Andrew: He [inaudible 00:15:50] anyway.
Vicki: Come to watch me. Come to watch me.
Andrew: [00:16:00] Okay, next one is they're fun.
Vashti: Of course they're fun. I mean, look at the colours and the prints. Yeah. Once again, you're being a lazy parent and using it as part of your outfit.
Vicki: And yeah, it makes changing just a little bit kind of less mundane and you know. It's Kind of like, you know, if you've got a beautiful kitchen, you don't mind cooking in it. If you've got a [00:16:30] kitchen, it's like an effort to, oh no, I said that, didn't I?
Vashti: You're swearing on the podcast.
Vicki: No. If you have a pub kitchen. You know, you're less likely to be wanting to spend time in there. So, you know, I kind of think cloth nappies are the same. At least it's a little bit of fun.
Andrew: What I do remember when I changed nappies because we had a whole bunch of different styles. If the style [00:17:00] that I like to use wasn't in the nappy basket-
Vicki: You wouldn't do it.
Andrew: I would very negate to changing a nappy.
Vashti: Fair enough.
Andrew: More than usual.
Vashti: Well, you know, there's also the learning factor. So there's another reason called snappy's rock because that help your kids learn. So you can, you know, teach your kids the colours and stuff like that by telling them to go and get the red nappy, or you know, if there are animals [00:17:30] on them, go and get the sheep nappy or the frog nappy or something that.
Vicki: No. You can really open yourself up to problems there. When you have a child, I've got a lady in my VIP group and her son will only wear yellow nappies. And I think it was just a banana candy and of course it was a discontinued colour. And I went hunting for her to find some more of this particular yellow [00:18:00] shell. So I'm not even sure if it was a specific nappy that he specifically wanted. So you know, be warned that like with the iPhone, you can open yourself up to a world of trouble. It's like only having one unique toy. Any new parent needs to get two if you know-
Vashti: The Comforter.
Vicki: Comforter, yeah. Don't ever just have one because-
Andrew: [inaudible 00:18:26] two kinkings?
Vicki: Oh yes.
Andrew: Two blankies.
Vashti: Well see, we're trying to get [00:18:30] a second because ours was Gerald, Gerald the giraffe and it was this particular giraffe that we bought for Braith, and he loved it. And we've still got Gerald, and I had to stitch Gerald up several times because he started to develop holes and stuff like that. And we got a second Gerald, no the second-
Vicki: You can tell the difference?
Vashti: Yeah. The second Gerald did not work.
Andrew: Well the trick there is [crosstalk 00:18:52].
Vicki: You can introduce them together. But pinky and kinking, they were both Arabella comforters. They were completely different. [00:19:00] One was a bunny, but they both [inaudible 00:19:02]. One was a bunny, and one was a bear. Like this little teddy bear. One was pink, and one was beige. Do you remember that time in Best and Less when we tried to get another one because one of them was starting to fall apart?
Andrew: Yeah.
Vicki: And we found one that shook. Oh no, it didn't shake. That's right. We said, "Bella do you like this?" And you know, she took one look at it. She sniffed it, and she shook it and threw it from one side of the shelf to the other.
Andrew: I think I knocked out a shop assistant [inaudible 00:19:28].
Vashti: [00:19:30] Nice.
Vicki: It was hilarious.
Andrew: Just to let you in on a little secret, she still uses them.
Vicki: No.
Andrew: Yeah.
Vicki: Does she?
Andrew: I put her to bed the other day, and she got up and went to her cupboard and got them out of her cabinet and hopped back into bed.
Vicki: Really?
Andrew: It's still there. Yeah.
Vicki: Well, I do know that Abby was still taking her blankie, which was just, this is a typical work at home mom thing, blankie was a piece of microfleece offcut. And she would like the nap [00:20:00] edge. You know, she used to rub it between her fingers, but you know, I don't know, that's such a third child thing, but she was the first child.
Andrew: But we only learnt that when we cut it in half, so she'd had two.
Vicki: So I remember-
Andrew: One half at the edge, one half [crosstalk 00:20:15].
Vicki: I remember when we did cut it in half wondering whether we were going to completely screw our child up for life because we cut their favourite toy and their comforter. But it was like two metres long. It was [00:20:30] just a piece of fabric that I had thrown on her bed because she was cold one night and you know, that's just where it started. She carried it everywhere. She still took that to camp in grade six.
Andrew: Back in the days when you were making the nappies and working at [inaudible 00:20:45], there was fabric everywhere.
Vicki: There was. There was literally. Oh my gosh. Thanks for the [crosstalk 00:20:52].
Vashti: Fluff.
Andrew: Same [crosstalk 00:20:53].
Vashti: I remember every time I opened up a box of them [inaudible 00:20:57] or pre-folds or fluffs or-
Vicki: The fluff.
Vashti: [00:21:00] The fluff of folding, you know, brand new nappies and stuff. It's fluff all over the shop.
