MONMOUTHSHIRE parents are being encouraged to use ‘real’ cloth nappies on their baby in support of Real Nappy Week, which began on Monday.

The county council is offering a free trial of samples to show parents how re-usable nappies can help them save money and as well as reduce waste.

The average baby will need to wear disposable nappies for two and a half years at a cost of £650 to £1,300. Real nappies could cost £200. to buy for the same period. Modern real nappies are fun, fashionable and come in a range of styles designs and colours, from denim to camouflage and cow print to ruffles.

Monmouthshire’s Recycling Officer Rebecca Blount said: “Disposable nappies can take up to 500 years to bio-degrade, but simply switching to cloth nappies instead of disposables prevents over 4,000 nappies going to landfill”

“Cloth nappies are also soft and comfortable for babies to wear. I used them on both of my children and they worked really well.”

“Real nappies are simple to use.People think that they’re difficult to fold and you have to boil wash them but it’s not like that at all They’re shaped just like disposable nappies but with Velcro or poppers to fasten them. ”

Trial samples of free nappies are limited from rebeccablount@monmouthshire.gov.uk