You may think that cotton nappies have been superceded by disposables. Not so - they're being revived, and the Women's Environmental Network is leading the campaign. Elizabeth Hartigan is a convert

Have you ever picked up a disposable nappy, held it to your cheek and said: 'Isn't it gorgeous?' Not likely. But when I recently received a soft, fitted, cotton nappy with Velcro fastening, enclosed in a breathable fleece cover, my reaction was just that, and I couldn't resist holding it to my cheek.

Manufacturers are doing their best to make disposable nappies attractive, with bright colours and prints, but they're still made of paper and plastics, which don't exactly make them appealing to the touch.

Preparing for the birth of a baby, most mums are careful to choose the most soft and delicate clothing to go next to their baby's tender new skin.

But the same people who are scouring the shops for organic cotton vests for their newborns, are putting their babies bottoms into a chemical filled environment, without a second look at the range of organic cotton and wool nappies now on the market.

You see, pins and plastic pants are things of the past. There are a huge variety of cloth nappies, from shaped and elasticated, Velcro fastening all-in-one designs, to silk liners and pretty printed waterproof covers.

Disposable nappies are just too convenient, you counter. So why should you contemplate washing your own nappies? Well, more and more people are choosing to do just that, whether it's due to cost, concern for the environment or, simply, wanting the best for baby. 'Washing cotton nappies is not a problem,' explains Alison Knight, mother of a lively two-year-old.

'A lot of things are different with a new baby. It's just a matter of establishing a routine. I use a 60 degree wash - you don't have to boil wash to kill the bacteria.'

In these days of automatic washing machines and central heating, laundry is not the time consuming chore it was before the introduction of disposables.

Alison was still on maternity leave when she bought her nappies. 'This suited me very well, because I didn't return to work, and when the maternity pay ran out, I didn't have to spend out on nappies every week.' Using real nappies, you can save an overall £600 on the cost of nappies for your first child.

This increases with second and subsequent children, where you can use the same nappies. Realising that shelling out a lump sum up front for your nappies doesn't suit everyone, some nappy suppliers have introduced payment plans to spread the cost, making it even more affordable.

But you don't have to buy your real nappies, you can use a laundry service instead. This is real luxury. Laundry services deliver a pile of freshly laundered nappies to your door every week. They provide bins and bags for the soiled nappies which they take away.

This has got to be up there with disposables, in terms of convenience. Added to that, laundry services have been shown to be the most environmentally friendly nappy option.

We're all aware of the problems caused by landfill and incineration of waste, and an amazing 50 per cent of the waste from a household with one baby is made up of disposable nappies.

For Eric Schneider, a biologist and house husband from Peterborough, reusable nappies were the obvious choice. 'I am active and concerned with environmental issues so I wouldn't have considered using disposables. Laundering isn't a problem. Our second child, Katie, is now two and, although we don't have a tumble dryer, I find that drying racks, radiators and the airing cupboard work well.'

Health concerns are also turning more British parents away from disposables. A disposable nappy is not a benign environment for babies' bottoms. It contains chemicals, 'superabsorbers' and plastics.

Traces of Tributyl Tin, a chemical compound which is known to disrupt sex hormones, have been found in disposable nappies on sale in the UK. In addition, a recent study by doctors from the University of Kiel, in Germany, has raised concerns regarding the temperature of disposable nappies.

They have been found to maintain boys' testicles at a higher temperature than cotton nappies, which may have an effect on their fertility.

Some disposable nappy brands are tackling these issues and trying to be environmentally friendly, by reducing the number of chemicals involved and cutting back on the use of plastics. However, they are still disposable nappies with all the associated waste of resources.

An incredible four per cent of all household waste in the UK is made up of disposable nappies, and it costs us £40 million a year to dispose of them. Using cotton nappies is a very simple way for a family to make a significant contribution to reducing waste for the sake of the environment, and for future generations of children.

Useful contacts:

The Women's Environmental Network
PO Box 30626
London E1 1TZ
Tel: 020 7481 9004
Or see the Women's Environmental Network website.

The Women's Environmental Network is a non-profit membership organisation working to educate, inform and empower women and men who care about the environment.

Or see the Real Nappy Campaign website.