Andrew: Well, back in the days when I used to cut patents, the garage was just full of fluff, you know. You'd sweep it up, there was [crosstalk 00:21:14].
Vicki: They get up your nose.
Andrew: Yeah. They get up your nose and then you power cord with a knife.
Vicki: No, no. You're the only one who either cut the power cord. How many times did you do it?
Andrew: Three times.
Vicki: Yeah. I never once cut that [00:21:30] power cord. It was one of those electric, you know, big electronic round wheel cutter things.
Andrew: So you lay the fabric and the-
Vicki: Like 20 layers of fabric at a time.
Andrew: Like 20 layers of fabric then you'd draw the pattern on the top and then I'd have this knife that would allow me to whizz around and cut it. And if you whizzle too fast, you cut power cord in half, and then I got to go get another power cord. Fortunately-
Vicki: Just the jug cord.
Andrew: Yeah. Fortunately, it was a jug cord. But thankfully, they were smart enough that when they designed that cutter to make cable detachable [crosstalk 00:22:01] [00:22:00] put it back on every time.
Vicki: Every time.
Andrew: That's when we found out how useful the-
Vicki: Power surge switch thing.
Andrew: Power surge switches were. Because Vicki and I would have done it because I do it, then all power would go from the house. The cloth is easier than you think.
Vicki: Yeah.
Vashti: Yeah.
Vicki: For sure.
Vashti: There's a broad miss conception out there that cloth is hard. And I think that comes from the whole, the flaps and the days [00:22:30] when our parents were soaking and scrubbing and using wet piles and changing water, you know, in two or three times a day because it'd go manky and poopy and stuff like that. Of course, it doesn't have to be hard.
Vicki: It can be. It can be as hard or as easy as you want really, you know. And essentially that's, like what we were saying earlier with the price, the price comes into, the more convenient it is, the more you pay for it. The less comfortable it is, you know, like when you get down to flats and stuff [00:23:00] like that, the cheaper it is. So, you know, that's really the big difference between cloth.
Vashti: [crosstalk 00:23:05] everything.
Vicki: You know, you right.
Vashti: Everything in life, if you've got something-
Vicki: You go to You Foods, and you're spending 10 bucks a meal, or you cook it yourself, and you spend $2 a meal, you know. And then you can get everything in between.
Andrew: Like the car comparison. BMW, VW.
Vashti: See I use Fords and Ferraris.
Vicki: But they'd do the same [00:23:30] job.
Vashti: Yeah but you know, a Ferrari's a lot more comfortable ride.
Vicki: And have you ever ridden in a Ferrari?
Vashti: Yeah. It's nice.
Vicki: I haven't.
Vashti: It's nice. And it looks better too.
Andrew: I've been in the back seat of a Porsche. That's not fun.
Vashti: My mum smashed up a Porsche on the Strait bridge. That was many, many years ago though.
Andrew: Next one is you can get some great designs.
Vicki: Yes.
Vashti: Definitely. We've [00:24:00] already talked about it, you know. Like it's that whole making it your outfit and you know, choosing the colours and the prints that you want to match everything. You can get custom made nappies. I had a custom made nappy with the Nest logo on it. It was one of my favourite nappies. I once had a doctor who nappies made. So um, because we're a bit of a doctor who freaks in our family.
Andrew: How often did you have to change that? Because it was probably big on the inside.
Vashti: It was on the inside. I [inaudible 00:24:33]. [00:24:30] But you know, you can do that. You can get things that you know, make your family happy and you know, you can't do that in a disposable. Yes, some of the disposables have come out with cute little prints like Winnie the Pooh and Tiger and stuff like that, but they're faded and really-
Andrew: [crosstalk 00:24:57] the nappy though.
Vashti: Yeah.
Andrew: [crosstalk 00:25:00].
Vashti: No. [00:25:00] You know you just, yeah, I'm sorry, but-
Vicki: Well sometimes it also what gets you through the day. Especially when you're hugely sleep deprived and stuff like that, you know, and it was what we were saying earlier about, you know, getting your favourite prints and things like that. You know, there's that whole mental health side of it that people don't kind of give much thought to, you know. [00:25:30] It's one of those unexpected advantages, you know. It's like when you're washing the nappies and getting out in the sunshine to hang them on the line, it's one of those unexpected benefits of using cloth. So while it's more work, yeah-
Vashti: Because you've got to go and stand out and hang the nappies on the line, but you-
Vicki: But actually getting out is actually good for you.
Vashti: Yeah. You get the vitamin D, and you get out in the sun and-
Vicki: And you get out there with your [inaudible 00:25:59].
Vashti: Yeah. [00:26:00] You're not stuck in the house or going to the bin.
Andrew: [inaudible 00:26:05] out in the backyard anyway [inaudible 00:26:08] the bugs.
