When the effect washing machines and tumble driers had on the environment was exposed, reusable nappies were therefore thought to be bad for the environment and in no way a "green" alternative to baby changing. As a result disposable nappies soared to popularity and a huge amount of research and development was put into decreasing the effect of washing machines.

With the move to disposable nappies, which in turn was more convenient for a lot of people as well as being less harmful, the amount of nappy disposal obviously grew too. It is thought that 50% of the rubbish from a household with a baby is nappies and this translates to 5% of the total waste in the UK, an absurdly high proportion. Although disposable nappies do not require to be washed, they are not degradable and thus sit in land fill for years and in some cases for ever, leaching harmful chemicals into the soil.

As they realised the harm of the nappies going to landfill the eco washing powders were developed and reusable nappies seemed to be the more eco-friendly option. They have to be washed at 30 degrees on a full load and hung out to dry, but many parents were concerned about the thoroughness of the clean at only 30 degrees. The two options seemed much of a muchness, but disposables won hands down for convenience.

Luckily there is now an option which combines the two; biodegradable, eco nappies. These are made from sustainable materials; employ the trade fair ethic and biodegrade in land fill. They are made from wood pulp primarily and contain no latex, perfumes or chlorine so they are infinitely better for your baby's skin and the environment.