New bumGenius elemental

First up, the all NEW bumGenius elemental otherwise known as the bumGenius organic . A popular choice for those who prefer natural fabrics next to their baby’s bum, but that’s not the only reason to go for the elemental.  More absorbent that the bumGenius 4.0 and freetime (both of which are microfibre nappies) plus you can easily boost by tucking an extra insert in underneath the absorbent layers. AND one of the best features is the complete simplicity, just put it on, take it off, wash and dry, so simple, no stuffing, no putting parts together. Quite possibly the easiest re-usable nappy available.  So what’s new about this new bumGenius elemental nappy?

• Faster drying due to a gap between the waterproof outer and the absorbent cotton layers allowing air to circulate
• Modified sizing and fit so it fits more babies better
• Less bulk for a trimmer nappy

We’ll have a full in depth review soon so watch this space.  We were big fans of the older version of the bumGenius organic so we’re expecting a glowing report

Shop for bumGenius elemental here, oh and don’t forget that natural fabrics need a few pre-washes to get going.

New bumGenius Oops Colour

bumGenius 4.0 pocket nappies in this new Oops colour is now available. We have a limited amount of stock of this one and we can confirm that it is super stylish. The purple colour is brighter than the Dazzle colour, and the tabs and snaps are a cream colour. If you’re a bumGenius addict and you want something a bit different then grab one now!

TotsBots Prints & Frugi Nappies, Great Prices!

We’ve just had our final delivery of Tots Bots Pooper Hero and Nature girl nappies, these prints are soon to be discontinued so please be quick if you want one.  The same goes for the Bum Voyage city range London, Paris and New York City prints.  These stylish city prints won’t be around for long and we’re offering them all to our customers well below rrp.

As always we’re offering the best price we can on Frugi Easyfit nappies too, currently with 15% off.  This combination of Fun Frugi styling with TotsBots Nappy expertise has resulted in a super scrummy collection of real nappies that everyone Loves!!

So that’s all for now folks. Keep up to date with all things to do with real nappies, natural baby gubbins, fabulous toys and more by following us on facebook HERE

Here at Babi Pur we’re passionate about natural,  organic and eco-friendly toiletries, especially as we ourselves are parents and want these products for our own children too.  When our girls were babies we found that the majority of mainstream baby skincare products were packed with unnecessary chemicals.

FACT:  The first ingredient in many popular shampoos/body wash is SLS (Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulphate) a harsh de greaser used to clean garage floors! SLS is a known skin irritant and can cause allergic reactions.

We would like to introduce two new skincare ranges that have recently been added to our growing collection on the Babi Pur website -

Sense Organics

We’ve recently started to stock the Sense Organics range of toiletries. These products are hand made in the UK and were previously sold under the Green Baby brand.

The Sense Organics range contains old favourites such as the Petroleum Free Jelly and Organic Nappy Balm.  The Petroleum Free Jelly has a multitude of uses – slather it on broken/irritated skin and it will act like a barrier, protecting the skin and speeding the healing process while letting the skin breathe!  I personally use the petroleum free jelly on my feet for a few days before getting the flip flops out

Green People

The Green People range of organic toiletries for babies and children is also a new addition to our website.

A few months ago we were handed a bag of samples by a Green People representative at a baby show.  After struggling to find a sun cream that doesn’t irritate the skin on my face I was delighted to find the Organic Children’s Sun lotion SPF25.  This sun lotion is bound to become a favourite in our house, the best thing about it is that it doesn’t feel sticky so no more arguments about who’s going to re-apply sun cream when out and about with the kids!

The Green People range includes gentle body washes, shampoos and all sorts of lotions and potions which are great for everyday use and also make great gifts too.

You can view our whole range of natural toiletries on the Babi Pur website.

Little Violet’s Castile soap is a gentle liquid olive oil soap that’s perfect for  sensitive and delicate skin.  It’s lightly scented with organic Lavender & organic rose geranium essential oils.

As well as being an effective gentle cleanser for your baby’s skin and hair, you can also use this castile soap with reusable cloth baby wipes.  Violet’s castile soap will easily clean the ‘pooiest’ of bottoms without irritating and drying out your baby’s  delicate skin.

