We recommend reusable nappies with a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 80%, and at least 70% for absorbency, leakage and rewet.

The CHOICE Expert Rating is made up of absorbency (50%), leakage (30%) and rewet (20%). 

We use an immersion method to assess absorbency. To do this we weigh the insert of the reusable nappy (also called the absorber) before immersing it in a pool of synthetic urine for 2 minutes. The excess liquid is gently squeezed out and hung for 10 minutes to remove any liquid not absorbed. The final weight is measured and the difference between the two weight measurements is the amount of liquid that has been absorbed.

This is a visual assessment where we check if any leaks come out the side of the nappy.

Five minutes after the last gush from the absorption test, six pre-weighed dry filter papers are placed on the wet nappy and held down for 30 seconds. The filter paper is then removed and weighed. Ideally, the filter paper should remain relatively dry.

Based on the visual assessment, leakage is rated as either: none, slight, light, moderate or heavy.

Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. The rating ranks from A (highest) to F (lowest); N/A means there is no rating for that company.

Where the product is manufactured according to the packaging.

Tested reusable nappies are currently available in shops.

This is the cost per reusable nappy. Where available we used the price of the largest pack size available to determine the cost per nappy. 

This is the price of the largest available pack we've found. Prices may vary between stores.

The materials used to produce the reusable nappy, according to the manufacturer.

The instructions provided by the manufacturer for washing the reusable nappies.

This is the weight range as specified on the packaging.