Reusable Nappies NZ: Honest Reviews, Washing Routine & 8-Month Experience
Reusable nappies feel very “on brand” for a sustainability influencer like me - but honestly? I was prepared not to use them.
I stand for imperfect sustainability. I had fully given myself permission to use cloth nappies part-time… or not at all. Raising a baby is already a huge job.
In fact, I packed reusable nappies in my hospital bag - and then removed them. I didn’t want to overwhelm myself. It wasn’t until my husband Tim said, “Bring them… just in case,” that I added them back in.
Eight months later, I’m genuinely surprised to say we’ve used reusable nappies from birth and it has been far more doable than I ever expected.
In just 8 months we’ve:
Saved approximately 1,400+ disposable nappies from landfill
Avoided most nappy rash
Saved money (most of our cloth nappies were secondhand from friends)
If you’re considering reusable nappies in NZ, here’s my honest experience, detailed reviews of 16 brands, and exactly how I wash them.
If you’re new to cloth nappies, here’s a quick glossary:
Insert - The absorbent layer (bamboo, cotton, hemp, microfibre).
Booster - Extra absorbency for nights or heavy wetters.
Shell/Cover - Waterproof outer layer.
Pocket Nappy - Insert stuffed into a waterproof shell.
All-in-One (AIO) - Everything sewn together.
All-in-Two (AI2) - Snap-in insert system.
Fitted Nappy - Fully absorbent, needs a cover.
Flat/Prefold - Folded absorbent cloth secured with a cover.
PUL - Waterproof fabric.
Gussets - Elastic leak barriers.
Dry Pail - Ventilated storage container.
Wet Bag - Waterproof bag for out-and-about.
Why We Chose Reusable Nappies in NZ (And Why I Almost Didn’t)
Cloth nappies make environmental sense - fewer disposables in landfill, fewer chemicals on baby skin, long-term cost savings.
But what stopped me was capacity.
I didn’t want to add pressure. I didn’t want to become the “perfect sustainable mum.” I just wanted to survive the newborn phase.
What’s made reusable nappies doable for us:
A laundry space I enjoy being in
A partner fully onboard
Space to hang nappies to dry
Generous friends who passed down their cloth nappies
You don’t need all of these to start - but I won’t pretend they don’t help.
After changing over 1,000 nappies and trialling 16 different reusable nappy brands in NZ, here’s my honest breakdown.
Note: Some nappies were gifted. The majority were secondhand. All opinions are my own.
Bubblebubs Bamboo Delight V2: Fitted Nappy
I use these on my baby during the night time as they are super absorbent! The bamboo is really soft on skin which is what you want when the nappy is on your baby for up to 12 hours. The snaps clip up the opposite way to most other nappies so it’s slightly confusing for others if they help out at night time. You need to pair this with a cover - any OSFM PUL cover works for us though recently she has started to pee a lot more at night and had occassional leaks so we added a wool cover and the leaks have stopped.
Best For: Night time - I would not use this reusable nappy during the day as they’re super bulky and would inhibit movement too much.
Fit notes: Very bulky. Suits all ages and sizes though might be a little too bulky under 6 weeks, depending on the size of your newborn.
Baby Beehinds Night Nappy
I think I wish all my night nappies were these ones. It’s incredibly absorbent and hasn’t leaked. I like the fabric and it goes under any OSFM PUL cover. The snake like insert is great to be able to rearrange where your baby wets most.
Best For: Night time
Fit Notes: We have the medium size which has worked well since around 3 months old but she will definitely need the large size soon as it’s getting too small.
Baby Beehinds All in One Nappy
These are great everyday nappies that are super user friendly. I put the Baby Beehinds nappies in my baby’s day bag when she goes to my in-laws because they are so simple to use and very similar to a disposable nappy. The velcro means you aren’t fussing with domes (which most reusable nappies have) and the elastics are designed in a way that means even if you don’t put the nappy on properly, it’s unlikely to leak. The built in insert doesn’t absorb as much as I would have liked, however you can add more inserts to the pocket to mitigate this.
Best For: Classic everyday wear, takes a long time to dry so best for people with lots of nappies in rotation.
Fit notes: Ideal from birth upwards! Because of the velcro it’s really adaptable to any size.
