WEENEES PADS * What are they made from? Weenees Pads are very simple disposable pads, which is why they are so easy and economical to recycle through composting. They have a biodegradable cellulose based outercover (rayon), and inside for absorbency they have non-chlorine bleached fluff (paper) pulp from farmed trees and a super absorbing polymer (SAP).
* What don’t they have in them? They don’t have any plastic, elastic, sticky tabs, perfumes or dyes, most of which are found in other ‘disposable’ nappies making them extremely difficult and expensive to ‘recycle’, and perfumes can irritate some babies if they are sensitive to them.
* What is the gel inside the pads? The gel you see inside the Weenees Pads is a super absorbing polymer. This is sometimes called ‘lock away cells’, ‘waterstoring granules’, ‘SAP’, ‘sodium polyacrylate’ or ‘acrylic polymer’. It is a long chain polymer which will soak up and hold large quantities of water¹.
* Why do you use SAP, isn’t it a chemical? SAP significantly improves the absorbency of the pads and because it locks the moisture away it is more comfortable for your baby. A pad with no SAP would require much large quantities of fluff pulp, making it a very bulky pad while still not providing the ‘stay dry’ properties. Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation about SAP and generally there is a very negative inference to the word ‘chemical’. SAP would have to be one of the most tested materials available in the sanitary industry. It has been found to be non-toxic, non-gene altering and non-irritating in the 100’s of tests done and has now been widely used in sanitary products for several decades, with a marked improvement in babies skin since its introduction to disposable nappies². A simple chemistry lesson will explain: We are all made up of chemicals, so not all chemicals are harmful. Some chemicals can be extremely toxic to us but are also essential to our make up e.g. common table salt (or sodium chloride) is essential to us, however if a baby swallows a small teaspoonful, this could be fatal. SAP on the other hand while not essential, is non-toxic even if an entire pad is consumed (which is not physically possible).
* What about Weenees Pads and the environment? Weenees pads provide a positive contribution towards compost. The biodegradable outer cover and inner fluff pulp provide organic matter while the SAP provides the ‘water storing granules’. You will find SAP in the more expensive potting mixes at your local plant nursery¹, so by adding Weenees pads to your home compost (or worm farm) you are adding your own free supply of ‘water storing granules’. Your babies urine (or Urea, yet another ‘chemical’) provides Nitrogen, an essential element for growing plants. If you are not into home composting, then alternatives are commercial composting, worm farming or through the sewage system where Weenees pads become part of the bio-solids which are often then composted into soil conditions for use in the agricultural industry. All methods of ‘recycling’ Weenees pads are practical and economical. Weenees pads are the only nappy in the world which will compost completely in one compost cycle³.
WEENEES PANTS * How many do I need? Weenees pants do not need changing at every nappy change, just take out the wet pad and replace with a new one. This allows you to work with a minimum of three pairs, one on, one in the wash and one ready to wear. They don’t take long to wash and dry and can even be put in the tumble dryer if needed. A few more pairs will take the pressure off the need to wash the pants as regularly, so it is up to the individual requirements as to how many pairs you have in the end (and they do come in many different colours!). Remember to take into account newborns have very liquid bowels in the first few months which require changing more often. Eenee Snibbs are a very economical option to start with.
¹Allied Colloids - Technical and Processing Data, Salsorb 90 Superabsorbent Polymer for use in Baby Diapers and Personal Care. Yates - Waterwise Water Storing Crystals data sheet ² Contemporary Pediatrics – Supplement to March 2000 : Disposable diapers – Effective and safe ³ Report by Dr Martin Line: Senior Lecturer in agricultural Microbiology, University of Tasmania – results appear on www.nz.eenee.com
