As the md and designer for reusable nappy company Tickle Tots, Sophia Ferguson speaks to PreschoolNews.net about the re-usable nappy market.
How strong is the nappy and potty training market at retail at the moment?
“130 million babies are born each year worldwide with 690,000 in the UK alone. Each of these babies will be changed around 5,500 times from birth to potty training. This provides an indication of the size of the market and equates to a total of 715 billion nappy changes across the globe each year!”
Have you seen reusable nappies becoming more popular recently?
“The market has definitely grown rapidly over the last 12 months and this has been due to the increased media around single-use plastic.”
Tell us how the sustainable trend has filtered into baby product?
“Parents and carers have been unaware in the past of how much single-use plastic is used in everyday baby items and also the detrimental effect these can have on the environment. Some key brands within the market that have ethical and environmental core principals have been shouting this message for many years but due to the recent media, their voice is now being heard and helping to guide parents into making a more informed choice into what products they wish to use on their babies.”
How important is it for product design to appeal to both children and adults?
“The design of a reusable nappy is key in terms of providing a quality product which does what it says it will, along with being better for the environment and also looks beautiful. Reusable nappies are still not the first choice in the UK and they need to stand out on a shop shelf in order to attract consumers. This then opens the door to exploring them as a viable option for them.”
What is your hero product for 2019?
“We have lots of exciting releases coming up along with our new all-in-one style nappy. This is super easy to use, super slim and very absorbent. We pride ourselves on our quality products that are as environmentally friendly as possible. The absorbent core is made using bamboo fabric which is naturally antibacterial, anti-fungal and does not require harmful pesticides in order for the crops to provide good yields.”
