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Hi Manuela, we’ve been chasing each other for years!

“I don’t know how long we’ve been saying this, yes, it’s a pleasure to collaborate together. We really looked forward to each other, but above all we like to talk about fashion and sustainability.”

Let’s start with a chat on the podcast! I’m intrigued by how, as a marketing researcher, you went on to launch a digital platform to promote a sustainable lifestyle and where you can find clothes, footwear and accessories that are in line with this style. What made you approach a more responsible fashion coming from marketing research?

“The path actually lasted a long time over the years, I got closer to sustainable fashion. Both as a researcher and therefore with great experience in going into the merits, I did a doctorate (you know well what it means to go into the depth of the why and how, asking yourself certain questions about production, materials, design). Both as a consumer, because in the end we are all consumers. Specifically, I have been doing marketing research since 2008 and focus on the valorization of brands and the value chain, therefore the entire journey of a product, from creation to its disposal and consumption in the fashion industry. At the same time I specialized in the perception that we consumers have about brands, above all in the luxury sector, but also in fashion, in fact, my first experience was in fast fashion. I look a lot at the emotional component, what it brings to people”

Fast Fashion… Tell us something more, Manuela.

“At the beginning the winning models were those related to the Inditex group, then to Zara. The Inditex group was born precisely because of the speed with which they proposed collection after collection. They had and have excellent integrated logistics, so it means when things are made, produced and shipped to the customer it’s a really quick process. Generally everything happens in their headquarters in Coruña, Spain, but the production takes place in many places, in China, India and Morocco and then they bring all the things to their headquarters. What happen? When I studied these things for my specialist thesis, so many years ago, 2008-2009, I went to their headquarters in Coruña to interview a manager. She told me how these garments, coming from different countries, were also of different quality and workmanship. The best of all are in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, because the key to everything was that in these countries the production was much more controlled and they are much closer to them, they are European countries. The quality of the fabrics was much higher. On the one hand I said ‘Wow, how nice, super logistics, an excellent system?’, on the other it left me with some doubts. I started thinking:

‘But… so… they themselves say that there are products A and products B, production A and production B. So, where are the quality, provenance, reliability of production if we produce in China, in Turkey, in India?’

Much less in those years did we talk about the environment, people, ethics. It was really all about production, producing as much as possible.

This was my origin, the more I investigated, the more I asked myself further questions. This touched my mind as a consumer. Every time I made a purchase I started to see the label, if I went to Zara because in any case I very often visited their stores all over the world and in that period in Spain, I went around, checking the origin, composition. Many times they didn’t look at me properly, just as they still don’t look at me now!”

I know about this! It then becomes an automatic but necessary gesture. Like when you read the ingredients in food products. But what changed then, Manuela, in your way of purchasing clothing once you became aware of all these things you are telling us? And who knows how many others you’ve seen and learned about.

“Certainly if I purchase from large fashion chains, I try to exclude Made in China and India, precisely because I don’t have that feeling of knowledge that perhaps you can have about other types of production that are more similar to ours. In Italy you know maybe in certain places where it is produced better, there is more communication, more integrated. I increasingly prefer quality. When I see prices that are too low, I discard because unfortunately I know what’s behind them. At the same time, I prefer soft, natural fabrics. I eliminated polyesters, both for myself and for the production of The Casual Twinkle. I try to buy Made in Italy also online. There are online sites where they explain that it is Made in Italy, I try to take that. Obviously we then know that Made in Italy can be the last phase of the process or the entire process. So I try to follow reliable brands, which communicate with us consumers about quality, 360° production.”

The attention to quality, the fabrics, the origin: Manuela, and the style?

“It always intertwines with the attention I pay to dressing with my style, which is very simple and elegant, very refined. I don’t like having clothes cuts that don’t give anything to the body, just as I don’t like wearing a stiff fabric. I love feeling good about myself, in harmony with my body, but at the same time I think that a woman’s body also deserves sensuality, softness. Each of us has a different body that needs to be enhanced. Unfortunately, many times low-cost garments or stiff fabrics are not made to highlight the shape of the body. In my opinion, responsible fashion is also a fashion that seeks out garments that are not only engaging for their aesthetic beauty, but also for a certain type of style and cut. Another thing, let’s say that there are dynamics that make me increasingly sensitive to the use of positive environmental, social and ethical practices. Once upon a time it wasn’t considered. Now I realize that I look better if I wear something that is honestly made well, not only well made for me, but also made well for those who work. I don’t feel good if I know that a garment was made by harming a worker, as unfortunately we fashion experts and everyone else knows well by now.”

