Where to buy second-hand cloth nappies

Reducing textile waste is a big part of our mission and buying second-hand nappies is a great way to accomplish this.

We asked experienced members of our community to share their experiences using cloth nappies. This series covers childcare, travel, returning to work and more.

|

We get a lot of requests from members asking to create a buy, sell or swap group. Unfortunately, we have limited time (in fact, we’re stretched enough already) and running a cloth nappy marketplace is not on our radar. 

Our focus is on cleaning cloth nappies and laundry science, and thanks to our work, the Australian and New Zealand markets have many great-condition second-hand nappies. This is very different to when our group formed in 2015. Other countries may have different calibres of second-hand items, but there are still many well-priced items in good condition. 

Reducing textile waste is a big part of our mission and buying second-hand is a great way to accomplish this. As a team, we have 147.5 collective years of experience (might be a slight exaggeration 😉) using cloth nappies. We’ve bought and sold a few second-hand nappies along the way. 

We asked our Unicorn members for some suggestions for where to buy and sell cloth nappies worldwide. If you have any more, please add them to this post 🙂

Facebook Marketplace

Many people buy and sell directly on Facebook Marketplace. Listings are free and you can narrow the search to specific geographical areas.

Australian-based Facebook groups

Some brands have dedicated buy-and-sell groups. Try searching “sell nappies” or “sell [brand name]” on Facebook Groups to find them. 

Although their popularity is waning, there are also larger, non-brand-specific groups:

There is often so little money to be made in resale that many people give away well-looked-after nappies for free. It is also worth joining your local Buy Nothing Project Facebook group. Some cities also have specific Buy Nothing groups for baby and children’s items.

New Zealand-based Facebook groups

United Kingdom-based Facebook groups and websites

North America

Many people sell directly on Facebook Marketplace or give away diapers on buy-nothing groups. Many buy-sell-trade groups are region-specific.

Asia

Making second-hand purchases

We recommend sanitising all second-hand nappies. Sanitising neutralises ammonia, kills fungal spores and ensures items are sparkling clean and safe to use.