Top 3 Cloth Nappy Events for 2014

Last year overflowed with cloth nappy goodness.

From the every day stories of new parents choosing cloth from the start, to record-breaking world events, the cloth nappy industry saw it all. These are my top 3 event picks from 2014.

1. Australian Nappy Association

The Australian Nappy Association (ANA) saw the light of day in mid 2014. Two and a half years in the making, the ANA is proudly Australia’s preeminent source of information on reusable nappies and their numerous benefits for parents, caregivers and government agencies. 

The ANA is the peak industry body for the reusable nappy sector in Australia and works towards markedly increasing reusable nappy use by supporting and educating key members of the cloth nappy industry and potential users.

Australia finally has a leading body for the reusable nappy industry and it’s forging the way for the future of cloth, with member training and support, community collaborations and consumer education.

Find out more about the ANA by visiting their website and support them with a quick like or share on Facebook.

2. Great Cloth Diaper Change

A project of the Real Diaper Association, the Great Cloth Diaper Change (GCDC) is a global advocacy effort that gets as many people as possible to change their baby’s cloth nappy at the same time (11 am local time) on the same day. The result is an increase in awareness for cloth nappies within their communities, and hundreds of new friendships formed amongst the parents and suppliers who participate.

In 2014, Guinness World Records declared the new record for “Most people changing diapers in 24 hours (multiple venues)” is 8,459 and was achieved by the Great Cloth Diaper Change (USA) across 18 countries on 26 April 2014.

The new world record was achieved through 188 qualifying locations in 18 countries on 6 continents: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Romania, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom and USA. Unreal, hey!

If you missed it last year or you went along and had a blast, you’ll be pleased to know it’s happening again this year!

The 2015 Great Cloth Diaper Change will take place on April 18, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. local time.

Be sure to get involved by visiting the GCDC website or the Australian GCDC Facebook page. If there are no events in your area, you can apply to host an event or ask your local retailer to do this. There are currently lots of Australian events in the works, so be sure to check back if there is nothing currently listed for your area.

3. Cloth Photo a Day Competition

I started the Cloth Shot a Day challenge back in 2012, and back then it was just a handful of our retailers and Facebook followers playing along. Last year, the Australian Nappy Association took the reigns of the challenge and the response was far beyond what we could have anticipated!

Hundreds of parents and dozens of cloth nappy suppliers came on board to share their cloth nappy photos and spread the love of cloth. Over 1500 photos were shared on Facebook alone, with Instagram and Pinterest also popular avenues for sharing.

It was so exciting to see the new images being shared each day and the pride and community spirit was almost tangible.

If you missed it last year, be sure to join in this coming October. It’s a great way to record your cloth nappy journey. Follow the Australian Nappy Association on Facebook to be reminded when it starts.