You talked about various aspects that made you think and reflect. Manuela, in your experience in traditional fashion, what is the aspect that struck you most and that made you say enough with this type of fashion?

“Arianna, certainly since I started dressing my daughter it has been a bit of a key that has relieved me, because you know as long as you think about yourself, you have mechanisms that you have now put in place, when you have to dress someone else, like a mother with her children… I started trying to use the same concept that I use for myself, but unfortunately what I found were very low quality garments, practices behind which you can know because the cost is really low. You know, while for us we have all the wardrobes full, so we can create, compose, do, for the children I necessarily had to buy new. I must say that when I looked into the world of children, I honestly saw that they are a bit the first fruit of a less than conscious fashion, in the sense that apart from the price there is actually a cultural concept: children grow, so you don’t have to dress them with expensive clothes.

No! I say definitely no, because it’s not because they grow up, they deserve to be dressed in clothes that don’t have cuts, in polyesters… Many times maybe you get a dress that is apparently beautiful, but then you put it on and say ‘But no, my daughter can’t live with this.’ I recently saw a little dress in a polyester market with lemons, it’s hot right? There is a whole culture behind which I certainly care a lot about. There is the concept ‘I don’t spend on my child and then I buy lots of things, 3 X 2 or on sale’. These things that already cost €5, I get them for €3. In the end it is a significant expense because you fill your wardrobe with low-cost things for no big reason. Why I do this to my daughter? When one has to manage children, she tries to do the best. If you try to do well for yourself, for the children who are your extension you try to do even better. I absolutely didn’t feel like dressing them in traditional fashion that would harm both them and those who produce it, the environment, because these children’s clothes destroy the ecosystem.”

So that’s why you decided to create The Casual Twinkle? And what did you choose to propose on the platform?

“Yes, yes, absolutely. I care very much, as I said just now, about the education of my children, in the true sense of a respectful and positive culture towards what is part of them, therefore what we mothers, we women, put on our skin, so also on of them, even of what is around them. Unfortunately and fortunately, clothes are the first essence, it’s not just appearance. We Italians live in a wonderful country, made up of both natural wonders and an incredible fashion culture. It’s somehow a shame to dress them in big brands that don’t belong to us, that don’t care about the environment and lack style.

Surely my greatest desire that triggered this is precisely that children, my children but also future generations, can grow up with values, that are sensitive to the world and to people. The items of clothing, it seems banal or maybe one doesn’t think about it, but they also do this. I see it after years, already with my eldest daughter, she is however used to this culture, she begins to understand, I explain to her. Especially wearing beautiful things, she asks me to wear them again. Maybe they don’t understand until they are 4 or 5 years old, then at 6-7 years old, they too begin to form a culture, a habit of how we raised them. Therefore, in my online boutique I have chosen to give main space to children’s fashion, to create Total looks composed not only of garments but also of footwear and accessories that are casual and elegant.

Why elegant casual? Apart from that it’s a bit my style, but then I tried to think about children, in any case they must be dressed comfortably, they must be able to move, because they are constantly on the move. Style for me is something that is part of the essence of dressing. Well, I really wanted there to be harmony with nature. The harmony of The Casual Twinkle embraces solid principles that are environmental, social and ethical. As a marketing expert, I wanted the entire process, from design to use of the garment, to be traceable and controlled.”

What does it mean? That the production chain, the one I talked about before about Zara, which went to India, then returned to La Coruña in Spain, then came to us in Italy or returned to India or Turkey, I wanted this to be as short as possible . There is me who offers the products, there is the consumer who uses them and behind me there is only the brand that produces them. There is only one case, that of a Danish brand that produces in Bolivia, but one of the two founders is Bolivian, it is like the extension of this brand. Furthermore, it is essential for me that there is research behind everything: behind every brand I propose there is a huge selection of unique exclusive garments, made with natural products and for example for women they are all made in Italy and upcycling, therefore avoiding further waste. This is the thread that is always found in The Casual Twinkle: use of natural materials, support for people, support for the environment, non-waste, starting from design.”

