Fairtrade Jacket

There seem to have been lots of programmes on TV recently about FairTrade goods…  and rightly so.

It wasn’t that long ago that I happily bought cheap disposable fashion from supermarkets, but I can’t quite bring myself to do that anymore. I have always like charity shops, but that was mainly because I like a bargain. FairTrade clothes, I thought, weren’t really to my taste- not that I am particularly fashionably myself. All tassels and brightly coloured stripes. That may have been true in the past, but things have really come on.

Sainburys do affordable T-shirts, as do Marks and Spencers, but while “surfing” (I must have too much time on my hands!) I have founds some lovely fair trade clothes. I’m very taken with this fairtrade jacket. Gorgeous, and pretty good at hiding my post baby wobbly belly!

And I can see Rowan looking very cuddly in this super cute FairTrade suit!

I have the size 2 fasten free version- so that the front can be folded down and used from birth to potty training. I really like the design and fit of these. Really excellent poo containment. Rowan likes to store his up, and then explode – no leaks if  he’s wearing these! I also don’t find them that bulky on a new born- not for a one-sized nappy.

On the down side, they take a while to dry- not ages, but a while. And again, they are made from long-pile terry so do go a bit crunchy and hard, especially where the elastic is.

I don’t think they will last as long as my little ewe squares- I guess there is more to go wrong on them. The material does seem a little thinner. Not sure a one-size version would last for 2 children. I only use them at night- along with disposables, so can’t answer that question.

They are 60×60cm, so supposed to be birth to potty, but they really wouldn’t last. They lost their shape and went rectangular very quickly. I just couldn’t fold them big enough. They are also quite thin, so wouldn’t be absorbent enough on more than a new born.

On the positive side, they were less bulky than my other squares (Little Ewes) and, because the terry has a shorter pile, stays much softer. I really liked these on a new born, but not a good buy in the long run. I now use them as burp clothes with my younger baby, and boosters in Sam’s night nappy.

I’m very grateful that I was given these, but I wouldn’t buy too many.

I decided to go for terry squares because we were on a tight budget, needed something that dried quickly and I wanted nappies made from natural fibres. These tick all those boxes. Coupled with second hand wraps (I mainly went for motherease ones) I had a very affordable, and reliable nappy system.

When new, these very beautifully soft. I couldn’t stop stroking them! Cotton terry does go quite crunchy though, especially in hard water areas. This sometimes bothers me. I just use large fleece liners, so the bit next to the skin is soft.

As with many birth to potty nappies, these are pretty bulky on a new born. I sometimes used muslin squares instead in the very early days. My Little Ewes still fit my nearly 3 year old though. Sam grew out of my Motherease one-size (MEOS) nappies months ago. I do need to add a booster to these, especially if he has been drinking lots.

If you are considering terry squares, I really would recommend these. They have kept their shape pretty well- this is really important. If they are even a bit rectangular, then squares are very difficult to fold. They are really quite absorbent too- absolutely fine for during the day. They last 4 hours plus. They have lasted really well too- heavy use for 3 years. I’m sure they are not as thick as they were, but still going strong. No fraying edges. I’m sure they will last for baby number 2. Much better than high street squares. If getting terry squares, then it’s worth getting decent ones.

I find them pretty easy to use, but they do need folding. I quite like this actually because I can try different folds to change the fit. Sometimes I get bored with these. There are much prettier nappies out there. I have given way to temptation before, got a fab looking nappy, and then gone back to my boring old squares- they are just so reliable!

If anyone is running anything that you would like advertising, you can always use the “Nappy Events” section on the main site (it’s free).

http://www.thenappysite.co.uk/nappy-events-nappuccino/

Hope that helps

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