Bare and Boho One Size Flexi Cover Nappy
These are exceptionally beautiful nappies. Even before my baby was born, as I was sorting my nappies a friend saw them and said “I think these are going to become your favourites”. They quickly did become my favourites but only for the first few months; the inserts became too thin to soak up all my baby’s pee so the nappy would flood and leak. They definitely need another insert to boost them as the baby gets older. I enjoyed the ease of the snap-in insert system but because the inserts are brand specific, they are not as interchangeable with other nappies so less practical in a mixed-brand reusable nappy stash. Some of the covers have double gussets which are amazing for leak protection, though the ones without double gussets I did find would leak when side-lying feeding sometimes.
Best for: Newborn upwards.
Fit notes: Amazing for smaller babies with skinnier thighs.
Bambino Mio Miosolo
These are the favourite nappies amongst my family because they go on just like a disposable and have super cute designs. The velcro means they are quick to put on and the all-in-one feature is really helpful. They dry quickly too because the insert is microfibre. Because it’s microfibre I think they absorb less than my hemp/cotton/bamboo inserts, but boosters can be added to the nappy pocket if needed. These are also some of the cheapest nappies which makes them really accessible though I can tell from their quality that they may not last as long as the more expensive nappies.
Best for: Classic everyday nappy - would recommend these if your child is doing reusables at daycares or being cared for by other people.
Fit notes: 6+ weeks - they are slightly too bulky for tiny newborns I think.
Bear & Moo OSFM Pocket Nappy
Super user friendly and an accessible price point too. They come in sooo many different colours which makes for a fun colourful stash! The easy to use pocket system means inserts can be easily added or removed plus you can choose between suede and bamboo for the liner of the cover (ours is bamboo). The bamboo does seem to take quite a while to dry compared to other shells.
Best for: Classic everyday nappy.
Fit: Ideal for chunky thighs!
Chuckles
It looks like Chuckles have closed down so I do not know the exact name of the Chuckles nappy we have inherited from friends, but they’re great. Some of the Chuckles nappies we use have double gussets which is a great leak proof feature. I was advised to use the Chuckles nappies when my baby was a bit older and I am glad I stuck to that as she wouldn’t have fit them when she was in her first few months of life; they are definitely best for babies around 3+ months.
Best for: Older babies.
Fit: Great for chunky thighs.
Eco Naps 2.0 Modern Cloth Nappy
This is a great nappy. I have the old version of Eco Naps too and it’s great to see they have upgraded the nappy so that you can fit more inserts into the pocket for full absorption. The elastics aren’t as fitting as I would like them to be but in general it’s a great nappy.
Best for: Classic everyday nappy.
Fit: Would suit a good range from small babies to bigger.
Green Beginnings
I only tried the shell so cannot comment on the absorbency. I used a couple of Green Beginnings shells with prefolds from Real Nappies and they were excellent for our newborn phase. These were the first nappies my baby ever wore! The velcro was so simple to use, making our first cloth nappy experience really simple.
Best for: Newborn (0-4 months)
Fit: Great for the tiniest of babes.
Kekoa Core One-Sized Nappies
Incredibly comfy fit because of the stretchiness of the fabric. This brand is in my top three favourites and are often recommended whenever I mention nappies! The designs are absolutely gorgeous and they are super hearty too - I’ve washed mine hundreds of times and it has shown no wear and tear. I cannot fault this nappy!
Best for: Everything.
Fit: All ages and stages.
Little Genie Pocket Nappy
Like the Chuckles nappies, these seem more ideal for larger babies from 3-6 months up. I don’t love the fit and feel of the nappy; they just feel a bit cheaper and more flimsy than others. Though it does the job and is quite affordable.
Best for: Classic every day nappy - I haven’t done this, but you could easily pack it with lots of inserts and use it as a night nappy.
Fit: Best for bigger babies - didn’t fit her for the first few months.
Real Nappies Organic Cotton Nappy Prefolds & Covers
These were our favourite things to use in the newborn stage. It meant we didn’t have to stuff nappies as we could just grab the shell and prefold and pop it on. The Snappi Nappy Fasteners are great too. We stopped using this system around 3-4 months old when she got too big for the shells but they do bigger sizes up to 18+kg; if we hadn’t been given so many secondhand pocket nappies then maybe we would have invested as I loved the prefold system!
Best for: Any age; a great simple system to avoid stuffing nappies.