What do we find on the platform for children?

“For children, we have polo shirts, shirts, sweatshirts that are hand embroidered in Treviso, therefore nearby. I saw how they do these hand embroideries and you immediately fall in love because they put passion, care, precision into it and they don’t have any type of tool other than the hand that embroiders and it’s something incredible. Then there are also the dresses, the trousers, the rompers. All of these have cashmere, linen or cotton and all of the highest quality, we fall within product protection schemes, they are all certified. I don’t have certifications but my suppliers have them precisely to provide continuity and protect both the consumer and those who work, who are really doing a job that is also useful for the environment.”

And for the little ones?

“There are bodysuits, dungarees, rompers, hand-embroidered in velvet, they are truly wonderful. To complete the look there are shoes: ankle boots, sneakers, sandals, everything you can think of in children’s shoes. These are handcrafted in Portugal by a Danish brand that is a pioneer of sustainability. Since 2005 they have been looking for the best solutions for children’s feet, because one thinks that a child’s foot, or rather perhaps one doesn’t think about it, is really very delicate and needs the right support in every phase of growth. These shoes are all made of leather. Some have also vegetable tanned, without chemical agents and all with non-toxic chemical substances and components. Then for the winter season we have this collection that I was talking about before coming from Bolivia, which are sweaters of alpaca garments. The peculiarity is that they are first and foremost handmade in Bolivia, but above all they are 100% in alpaca. In fact, I don’t know if anyone ever looks, me, you because you told me, at the labels: we rarely find 100% wool, let alone alpaca. Why alpaca? It is extremely soft and has properties that are thermoregulating and is a kind of fiber. These little alpaca hairs are all made together and really create a quality, a softness that is similar to cashmere. This brand, for example, supports the sustainable development of farmers and their families, including the education of their children”.

In addition to children’s clothing, you said that there are also women’s clothing, even for mothers.

“Lingerie, active wear, swimsuits, t-shirts. You know that t-shirt that all of us, or at least I, have always wanted to be soft, that fits well, that highlights the shape of the body, that doesn’t hang as long as a t-shirt, in the sense that we use it with the skirt, the we use it under the jacket, we can use it with jeans, with boots and it highlights the body. All the other pieces highlight the sensuality, the shapes of the body. The Casual Twinkle offers craftsmanship, style, details, comfort. Precisely because of my desire to have collections that are versatile, they can be used on multiple occasions, composing even with a few pieces that last over time, for example the alpaca sweaters are indestructible, they are incredible, but just as the polo shirts are, you can do as many washes as you want so that the cotton remains intact. We do good for our children and for us and for those who produce them.”

Manuela, I want to know something: Why this name?

“It is a name full of metaphors and is a very sweet essence. Casual is the lifestyle, casual but elegant. It is also a way of approaching life: when random events happen in our life, where maybe we are happy, maybe we are burdened, but in this casual way we find a kind of light-heartedness, a joy of living. Twinkle, on the other hand,  is the spark of these moments, it is a glow that illuminates us, the sparkling of the stars and the glitter of the sun’s rays. Do you know when the sun reflects its rays, or when the moon reflects its being on the sea? I’m from Trieste, so the twinkle of the rays of the sun and the moon on the sea  It fascinated me. Furthermore, Twinkle is also reminiscent of the Twinkle children’s lullaby, Twinkle, twinkle little star,  which every mother knows, it is a sweetness for children. It is a style sensitive to our life, where we are the ones who give meaning to our choices with our will, we are the ones who capture that spark that is within us and this is very important in the world of fashion. As fashion has somehow fallen, pushed us to buy and buy more and more, we can say stop with an elegant casual way of dressing, we decide to shine and re-emerge even in the world of fashion. It aims to be a reminder of nature full of charm, but also elegance and comfort, precisely a refined, refined style. It’s not just a brand, it’s also something more, it’s an approach to a human culture. You know, I also have a blog where I talk about life experiences as a mother, thoughts, travels, from a conscious perspective. I propose both my collections and other well-known brands. It’s just being casual and happy.”