We have a spare 200ml bottle of Violet’s Castile Soap to give away!  All you need to do to be with a chance of winning is to leave a comment below telling us a fact about Castile soap  -  please post your comment by 9.30pm this Friday (24th May ’13)    Pob lwc/Good Luck!

(Video shows previous version of the Tots Bots Easy fit but the style of the nappy is still the same)

Vital Statistics

Nappy Type: All in One
Fabrics: Pul and Minkee
Size Range: One size Fits most approx. 8-35lbs
In the pack: Complete nappy
Colours or Prints: Bright Colours and Limited Edition Prints
RRP: £16.99 for Prints £15.99 Colours

The Nappy

The TotsBots Easyfit is an All-in-one nappy, which means all the necessary parts are attached, the absorbent part of the nappy consists of a flip out tongue style insert which tucks inside a pocket, the reasoning behind the internal pocket is that it allows for faster drying and also additional boosting if needed.

There are rise poppers on the front of the nappy which can be adjusted as your baby grows, there is also the choice of two fastening options, Aplix and poppers, the popper version has two rows of poppers across the front of the nappy allowing the waist and thighs to be set as required. The aplix fastening option has a strip of attachable fabric across the front and the aplix tabs on either side of the nappy fold back onto themselves for washing. Unlike other aplix fastening nappies I’ve yet to find a TotsBots attached to something else in the washer.

Caring for your TotsBots Easyfit v3

The nappy can be washed without untucking any inserts at the max temp of 60, with 1/4 of your normal amount of detergent, DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER!

You will find the tongue insert has un-tucked itself by the end of its wash, it’s best to leave it this way til the nappy is dried. The nappy can dry quiet quickly but if airing I would allow overnight, tumble dry on low to protect the PUL outer.

The Pros & Cons

Pros

Fast Drying, easy to grab nappy
Awesome designs and released regularly
Completely fool proof nappy

Cons

Fit! They didn’t worked great for Quentin but are Fab on Megan
Absorbency feels less than some other brands
Not cut out for night-time use unless you intend on boosting

My Experience

I will be the first to admit I never got a very good fit with the v2 version of the Totsbots Easyfit on Quentin, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started using them on Megan, I have to say her shape is better suited to the Easyfit, We have no issues with either the v2 or v4 versions. The nappy is simple to use and one of the first to be grabbed once the washing is done as I know I don’t have to hunt for the various inserts, just tuck in the tongue and go!!
I do feel the nappy could do with extra absorbency, but the pocket does allow space for additional inserts, As a standard nappy I would avoid using them for night-time wear unless you intend on boosting.

The Verdict

Style & Squishiness 5/5 - Awesome selection of prints, as well as plain colours and a good fit
Absorbency 3/5 - Sufficiently absorbent, and easily boosted as well
Ease of use 5/5 - Other than tucking the insert back into the nappy after washing these are as easy as you will ever get for a cloth nappy
Price 5/5 - Ace Nappy! Fab quality – Love them!

Buy the Tots Bots v3 here

Nappy Type: Pocket
Fabrics: Pul and Minkee
Size Range: One size Fits most approx. 7-35lbs
In the pack: Outer, and two inserts and spare set of elastics
Colours or Prints: Plain two-tone colours
RRP: £15.45 for Prints or £14.95 for Plain

Fuzzi Bunz have really shook up how modern cloth nappies adjust in size. The rise settings for this nappy exist within the leg elastic itself rather than set by poppers.

The Outer

The Fuzzi Bunz Elite outer is PUL with a fleece lining and incorporates a slot for the inserts, on the outside there are two rows of poppers for the closures, these can adjust the waist and the thigh separately. One the inside of the pocket you will find the leg elastic, it’s this which will allow the nappy to adjust in rise. The elastic is numbered and for a full rise change the number should be adjusted at both ends of the elastic on each leg, for a half setting you can just alter one end of each leg.

The Inserts

There are two minkee inserts provided with each nappy, they are quiet thick and both slide nicely into the outer. as they are Minkee only a single wash is required before use as the absorbency is practically instant.

