Preloved is the affectionate term the reusable nappy industry gives to secondhand, already used nappies.
We've created this FAQ to help ease any concerns about the safety and reliability of purchasing preloved Little Lamb reusable nappies.
Most people are surprised that the preloved/secondhand reusable nappy market even exists. But suppose you give it thought, of course, a secondhand should thrive; the very name 'reusable' nappies is the giveaway! Often there are many more uses left in a nappy after the first child has used them.
One of our most memorable stories since we first started making our nappies in 2004 is about a bundle of preloved nappies;
Alice purchased a Cotton Nappy Complete Kit for her firstborn; she then used those same nappies on her second and third children. She then passed the nappies to her younger sister to use on her two children, and then they sold them on eBay as preloved! That means at least five children used those 15 nappies!
Purchasing our Little Lamb preloved nappies is less risky than regular preloved nappies because the products have only been used for a maximum of six weeks, as all our preloved are artefacts from our very popular risk-free six-week trial. Our in-house nappy experts check and rewash each product to ensure it is still of good quality and has lots of life left.
We are proud of our commitment to our six-week risk-free trial; it enables families to purchase reusable nappies with no financial risk. By reselling any unwanted, we ensure no Little lamb nappies end up in landfills!
We donate nappies that are not in excellent condition to one of our charity partners. We also routinely ask for very preloved nappies to be returned from customers who don't know what to do with their old nappies, and who don't want the faff of selling on. We combine all these returns to donate to charities such as Forever Angels. Of course, as requested by the charities, we also top up these donations with brand-new nappies and wraps.
Environmentally, trading and or donating preloved nappies is fantastic as it keeps usable nappies in circulation, reducing the need to make new nappies.
Why does Little Lamb sell preloved nappies?
- We hate waste! Reselling our returns means none of our nappies end up in landfills.
- It enables us to offer our risk-free six-week trial which ensures all families can give reusable nappies a go without any financial risk.
- Little Lamb preloved bundles are incredibly affordable; giving more families the option to try reusable nappies
Ultimately, we are always looking for ways to help more families switch to reusables.
Are secondhand reusable nappies safe?
Yes. If you are concerned about the cleanliness of your newly purchased preloved nappies, you can give them a good strip wash;
- Wash nappies in your regular nappy wash with the correct amount of detergent. We recommend 60 degrees and at least two hours in the machine. We also suggest avoiding any 'eco' washes as these will not use enough water, and nappies require a lot of water agitation to clean correctly.
- Repeat the rinse cycle one or two times
- Dry
Learn more about washing reusable nappies in depth here.
If you've purchased the nappies from a marketplace, you may also want to run a magnet over the nappies to ensure there are no pins or anything nasty lurking in the fabric. All Little Lamb preloved nappies are certified safe and clean.
How to wash secondhand reusable nappies?
Wash preloved nappies the same as regular nappies; in a long wash with the correct amount of detergent for your water hardness.
Learn more about washing reusable nappies in depth here.
Where to buy secondhand reusable nappies?
You can purchase secondhand nappies from online retailers like ourselves that offer an extended trial period, as most will resell their returned trial nappies.
You can also purchase from eBay, Amazon and Facebook marketplace. There are also lots of Facebook groups, such as the Little Lamb Cloth Nappies Love, advice and FSOT
Top tips for purchasing preloved nappies;
- Discuss the condition of the nappies carefully with the vendor. Ask for detailed pictures and any wear and tear.
- Check how many children have used the nappies. The more children have used them; the less life will be left in the nappies.
- Check the vendor's wash routine; alarm bells are if they frequently use a tumble drier or if they love to use an aggressive stain remover.
- Always buy via PayPal, so you are protected if anything goes wrong.