What aspects of sustainability characterize the garments you propose, Manuela?

“In one place there are a few, very selected brands. For women it’s all upcycling, high quality regenerated fabrics. The products are zero kilometer, no new resources are used to produce the fabrics, because we use what already exists, following the concept of upcycling and reducing waste from the fashion industry. Our boutique embraces circular design, that is, both in the creative phase and in the planning, the resources and all the materials used and who makes these products are taken into consideration. From a perspective in harmony with nature. For example, in the production of alpaca garments, ladybugs are used as a natural pesticide, I fell in love with this concept. We give a lot of space to artisanal techniques such as embroidery, or all the brands make their products by hand. This is surprising to me, also because the design is innovative, while the techniques come from various textile traditions that have gradually improved over the years.”

Is there an item for children that you recommend most? And if so, why?

“This is a great question! As you may have understood, I love alpaca garments. The shirts are warm, they are thermoregulating, they are soft. With an alpaca sweater you can easily go through the entire season, but not just winter, even the first cold times of autumn or spring, this year’s crazy spring. Even for small children. I didn’t think so, but I have testers who are my children, I also tried it on the little one and used it a lot, they are tight and children need to feel pampered. They need color, to be wrapped. I also recommend polo shirts, embroidered dresses, rompers. Sorry, that’s a really difficult question! I care a lot about Made in Italy, because they are artisanal, because I have seen this company, I often go to visit them. They are truly incredible, they have a care, a passion in choosing fabrics. Together, we create truly stunning collections. And then the shoes: ankle boots for boys/girls have soft leather, they are thermoregulating, truly all made to support the foot.”

You mentioned your blog before, which I have been following for some time with beautiful images that talk about places, experiences in nature. Do you think this connection with the natural world also influenced your choice to move away from traditional fashion, and prefer to create something that had to do with brands more linked to sustainability?

“With this question you hit the nail on the head! I was born in Trieste, a city overlooking the sea, which however is a green plateau, that is, there is an immense hill made up of greenery and woods. So on the one hand I have always seen the sunset over the sea, on the other hand in 5 minutes I am in the middle of fragrant woods. I am very sporty, I have always practiced outdoor activities, by the sea, swimming, or running in the woods, I bring the dog, the children. My parents educated me and my brother in the mountains, in the sense that we went to the mountains a lot in all seasons. Several times I lived in very nice cities in Long Beach, California, near Los Angeles, in Madrid, in Vienna, Oxford, between study and work, I traveled around a bit. Each time the call of my natural world has always brought me home. This for me was decisive in creating my path, and it is a sensitivity that I have developed and continue to develop and live. There was a bit of a spark, regarding Twinkle, that made the pieces of The Casual Twinkle build”.

Can you tell us about any special places you’ve seen that made you think or inspire you about the impact we have on nature?

Yes of course, Arianna. Trieste is certainly a constant source of inspiration, the sky takes on incredible colours. I think precisely because of the light air, which somehow exists between the sea, the mountains, the woods. Definitely the mountains, a place that gives me peace, serenity, in the Dolomites, I usually go there. It seems to me that everything is in harmony with itself and with the things around it. Just the other weekend we were in the mountains, I saw a sunset over the mountains from the balcony of this apartment where we were staying, full of geraniums and flowers. And it had recently rained, the last sun was coming out, coloring the meadows in front bright green. There was also a stream nearby, you can hear the sound of flowing water. Scenarios like these that take you 100% mind body and make me think that there is a sense of completeness, very often that can be achieved even with just a few things, almost as if you didn’t need anything else. Especially in summer, when I walk to the top there is a majesty of nature that fascinates me and which seems like a gift that nature gives to us. At the same time, however, we know that nature is very fragile. Just look at how the weather and the morphology of the territory are changing. I was in the mountains, we were near the Marmolada, with the naked eye you see, I remember how it once was. You see the backward progress it’s making, how much it’s melting, that piece has even collapsed. I also tried to explain this to my daughter for a while, to remember this thing. I think nature is a great inspiration, but it also makes me reflect on the fact that we definitely need to protect it.”

As a single mom with a spirit of adventure, how have you had these experiences with your daughter? Where did you go? Struggle and beauty of traveling with her?