Vashti: Yeah. Well hopefully.
Vicki: Oh no. We used just to make it a routine that, you know, we do the school run, this was for Gabriel, but do the school run, come home, go outside, put the clothes on the line, put nappies on the front and that sort of thing. Play outside a little bit with Gabriel. Come inside and have morning tea. Yeah. That actually became really quite cathartic. [00:26:30] Having that excellent little start to the day. We have a bit of a play outside before it got too hot. And it's nice in winter also when it's, you know.
Vashti: Depending on where you are. So here in Brisbane, it's gorgeous in winter.
Vicki: No.
Vashti: You're complaining. It's colder than Mayo. I don't get you.
Andrew: Do we need to move to a place that's warmer for you Vic?
Vashti: Your mom's just moved down from Darwin, and you're going to run up there.
Vicki: Last year we went on a cruise to [00:27:00] the Pacific islands, and it was cold. It was still cold in, you know Nimiya and all of that. So I don't think there's actually a place hot enough on this earth that will satisfy me in winter. I guess I just need to fly north for the winter.
Vashti: Fair enough.
Vicki: Maybe we just need to spend half my life or you know, six weeks of the year in the northern hemisphere.
Andrew: Last one I've got is, you feel better about the environment while you [00:27:30] using them?
Vicki: Yeah.
Vashti: Oh, for sure. Well, I suppose it depends on who you are as a person. If you do have an environmentally conscious or you know, an eco-friendly conscience, then yeah, you know, you are going to feel better about the environment because you're not contributing to the landfill in this country. But, you know, it's not about a, you know, what is right and wrong for the environment or what's right and wrong for the rest of-
Vicki: It's a balance.
Vashti: It's about what's [00:28:00] right and wrong for you as a family.
Vicki: And your ethos.
Vashti: Yeah. And you know, if using disposables is what gets you through the day when you're having a bad day, then keep using disposables. But if you do want to help the environment and stop the massive amounts of a landfill that Australia is contributing to, then yeah, cloth nappies are definitely going to help.
Andrew: [crosstalk 00:28:26] you just bury them.
Vashti: Well, they get to I think [00:28:30] 450 years before disposable nappies are broken down.
Vicki: But that's not in the landfill. One, because when something hits landfill, that's it. It actually doesn't break down. Because what it needs is sunlight, water to actually start the-
Vashti: The breakdown process.
Vicki: Yeah, I don't know what the science is. Is it photosynthesis? Look, I don't know. [crosstalk 00:28:58]. [00:29:00] Got something to do with that. I don't know. I'm not a scientist. I know that you need air, water and sunshine.
Vashti: Microbes.
Vicki: That's it. Yeah, to actually break down stuff. They found newspapers in a landfill from the fifties.
Andrew: But you don't want it to break down because then your backyard will sink. Because basically, you know, that's what housing estates are, they are putting all away. Fill it with [crosstalk 00:29:28].
Vashti: Well, no, there's [00:29:30] a certain amount of time before they can start putting housing estates on it. The most landfill is turned into parks or sporting grounds and stuff like that. And you know, there's a particular rule in regards to what they can build on landfill afterwards. But yeah, as Vicky said, you know, some newspapers have been found that it's still fully legible inland fill that are over 20 years old.
Vicki: And paper [00:30:00] is one of the super quick things to break down. I mean, you see how quickly it breaks down in the compost.
Vashti: Yeah. So, you know, if a newspaper is still going to be legible after 20 years.
Andrew: I always wondered if the cost of aluminium would become so high that eventually, we'd start mining-
Vashti: Drilling for it.
Andrew: We'd start mining dumps.
Vicki: Yeah. I mean you kind of say that as a bit of a joke, but I wonder whether it will actually get to that point, you know. At what point are we going [00:30:30] to go mining for plastics? You know, because we've run out of oil. And you know, plastic is not a finite resource. Well, you do that, sorry the-
Vashti: The oil.
Vicki: The ingredients in plastic. I don't really know how to make plastic. I'm not a scientist. I know it takes the oil.
Vashti: It takes crude oil.
Vicki: And water. I don't know. No, you can't mix them. No.
Andrew: So guys. Did you get any of your own? [00:31:00] So we can make it say 11.
Vicki: This isn't spinal tap, we don't have to go to 11.
Vashti: I think it's, you know, look, everyone will find their own favourite reason or top reason for using cloth and I think that's the most important thing is seeing the idea that you want to do cloth. Not because your next door neighbour is using cloth or the woman down the streets is using fabric or-
Vicki: Or you feel guilty. It's not.
Vashti: Yeah. [00:31:30] It's not about any of those things. It's about what works for you as a family and finds the reason that you want to do cloth and go with that. That's my top reason for using fabric.
Andrew: Thanks Vashti.
Vashti: Thanks, Andrew.
Andrew: Thank you, Vicki.
Vashti: Thanks, Andrew.