Interview with Michelle from SHP Nappies

In our State of laundry survey, we found that over half our members don’t currently use cloth night nappies. Many of them know day nappies won’t cut it overnight, but they don’t know where to start. So we reached out to Michelle Stapleton from SHP Nappies, who has experience in sustainable materials and heavy-duty night solutions, to share her insights.

As one of the OG cloth night nappy makers in Australia, Michelle tells us all about her passion for making nappies and how she customises nappies for each baby’s current size and maximum longevity. 

As a bonus, Michelle has also offered our community a 10% discount for all purchases on the SHP website. Use code ccnpatreon at checkout to enjoy this perk!

🎙 Please introduce yourself and tell us how you began SHP Nappies.

Hi, I’m Michelle, and I’m a very young 61. Below is a little about SHP Nappies, our family business. We specialise in nights, newborn and natural reusable cloth nappies.

Many moons ago, across generations in my family on both sides, sustainability was just how life was lived. Everything was natural and often handmade or grown, and that mindset has always stayed with me.

I was using natural skincare products myself, then began sourcing them for family and friends, and eventually started selling them. One of the ingredients in those products was hemp oil. That turned into a real passion, and my husband and I became involved in the industrial hemp industry on a voluntary basis in Australia for quite a few years.

From there, my nursing background kicked in and I started thinking about reusable hemp nappies. Bamboo fabric hadn’t been created or was not available commercially back then. We eventually moved into making nappies ourselves from hemp and organic cotton.

So really, SHP Nappies grew from a combination of family influence, nursing, and natural products. A lot of dot segueing over time to where we are today.

🎙 Your nappies are all handmade locally, by your family and other people you know personally. Tell us a bit about this and why you have kept this production method all these years.

We all want to spend more time with our families, and that’s always been one of the driving forces behind keeping SHP Nappies a family-based operation.

My beautiful mum, Phyllis, is 84 years young and does the majority of the overlocking around the outside of the nappies, along with a few other parts of the process. My long-suffering husband, Matt, has his own overlocking role as well.

A great friend of mine, Merri, does all of the knitting now. Other knitting friends have helped in the past. When things get really busy, I also bring in one of my best friends, and I have a commercial sewer who lives just around the corner from Mum to help when needed.

Our intent was never to become overly busy—we’ve never been driven by money or profit. My son did my website, and I turn to my daughter for advice and a modern-day take on things. I’m from the pre-computer, internet and mobile phone era. Jurassic I think.

🎙 Your Heavy Wetter Sandman Night Nappy was one of the first night nappies on the market and you still produce them today. What makes a genuinely good overnight nappy?

A good night nappy must first and foremost be comfortable on the baby, which also encompasses getting a good fit. It needs to have a high level of absorbency, with the ability to add more as needed, so it’s really about the nappy working within a broader system. That means tailoring the absorbency to suit the individual baby and their output.

Over the years, we’ve had to cater to some of the heaviest wetters in Australia, from babies right through to older children, and even teenagers at one point, and boy can they pee.

🎙 Some members tell us they are apprehensive that an off-the-rack cloth nappy won’t fit their baby. Handmaking nappies locally allows you to customise them to fit different shapes and wee outputs. Briefly walk us through what a fit consultation with you looks like. How do you use that information to create the best nappies for each customer?

Sizing is all about a baby’s individual build, so we offer standard sizes as well as options for babies outside the usual percentiles. This allows us to cater for all different builds.

After 20 years, I can tell from the questions I ask in our very brief sizing form which of our Sandman sizes will fit best—both for the baby’s current size and for maximum longevity of fit. Often, more than one size may fit a baby, but there will always be one that is the best fit.

I always do sizing checks, including for people who have purchased without filling in the sizing form, because I want each baby to have the best option for how long the nappy will last. This isn’t based on other brands—it’s based on how our sizes fit your baby. It takes the guesswork out and saves you money in the long run.

Rather than making a custom nappy each time, we’ve developed a system of seven sizes (we used to have eight), and I advise which one will work best and fit longest based on the information provided.

We can make nappies for older teenagers and even adults, and have done so. We could size an elephant and make a custom nappy if we had to.

🎙 You lean heavily into natural fibres. Was that always the plan, or did that evolve over time?

Absolutely. Natural fibres were always part of the plan, long before organic plant-based products became mainstream. Sustainability has always been important to us, and natural fibres are simply better for babies, all of us in general, and the environment.

We minimise synthetics wherever possible and only use them if removing them compromises the function of the nappy.

I’m always looking for better natural alternatives, so I’m constantly trialling new natural options and giving families choices.

🎙 Your Patterned Sandmans and FlexiShells are PUL-free and don’t require a waterproof cover. Can you tell us about these?

In almost 20 years, we have never made a nappy for sale using PUL.

Our Patterned Sandmans are highly absorbent, breathable, fitted nappies that, for many babies, do not require a waterproof cover all of the time, especially during the day.

They provide excellent leak containment on their own. If extra absorbency is needed, you can add an extra insert or a wool cover over the top.

FlexiShells are a separate product designed as a breathable, quick-drying, and versatile shell option. They can be used over preflats and disposables for leak containment with our soft elastic or to add inserts to become a nappy. It’s our answer to lots of nappy problems. They offer flexibility, comfort, and a budget-friendly option. If you have spare inserts at home and the elastics have gone on some of your other brands of nappies, you can grab a Flexishell. Not to mention, they add a touch of cuteness to disposables.

🎙 How have you sustained your love for making cloth nappies for almost 20 years?

What has kept me making cloth nappies for almost 20 years is the passion behind it—helping families, educating parents, and creating products that are better for babies and the environment.

I also genuinely love that I get to make them with my mum. That part is very special to me.

Our nappies are highly labour-intensive, and there isn’t a large profit margin in making them here in Australia. Realistically, if I didn’t care so deeply about what I do, I would have quit long ago. Many makers have and I think sadly, we may be one of the last. Don’t hesitate to contact me with any of your questions. I’m here to help.

Warmest Wishes, Michelle  ❤️