“Yes, Arianna, you know once a friend of mine asked me what is the most difficult thing about being a single mother and almost without thinking I told her ‘sharing the experiences I lived with my daughter with someone else’, but in this case, obviously, with the father. Well, this has always been a difficulty for me, because I am still very expansive in certain things, in adventures, in beautiful events. I like to talk and discuss. We were in the mountains and I walked among the peaks in all weathers, always paying attention to the conditions. I have become very good and know all the weather conditions all the time. I know how long I’ll be there, I calculate the times, the rhythms, the extra clothing to change in case we get wet. They are the little adventures of when you are alone, because you have to be prepared for every eventuality. Then also with her backpack on her shoulder, when she started walking. I never gave up. Even what I liked, maybe I taught her a little, but in any case I actually made myself happy too.”

Where have you been?

“We went to the Basque Country, went to visit a friend, then we spent a few days alone. I took her to Lapland, to the Arctic. This was perhaps the journey that made me understand how much I can ultimately count on myself, on my strengths. These are perhaps demanding trips where you sleep little, you have to organize. But all this opened my heart and my mind. You travel with a little creature that you have to raise and defend, protect, teach. You are alone with a child, you are not dealing with an adult, you also have to find a way for yourself that is fun, that is not a chore. I have to tell you the truth, in the end all these efforts, especially the physical effort at certain moments, has always been rewarded with complicity, extreme serenity. We told each other every kind of story imaginable. We laughed like crazy, sometimes when we were angry we didn’t speak to each other. Now there is also the 2 year old brother, we are a kind of total harmony without limits, it’s very pleasant. As a mother, you always hope to raise serene, sensitive children, in my case also with a positive culture because I realize that it’s a bit of a mental switch. I have it and would love to teach it. I hope that with these adventures, a little crazy, I realize, a little outside the box, the children can both have a respectful way towards themselves, in achieving their objectives, their goals, and also live in harmony with the world around them.”

How beautiful these trips are, Manuela, especially the one in Lapland! I had seen the photos and who knows how exciting it must have been to take this trip with your little girl too! Is there anything you want to say, any advice you want to give to mothers for choosing clothes for their boys and girls?

“Yes, thank you for this question. I recommend taking a few items, perhaps slightly growing and which are versatile. What does this mean? To think about the season, not the event, to think about the shirt for the winter, the warm shoe or the one for the rain. Not to think about that party, that wedding, because those are unique cases. We must get children’s clothes that are long-lasting. So, in my opinion, spend a little more on things that have nice cuts, a nice style, that not only look beautiful but actually are. If the sustainable issue is involved, they cannot cost little, because unfortunately if they cost little it automatically means that they are not sustainable. Spend more on a single item rather than buying many items that look good but fall shapelessly and are worth little. Maybe be a little wary of big chains, in the sense that many cities are full of big chains. You search for the particular brand and unfortunately these are found online, not because I am online, but there is much more choice very often. And to trust the brand, in the sense of seeing the product page and what it says. Because very often many say they are sustainable, but they are not”.

In your opinion, what should we look at on the page to understand if they are more sustainable?

“Look a little at the description of the brand and also at the history, if there is a sustainability page, that they are not things just to say, but that they are truly heartfelt, that there are production photos. Or even that it is well described on the product page, a nice size guide, a nice presentation of the product, but really beautiful, that tells you the story of that product. Very often it says made ‘in EU’, European Union. Where? How? We as consumers always have to ask ourselves questions, even if we are not technicians, but every garment has a story, every brand has it. Also, I think dressing kids a few sizes up doesn’t hurt. Indeed, they grow and the products are expensive, especially if, as we were saying, they are made well. Without any problems, a boy or a girl who dresses 116 can take 128. Let’s say that from the age of half onwards, children have constant growth. A few centimeters more, unless it has to be a tight shirt on the neck, a crew neck if you take it a little wider it’s not that it’s too big for you, if the garments are made well. Don’t think that by buying items that cost more you will end up spending more, because you have essential things. Don’t fill your closets: just as we shouldn’t fill ours, so we shouldn’t fill our children’s closets. And pay close attention to shoes. They are fundamental. Always measure the foot and calculate an extra 1 cm. Above all, I remember once a physiatrist told me ‘You know, in the early years children have really delicate feet and need support’. Here it was one of those ‘casual twinkles’, as I call them. They actually made me compose the piece, it’s really advice I give about shoes. They are essential for children.