Fit: They are super adaptable for all sorts of baby sizes.
Tuti
Unfortunately it looks like this brand has closed down, but if you have a chance to grab some secondhand then do! They’re a sturdy staple in our nappy rotation. They fit all inserts from all brands I’ve tried and seem to stand the test of time as ours are more than secondhand!
Best for: Classic everyday nappy.
Fit: Not newborn, but definitely 3 months onwards.
For the Burrow OSFM Pocket Nappy
I really like the feeling of the fabric that sits against the baby’s skin, plus it wicks moisture away incredibly well. The inserts are quite thick which means they take forever to dry so I’ve been using the shells mainly and have retired the inserts, especially for winter.
Best for: Classic everyday nappy.
Fit: Ideal for smaller babies with skinner thighs.
Clever Wee Fox Premium AI2 Nappy
I’d go as far as saying this is my favourite nappy, though it wouldn’t have been suitable when my daughter was a newborn as the inserts are quite wide between the legs. Because it’s velcro instead of snaps, it’s probably the easiest nappy to use as it’s so similar to a disposable. When my parents or in-laws look after my baby, I make sure to put this nappy in the nappy bag. I also love using it when we travel as the leg elastics are incredibly trustworthy! Clever Wee Fox are a go-to for several nappy brands and styles all in one place.
Best for: Everything! Could even use it overnight with 3 inserts.
Fit: From 3 months up I reckon, though you could use for a newborn if you had a thinner insert.
Fluffy Ducks OSFM Nappy
A crowd favourite and in my top three favourite nappies! They are a smaller profile than other nappies and sit under the belly button. I always take these nappies when travelling because I trust the leg elastics with my life! Their inserts are my favourite; hard wearing and super soft. Their designs are surely enough to make everyone switch to reusable nappies.
Best for: Everything!
Fit: The XL size is definitely better for the chunkier thighs.
Little Butt Kind Newborn Nappy Cover & Booster Trifold
I got these as my daughter was exiting the newborn phase but I wish I had them from day one! The modal material is buttery soft, which feels like the best option to have on precious newborn skin. It took me a while to learn how to fold the trifold (a rectangle piece of fabric) and use a Snappi to keep it in place, but when I worked it out it was easy. The covers are an ideal size for those early days and super cute designs.
Best for: The early newborn days and nights, small babies who don’t fit pocket nappies yet.
Fit: Teeny tiny babies and newborns.
Nestling Simply Nappy Complete
I loved these nappies in the early days as they are velcro so they act most similarly to a disposable nappy. Unfortunately they do not last very well. After 6 months of frequent use they delaminated. They are super affordable so a great option for people dabbling in reusable nappies but not a good long term solution to invest in for multiple kids.
Best for: Part time reusable nappy users, irregular use.
Fit: They are super adaptable for all sorts of baby sizes.
How to Wash Reusable Nappies (NZ Routine)
I highly recommend following the Clean Cloth Nappies guidelines which are science backed, tried and tested! Based on these guidelines with a few of my own rebellious tweaks, this is my washing routine:
When a nappy is soiled, it is NOT rinsed (water breeds bacteria). It sits in a ventilated plastic container. I scrape off poops into the toilet if needed.
Prewash every 48 hours at 60°C.
After two prewash loads, I put them all into a main wash along with small items like baby clothes, tea towels, and my underwear.
The main wash runs at 40°C.
Watch how I wash my nappies here.
Where to Buy Reusable Nappies Secondhand in NZ
Reusable nappies are widely available secondhand:
Cloth nappy Facebook groups (e.g. NZ Buy and Sell MCN's (Modern Cloth Nappies).
TradeMe
Facebook Marketplace
Local eco hubs and parent swaps
Buying secondhand cloth nappies in NZ is very normal and significantly reduces cost.
Are Reusable Nappies Worth It?
In my experience - yes.
They’re not always convenient. They’re not aesthetic all the time. They require systems.
But they’ve:
Reduced our landfill waste
Protected baby skin
Saved money
Felt aligned with our values
And most importantly - they’ve been more doable than I expected.
My Top Reusable Nappy Tips
Don’t be a purist - mixing in disposables is fine.
Fit matters more than brand hype.
Elimination Communication pairs beautifully with cloth nappies.
Give yourself grace. Nappies should support you, not stress you.