Caring for your Fuzzi Bunz Elite

The Outer shell and inserts can be washed together at the max temp of 60, with 1/4 of your normal amount of detergent, DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER!

You don’t need to separate the various parts (so don’t worry about poo fingers) however avoid tumble drying the covers. The inserts do dry better if they are separated from the outers, however they are fast drying and would easily dry in a few hours on an airer.

The Pros & Cons

Pros

Fast Drying
Great colours and designs
Easy to Boost
Slim and very flexible fit

Cons

Popper fastening only
Will need to re-build nappy after washing

My Experience

Megan is the first wearer of our Fuzzi Bunz Elite, and I have to say I’m suitable impressed with this nappy, the fit is amazingly slim without leading itself to leaks either. The absorbency of the nappy is so far spot on and the designs are awesome. The fact that the outer can be adjusted from the inside means the fit is retained, not poppers coming open in the wash etc. Also I’ve found by adjusting one end of the elastic you can have a higher rear or front rise which also acts as a half rise adjustment, making the fit amazing!!

The Verdict

Style & Squishiness 5/5 - Awesome Range of colours and limited number of prints, really slim fit!
Absorbency 4/5 - Not as absorbent as the bamboo version but still very good, it would only be an issue if your baby was a heavy wetter.
Ease of use 3/5 - Adjusting the nappies for fit can be difficult at first, also rebuilding the nappies after washing
Price 5/5 - I absolutely love this nappy, great value just wish I had more of them in our stash

 Buy Fuzzi Bunz Elite here

I started using cloth nappies for the first time just over 8 months ago. (I’d failed with my first child as we moved to a small flat without a washing machine, so gave away all my initial stash)

When my little boy was born in 2012 I decided I’d attempt it again. I got my real nappy voucher and set off to the local baby shop. They were very helpful and after lots of advice (though admittedly they had a limited selection compared to somewhere like Babi Pur) I came away with a taster of nappies. I tried hard for the first few months. Oh my! Leaks lots of leaks! Lots of washing, constantly wet baby and not a happy mummy. I decided I was just not cut out for cloth nappies and that those mums who used them were ultimately hard core eco-superheroes! I sheepishly went back to disposables.

After skimming the Babi Pur Facebook page I noticed some nappy offers and decided to make a last vain attempt at doing my bit for cloth. I didn’t hit gold straight away and tried a couple of different nappies. They were ultimately better than what I was previously using but not as good as a disposable. On posing the question to the good mums and Dads of the Babi Pur Facebook community, I was overwhelmed with the amazing response and had some clear repeated recommendations. These were close parent pop-ins and Tots Bots Bamboozle.

I started with the Bamboozle as I hadn’t tried a two part system in a while. So i got a few Bamboozle size 2 to start with and a Tots bots flexible wrap from Babi Pur. When they arrived I thought it looked a bit too good to be true. The nappies felt so soft and flexible. The colours were lovely and the detail was minimal with a clean design. The wraps looked really funky, the colours bold and the overall shape and design very simple.  You’re thinking… ‘Sounds great!’ Well it does but I tend to be a bit of a sceptical person. My first feeling  about these were that they looked too fun and colourful and dare I say it, a bit gimmicky, to be truly good. Not that functional equals boring but you can feel a bit overwhelmed by all the lovely patterns and colours and feel that it’s all a bit of frivolous fun and not necessarily entirely functional.

The fit:

On first using this nappy I noticed that the elastic was gentle yet an effective fit on my 8 month and the aplix tabs felt smooth and entirely different to that of other nappies, namely Bumgenius’ (which seem to send a shiver down my spine after a couple of months wash wear!) I’d already experienced this aplix on the Easifits so was delighted to see the quality was the same on the Bamboozle. The bulk of fabric between the legs was not nearly as much as other nappies and it also compacted when squashed, enabling much more movement, with almost no restriction. Akin to a slim disposable.  A very simple detail that I really like,  is the fold back aplix tabs (for washing). I’ve only previously seen the style where the tabs attach to the inside back of the nappy, as in Bumgenius and I never really liked having to put the aplix against my son’s skin, even if it was the softer side.  My 8 month boy is on the medium rise setting and I’d say there is still plenty of room to grow. This means it still comes up his back a nice height. You’ve probably noticed this in disposables, a kind of waist cuff. Other nappies I’ve tried sit so close to the top of his bum that if he wees a lot, it all escapes. The aplix is easy and quick to get a good fit and the central placement of the tots bots brand label enable you to quickly secure the nappy evenly, even on a wriggly baby!