Shop with love. Not only towards yourself, that the child is beautiful, but also for the clothes you buy, that they do good because the planet is so beautiful, but it is also so fragile.”

Thank you Manuela for telling us about the clothes, especially for children, for giving the advice and also for making us imagine your adventures with your little girl and now also with your little boy! Next time we hope to meet in nature for another episode. Who knows, maybe something else together. Thank you for telling us about your experience and your project.

“Thank you Arianna, thanks to you it was a pleasure to have this chat, it is certainly an excellent idea to create an episode in the midst of nature. And we hope to meet soon because we talk to each other a lot in various ways, but we have never managed to see each other in person. Congratulations again for the excellent work you do and the passion you put into it. See you soon!”

The Casual Twinkle > Website; Instagram; Facebook.

Vi raccontiamo l’esperienza di Alice (e Nina, due mesi) con i pannolini lavabili: come si trova(no), le ragioni della scelta, i dubbi, i materiali, come si utilizzano, come si lavano… E anche due video per vedere passo, passo prima Alice mentre cambia a Nina il pannolino e poi il papà Francois

Perché parliamo di pannolini? Per l’impatto che hanno sull’ambiente. “L’ultimo rapporto dell’Ispra sui rifiuti urbani 2017 (pagina 78) ha stimato la composizione merceologica media dei rifiuti nel periodo 2008-2016, evidenziando come il 3,7 per cento sia costituito da pannolini e altri materiali assorbenti. Considerando la produzione annua di rifiuti urbani in circa 30 milioni di tonnellate, si può quantificare in oltre 1 milione e 100.000 tonnellate l’ammontare della categoria di rifiuti predetta. I pannolini usa e getta per neonati e infanti assommano a circa 6.000 in numero e al peso di 1 tonnellata in 2,5-3 anni di vita. Si possono ipotizzare in Italia 2,2 miliardi di pannolini all’anno oltre 150 mila tonnellate di rifiuti prodotti ogni anno dai soli pannolini usa e getta” (da Atto Camera C.4/18396 4-18396 ).

“Contengono plastica, cloro (per sbiancare la cellulosa) e gel ultra assorbenti, che oltre a irritare e  surriscaldare la pelle del bimbo, sono molto inquinanti al momento dello smaltimento. Se inceneriti producono sostanze nocive (tra cui diossina), nanoparticelle, ceneri da smaltire e contribuiscono al riscaldamento globale” (fonte: Il Fatto Quotidiano, 25 aprile 2016).

Nina è una bimba “Dress Ecode”! La sua mamma Alice (e il suo papà Francois) è molto attenta alle tematiche ambientali e sociali e fin da quando la piccola era nella pancia ha condiviso con noi idee su come affrontare alcuni aspetti ecologici. Nel nostro scambio di foto e notizie, vivono lontano, in Australia, il tema è “Piccoli Dress Ecode crescono!”, anche con la nonna Antonella  

Ciao Alice, abbiamo alcune domande per te sui pannolini lavabili.

“Una premessa: la nascita di un figlio è già di per sé un totale sconvolgimento. Ci sono tantissime cose da imparare, tante sfide, tante pressioni e soprattutto tanta stanchezza! Nonostante io sia una convinta ecologista, in gravidanza mi ero ripromessa che tutte le cose che avrei voluto fare (parto naturale, allattamento al seno, pannolini lavabili, parlare a Nina in italiano, ecc.) le avrei fatte soltanto se ce ne fossero state le condizioni e non mi avessero creato particolare stress. Non avevo alcuna intenzione di spingermi oltre i miei limiti e di crearmi frustrazioni in un momento alquanto delicato e difficile.
Per i pannolini lavabili è stato così. Ho iniziato con gli usa e getta e dopo qualche settimana, quando mi ero ripresa dal parto e avevo ben avviato l’allattamento al seno, ho provato con i lavabili. Mi è risultato piuttosto facile e dunque ho deciso di continuare”.

Perché li utilizzi?

