Modern reusable nappies are available in cotton, bamboo, and hemp and have more designs than the diapers of old.
When John and Suzanne were babies, disposable diapers weren’t very reliable, and I rarely used them. I chose a diaper service that delivered clean ones every week and picked up dirty ones. I not only thought cloth diapers worked better, but I thought I was doing something good for the environment. It was only later that I realized that all the hot water and bleach the diaper service used wasn’t good for the environment either. My four grandchildren all used the Pampers/ Huggies type of diaper.
In England, where they called diapers “nappies,” Tess Reidy explains at the Guardian that reusables are coming back. But the change involves doing your own washing.
“If the idea of cloth nappies conjures images of towelling squares loosely held by a large safety pin, think again. Modern versions have come a long way and are now available in bright colours and a variety of materials, including cotton, bamboo, microfibre and hemp.
“Growing consumer concern over plastic waste, and a more pragmatic desire to save money, means boom times for the reusable nappy industry.
“ ‘There is increased awareness of the impact of disposable nappies – they are a single-use plastic. It started with coffee cups, then disposable wipes, and the jump from wipes to nappies is clear,’ said Wendy Richards, director of UK online provider The Nappy Lady. She says the number of people using the service has grown by 80% in the past year. The business has doubled its staff since the start of 2018.
“About 25% of a disposable nappy is plastic and three billion nappies a year end up in landfill. Some councils in Britain now give new parents vouchers worth up to £55 [$72] to help pay for a set of reusable nappies. …
“Data from Nottinghamshire county council’s nappy project finds that using real nappies and washing them at home saves £200 a year compared with buying disposables. ‘This could help UK parents save as much as £360m a year, while helping us move towards a zero-waste society,’ said Amelia Womack, deputy leader of the Green party. …
“Social media platforms have also helped spread the word. Kasia Reszel has a two-month-old son, Julian. …’ We do one wash a day and it’s pretty easy. You rinse before putting on a longer cycle and wash at 60C [140F].’ …
“Upfront costs can, however, be a deterrent. With full nappy starter kits ranging from £100 to £350, some low-income parents are wary. …
“According to Charlotte Faircloth, sociology lecturer at University College London, it is often socially aware middle-class parents who have the luxury of worrying about natural styles of parenting. ‘Other people are more concerned about meeting bills,’ she said.” More at the Guardian, here.
I got curious to know whether safety pins were still used. Not necessarily! Look at the array of new fasteners here.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
I’ve washed many a diaper,and I’ve used disposable ones too. On new born babies I like the cloth diaper,when they got older the disposable. Never fond of rinsing out older baby messes out of the diaper!😷
Sounds like a balanced approach.
It is not a bad idea to use cloth diapers during the day if you do not need or appreciate the convenience of disposables, however during cold night, always use a good disposable. The lower heat transfer coefficient makes them more comfortable.
Thanks. I didn’t know that.
My first baby used pampers exclusively. My life had turned to chaos and I moved into an apartment and had to work.
My second son used cloth diapers which I washed myself. I live in rural Maine where there is no diaper service; cloth diapers were so much better for the baby and ended up being wonderful choices for chores later in years. I wish I could buy the originals now for household chores. I used them for burp cloths and the second son corralled it for his blankie which, fortunately, could be washed daily with nobody the wiser.
That’s a cute story about the second son’s blankie!