The Bamboozle comes with its own pop-in insert, for extra absorption and speedier drying. I suppose you could remove this for smaller babies or if you wanted a really slim fit. I’d personally keep it in place for extra absorption.

With these nappies it’s clear to see that absolutely every inch of it is fully absorbent, hence the need for a waterproof wrap. I’d previously thought wraps were hard, uncomfortable and got a bit ‘crispy’ with repeated use. Then I tried the Tots bots flexi wrap and I’ve totally changed my mind. It’s really lightweight and soft, there’s almost nothing of it but the performance is outstanding. Miracle wraps really!

So, the fit and feel is great but what about the performance?

I was very impressed with this nappy from first use. No leaks and I hadn’t changed him for about 4 hours. The nappy was quite wet (as my son still breastfeeds a lot) but the cover kept it all in with not even the slightest hint of a leak. I have repeatedly tested these all day and night, home as well as out and about, using a Pushchair as well as a baby carrier. And I can truly say that I am continually astonished by the performance of these nappies and that they have completely changed my opinion of cloth. They have made something that seemed like a huge effort, just a simple walk in the park! How can they be so good, feel so soft and look so lovely?!  Well I guess that comes down to some great design and testing. Well done Tots bots, you got a winner!

How long can I leave my baby between changes?

During the daytime I have easily left it four or five hours. Not saying the Bamboozle couldn’t last longer, I just like to keep my baby fresh! Through the night we have seen 11 hours and not a single leak and I’ve even heard people saying 12 hours is quite normal for them. I will say that I use a fleece washable liner. Firstly to reduce waste but with a nappy such as the Bamboozle that can get very wet, it keeps your baby dry as the liquid passes straight through and keeps it off the skin. It has a stay dry function. This is great for smaller babies but you would probably not use these when you are trying to begin potty training as a child’s sense of wetness is needed to help them learn.

How do they wash?

So far, so good. My stash is not all that old but they come out of the wash remaining soft and even seem fine without a tumble. I dry pail, having flipped any poo off the liner  first. I do one rinse cycle to start, then I wash at 30, because I wash everything at 30! I’ve never had nappies stick together in the wash with this style of fold back tab. Each nappy comes out clean and fresh and using a liner will probably keep them looking newer for longer.

What about drying?

Drying bamboo is often an issue for people as it takes a lot more time than minkie/microfibre. If you were to use these full-time, I’d say you would need up to 20. Maybe 15 if you had a dryer and washed everyday. I have no dryer but do have a line inside as well as out and also have a dehumidifier, with a laundry setting. Where my TB Easyfits take 3 hours on an inside line to dry, these can take up to 24 hours depending on your conditions. Therefore full time use with no dryer would require a good 20 in your stash, possibly more if you wash less than every other day. Don’t let that be a deal breaker though. Their performance is outstanding so you will most likely use a few less nappies a day, compared to other brands.

Would I recommend these nappies?

Of course, without hesitation, to everyone and anyone! I’m a convert, a believer, a follower, whatever you want to call it, even a Bamboozle preacher! I just don’t want to use anything else anymore! These nappies are what dreams are made of… (well, nappy dreams!!) So I’m clearing my stash and just going with these. If you don’t feel you have found a fully reliable nappy yet, then I’d recommend you try these. Get a Tots bots flexi wrap and some of their fleece liners too and I’m telling you, your life will be dramatically improved. YOU will be that eco superhero the other mums admire! Just don’t keep it to yourself, pass on the wisdom and see how many people you can also convert to cloth and how many people’s lives you can make just that little bit easier.