“Li uso perché sono sempre stata un’amante della natura e negli ultimi anni mi sono resa sempre più conto del drastico impatto che le nostre scelte di vita quotidiane, in particolare nel nostro modo di acquistare e ‘consumare’, hanno sull’ambiente. Lo scorso anno ho partecipato a un corso sulla gestione dei rifiuti e di sensibilizzazione al riciclaggio, organizzato dal comune in cui abito. Durante il corso è emerso che, in Australia (paese in cui vivo), ogni giorno ben 3,75 milioni di pannolini usa e getta finiscono in discarica. Considerando che un pannolino impiega tra i 200 ed i 500 anni a decomporsi, mi sembra evidente che il ricorso agli usa e getta non contribuisca di certo a creare quel mondo migliore, più sano e pulito, in cui vorrei vivesse mia figlia“.

In che materiale sono prodotti?

“Ci sono tantissimi tipi di pannolini lavabili sul mercato, fatti di tanti materiali diversi.
Per aiutarti a capire (perché all’inizio è davvero complicato orientarsi), puoi dare un’occhiata allo schema di questa pagina Tipologie pannolini lavabili).

Il mio ‘parco pannolini’ è composto da:
– 4 cover  in TPU (poliuretano termoplastico)
– 12 inserti prefold in cotone grezzo in misura small e 6 medium 
– 10 pannolini pocket di cui la parte esterna è in PUL (poliuretano laminato) e la parte interna in pile di carbone di bambù bianco con 7 inserti in microfibra e bambù e 4 inserti 55% canapa 45% cotone biologico.
Li ho presi tutti second-hand per avere un minore impatto sull’ambiente e sul portafogli“.

Come si usano?

“I prefold sono rettangoli formati da diversi strati di cotone sovrapposto con una stratificazione più spessa nella parte centrale. Si usano piegandoli in tre, adattandoli intorno al corpo del bambino, allargando gli angoli della parte posteriore per unirli a quelli della parte anteriore e fermandoli con un gancino, detto snappy. Una volta fermati, vanno racchiusi nella cover esterna impermeabile in TPU. Questi sono quelli un po’ più complicati perché bisogna imparare a fare la piegatura, ma con qualche tutorial su youtube ed un po’ di pratica diventa ben presto automatico.
I pocket sembrano proprio dei pannolini usa e getta, ma hanno delle clip per adattarsi alla crescita del bambino e si usano inserendo nella tasca gli inserti, che sono strisce assorbenti. Personalmente però, per una questione di praticità nel lavaggio, preferisco lasciare l’inserto all’esterno della tasca. Talvolta, avendo pochi pannolini al momento, uso i prefold piccoli come inserti per i pannolini pocket. Durante la notte, utilizzo due inserti invece che uno”.

Come li lavi?

“Inizialmente ho provato a seguire una pagina facebook in inglese, ma era davvero complicata e mi stavo scoraggiando, così ho deciso di provare a lavarli con i prodotti che uso di solito, ovvero col percarbonato, l’acido citrico e l’olio essenziale di eucalipto.
Quando sono sporchi li metto in un cestino aperto in lavanderia. Metto gli inserti a parte e le cover con il resto dei panni della bimba.
Se i pannolini sono sporchi di popò li sciacquo con del sapone di Marsiglia, li strizzo bene e poi li metto nella cesta. Mia figlia ha due mesi e la sua popò è molto liquida, dunque riesco a sciacquare direttamente nel lavandino della lavanderia con il doccino, quando più avanti sarà più solida, ho letto che bisognerà prima scrollarla nel water.
In genere lavo gli inserti con un lavaggio più lungo (la mia lavatrice ha un programma a 60 gradi di 2 ore) e le cover, che di solito si sporcano meno, insieme agli altri vestiti di mia figlia con un programma corto a 30 gradi per preservarne il più a lungo possibile gli elastici e i colori delle fantasie. Poi stendo tutto all’aperto al sole, finché il tempo me lo permette. Credo che con l’avvento dell’inverno (essendo agli antipodi le stagioni sono al contrario) i tempi di asciugatura degli inserti saranno più lunghi quindi sto pensando di procurarmene degli altri.
Al momento, con la quantità di pannolini che ho, faccio una lavatrice ogni due giorni. Con un maggior numero di pannolini probabilmente diminuirebbe la frequenza dei lavaggi.
Fino ad ora mi ritengo soddisfatta del risultato, ma non sono sicura che questa sia la prassi migliore”.

