Washable diapers
Washable diapers dirty and clumsy? That’s not too bad. At daycare Villa Valentijn Den Haag, the children do not know any better: 95 percent of the children at our daycare center wear a washable bamboo diaper.
Anyone who still thinks of washable diapers as hydrophilic cloths (and woolen overpants) that are pinned closed with safety pins or clips and that have to be rinsed by hand is stuck in the last century. Today’s washable diaper is fully equipped: fitting pants, made of super soft fabric that can be secured with Velcro, with an insert to immediately catch most dirt. And the diapers are also printed with fun prints. The only ‘inconvenience’: you don’t throw the diaper in the trash can after use, but in the laundry basket.
Threshold
The washable diaper has never been as user-friendly as it is now, but there is still a barrier to using this diaper. Especially in daycare, where on average dozens of diapers are used per group per day. Daycare center Villa Valentijn Den Haag took the plunge and in March 2019 the disposable diapers were replaced by washable bamboo diapers. And it didn’t stop there: the disposable wipes were also exchanged for washable wipes. We use organic foods as much as possible at our locations. That was not consistent with the large mountain of diaper waste we produced. That had to be more sustainable.
95 percent wear a washable diaper
Almost all young children (95 percent) wear washable diapers at Villa Valentijn daycare center The Hague. Most come to the daycare center with a disposable diaper and they are given a washable diaper from the first change. When the children whose parents use disposable diapers go home, they are wearing a disposable diaper again. About 5 percent of children do not wear a washable diaper at daycare, for example because of sensitive skin that cannot tolerate detergent or because the parents do not want it.
‘New normal’
At Villa Valentijn daycare center The Hague, the use of washable diapers has become the ‘new normal’. When changing, throw away the cloth liner, which collects most of the dirt, and put the diaper in the washing bucket. These buckets contain laundry bags, so you can put the entire bag of diapers in the washing machine. This makes it a lot more user-friendly for the pedagogical staff. And the children like it: they can choose which pattern they want on their diaper.’
Sustainability
We are so happy that we made this sustainable choice almost three years ago. ‘Not only because of the environmental aspect, but also because of the chemicals used in disposable diapers and that therefore come on the skin of babies and toddlers. Children now feel sooner that the diaper is wet, which may be a little less comfortable, but it stimulates the natural development towards toilet training. We receive many positive reactions, not only from employees but also from parents. It is one of the reasons why they choose our organization.’