(Video shows previous version of the pop in but the style of the nappy is still the same)

Vital Statistics

Nappy Type: All in Two
Fabrics: Pul and Minkee
Size Range: One size Fits most approx. 7-35lbs
In the pack: Outer, and two inserts
Colours or Prints: Plain two-tone colours
RRP: £14.99

The Close Parent Pop in adapts to your babies growth by adjusting the nappy rise (as demonstrated in the video) there are four rise settings in total (most birth-potty nappies have three settings), so the size of the nappy can be smaller if needed. The inserts can be reduced or increased to your requirement but can also increase bulk.

The Outer

The outer has a double gusset which makes it practically bomb proof and there is a small fleece area under where the insert sits which I believe is designed to stop any leaks that pass through the inserts and penetrate the cover

The only fastening option available is hook and loop which provided a decent range of fit, and the four levels of rise poppers meant they fitted my toddler on the rise height for along time. (over 2yrs old)

The Inserts

The inserts are made from minkee which is a synthetic fabric.  There are two inserts supplied with the standard nappy, you can use the larger one on its own of both depending on the babies needs.

Additional night boosters can be purchased if needed but these do increase the bulk of the nappy considerably and will work better once the nappy is being used on the larger settings.

Caring for your Pop-in +Minkee

The Outer shell and inserts can be washed together at the max temp of 60, with 1/4 of your normal amount of detergent, DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER!

You don’t need to separate the various parts (so don’t worry about poo fingers) however avoid tumble drying the covers. The inserts do dry better if they are separated from the outers.

The Pros & Cons

Pros

Easy to use
Adjustable fit and absorbency
Double gusset leak prevention

Cons

Can appear bulky when extra inserts added
Nappies will need re-building after washing
Aplix fastening only
Currently no prints in minkee version

My Experience

My  Pop-in +Minkee have lasted us well. I have both the current and previous version of the nappy and the most recent version has modifications to the outer (as described above) they were all used for my son who is now 3 and also from birth with Megan. They adjust in size really well and the double gusset really helps when your baby falls between sizes on the rise as the elastic and second rim make up for the size (where the nappy is slightly larger on the rise). I personally find the minkee version less absorbent than the bamboo version but overall the Pop-ins are excellent nappies.

The Verdict

Style & Squishiness 3/5 - Limited colours, some pretty minkee nappies would be nice
Absorbency 4/5 - Not as absorbent as the bamboo version but still very good, it would only be an issue if your baby was a heavy wetter.
Ease of use 3/5 - Due to the re-building of the nappies after washing, otherwise really easy to use once built.
Price 5/5 - Great nappy for the price!

Buy Pop-in +Minkee here

(Video shows previous version of the pop in but the style of the nappy is still the same)

Vital Statistics

Nappy Type: All in Two
Fabrics: Pul and Bamboo
Size Range: One size Fits most approx. 7-35lbs
In the pack: Outer, and two inserts
Colours or Prints: Both
RRP: £14.99 Plain colours £16.50 Prints

The Close Parent Pop in adapts to your babies growth by adjusting the nappy rise (as demonstrated in the video) there are four rise settings in total (most birth-potty nappies have three settings), so the size of the nappy can be smaller if needed. The inserts can be reduced or increased to your requirement but can also increase bulk.

The Outer

The outer has a double gusset which makes it practically bomb proof and there is a small fleece area under where the insert sits which I believe is designed to stop any leaks that pass through the inserts and penetrate the cover

The only fastening option available is hook and loop which provided a decent range of fit, and the four levels of rise poppers meant they fitted my toddler on the rise height for along time. (over 2yrs old)

The Inserts

The inserts are made from bamboo which is a really absorbent (and ethically sustainable) fabric.  There are two inserts supplied with the standard nappy, you can use the larger one on its own of both depending on the babies needs.

Additional night boosters can be purchased if needed but these do increase the bulk of the nappy considerably and will work better once the nappy is being used on the larger settings.

Please bare in mind Bamboo is a natural fabric and several washes are required to improve the natural absorbency of the fabrics. Rather than excessive washing to achieve this short ‘wears’ of the nappy can be used to allow the nappy to be utilised as its reaching it’s prime.

Caring for your Pop-in +Bamboo

The Outer shell and inserts can be washed together at the max temp of 60, with 1/4 of your normal amount of detergent, DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER!

Absorbency is built up gradually, rather than several washes in a row, short wears are a good way of building up the absorbency.

You don’t need to separate the various parts (so don’t worry about poo fingers) however avoid tumble drying the covers. The inserts do dry better if they are separated from the outers.

The Pros & Cons

Pros

Really really absorbent nappy once primed, superb night nappy
Easy to use
Adjustable fit and absorbency
Double gusset leak prevention

Cons

Can appear bulky when extra inserts added
Priming the inserts can take time before they perform their best
Can take a while to dry
Nappies will need re-building after washing
Aplix fastening only

My Experience

My  Pop-in +Bamboo have lasted us well. I have both the current and previous version of the nappy and the most recent version has modifications to the outer (as described above) they were all used for my son who is now 3 and also from birth with Megan. They adjust in size really well and the double gusset really helps when your baby falls between sizes on the rise as the elastic and second rim make up for the size (where the nappy is slightly larger on the rise). Overall the Pop-ins are excellent nappies.

The Verdict

Style & Squishiness 3/5 - Limited colours and designs but performance is good
Absorbency 5/5 - Very thirsty nappy once the inserts are at their best, worth the wait!!
Ease of use 3/5 - If your a dab hand at re-building the nappies after washing they’re fab but not so easy for inexperienced users ie grandparents.
Price 5/5 - Great nappy for the price!

Buy Pop-in +bamboo here

Attention local customers!  We’re going on a pop-in hunt! We’re going to find a nappy… 

This year Close wanted to mark Real Nappy Week 2013 with a fun and interactive event for  Pop-in nappy fans and Close retailers around the country.

We’re going on a pop-in hunt… 

The pop-in hunt is a physical treasure hunt using the popular geocaching technology -www.geocaching.com. To take part, simply look at the list of participating geocache near you HERE.

The participating geocache that’s local to Babi Pur is..

The Ospreys Have Landed

N 52° 56.989 W 004°05.662

This cache will take you to visit the RSPB Glaslyn Osprey Project at a beautiful riverside location at Pont Croesor near Porthmadog. Oncethe Ospreys have returned you should be able to follow all the action through a direct TV link to the nest site. It’s also great place fora picnic, there’s a nature discovery trail and a simple maze plus aVisitor Centre and fabulous hide next to the river. The Visitor Centre is open 10:00 to 18:00 every day when the ospreys are at the nest. There’s plenty of parking on site but when the Centre is closed the main gate is locked. There is still pedestrian access though through a pair of litch gates across the railway.

When placed the cache had all the usual gubbins and we have released the Glaslyn Ospreys Travel Bug to begin its adventures.

You simply use the geocache app (free to download on i-tunes or c:geo for Android) to input the details of the cache and use your smartphone to find the geocache location, inside the geocache we have hidden a select number of tickets which will direct you to the local retailer – you then simply take the winning ticket to the participating retailer to claim your prize!

All you need is the link to the nearest participating geocache, a geocaching app, a smart phone and a packed lunch to be armed and ready for a fun family day in search of Pop-in treasure!

We’re going to find a pop-in… 

Each ticket will have a special code which will dictate what you win – from one of our little boxes of nappies worth £72.50, to single nappies, nappy accessories and in-store discounts. Only a limited number of tickets will be available per location, so it will be on a first come first served basis.

Are you ready?…

If you are lucky enough to find the cache, please only take one of the tickets to make sure that others can join in the fun.

If you take any of the other items that may in the cache (as sometimes small items like toys can be left inside for others to discover) please leave something of equal or greater value behind.

When you are finished, put the cache back exactly as you found it. Please also be respectful of the environment where the cache is located and do not disturb the surroundings or leave any litter behind. Please also be discreet when you find the cache so as not to disclose its location and spoil the fun for others.

Click here to see our Terms and Conditions please.

If you haven’t heard of Clothopoly then head over to the board now and find out what its all about.  There are 61 prizes to be won totaling £9000 so it’s definitely worth entering.  Oh and it’s great fun too!

 Babipur competition

POB LWC!!