La fase del lavaggio è importante anche per rendere effettivamente ecologica la scelta rispetto all’usa e getta. Sicuramente infatti portano ad una netta riduzione dei rifiuti (da quasi una tonnellata a pochi chilogrammi), ma è necessario prestare attenzione al consumo di acqua ed energia per il lavaggio e l’asciugatura dei pannolini. Qui qualche consiglio: Altroconsumo – Pannolini lavabili

Quanti ne usi più o meno al giorno?

“Direi circa 7 al giorno, ma spesso si sporca solo l’inserto per cui si può conservare la cover per più di un cambio pannolino e mettere a lavare solo l’inserto”.

Ti trovi bene? È complicato utilizzarli?

“Mi trovo molto bene! La pelle di mia figlia è rimasta bella rosea, senza alcuna irritazione, i pannolini sono bellissimi e alla fine del giorno, quando vedo che il bidone per i rifiuti vicino al fasciatoio è vuoto, provo un’enorme soddisfazione!
È stato molto più complicato scegliere quali acquistare che utilizzarli. Ho trovato molto difficile orientarmi nella scelta dei pannolini. Bisogna districarsi tra tante tipologie e tanti materiali diversi e le pagine facebook che ho consultato utilizzano un lessico specifico che risulta totalmente incomprensibile per un neofita.
Come dicevo prima, i prefold possono risultare un po’ più complicati perché è necessario imparare a piegarli, ma una volta appresa la tecnica diventa tutto molto automatico e veloce”.

Ti porta via molto tempo?

“Non direi che mi porti via molto tempo. Forse la differenza maggiore rispetto agli usa e getta è il risciacquo a mano dei pannolini sporchi di popo’. Fortunatamente capita di doverlo fare una o al massimo due volte in un giorno”.

Un pregio e un difetto?

Solo un pregio? Ce ne sono tantissimi! Sono belli, delicati sulla pelle, economici nel lungo periodo ed ecologici.
Difetto: richiedono un po’ di studio iniziale (per capire quali tipi acquistare) e di organizzazione degli spazi per lo stoccaggio dei pannolini sporchi.

Li consiglieresti ad altre mamme?

“Sicuramente sì, li consiglierei a mamme, papà, nonni, asili…! Tuttavia ritengo che per incentivare l’uso dei pannolini lavabili sarebbe utile avere delle agevolazioni economiche per l’acquisto (mi sembra che alcuni Comuni li offrano già, ma dovrebbe essere una cosa più generalizzata e non a discrezione del singolo Comune) e dei ‘corsi’ sull’utilizzo dei lavabili con presentazione delle tipologie e istruzioni sull’uso, sullo stoccaggio e sul lavaggio, magari organizzati dagli ospedali e inseriti come opzione tra gli incontri dei corsi pre-parto. Infatti credo che vi siano molti preconcetti sui lavabili: che siano complicati, che diano fastidio al bambino, che siano troppo cari… Tutte idee che possono essere sfatate grazie a una maggiore sensibilizzazione sull’argomento. Ma non ci si può attendere che questo parta dalle singole persone, non tutti sono sensibili a queste tematiche, dovrebbe essere qualcosa organizzato a livello istituzionale. Tutti dovrebbero avere l’opportunità di provare e in seguito scegliere se utilizzare gli usa e getta o i lavabili”.

E in famiglia come va con questa scelta?

“Oltre a me, anche il mio compagno e mia mamma cambiano i pannolini di Nina ed entrambi erano inizialmente scettici se non addirittura contrari all’uso dei pannolini lavabili.
Essendo io cocciuta e avendo visto con i miei occhi che esistevano mamme che utilizzavano i lavabili senza problemi e anzi con gran soddisfazione, ho iniziato ad usarli, senza però imporre loro la mia scelta e lasciandoli liberi di utilizzare gli usa e getta.
All’inizio mi osservavano con un misto di scetticismo e curiosità, ma dopo i primi cambi è scattato lo spirito di competizione. Sia il mio compagno sia mia mamma hanno iniziato a sperimentare coi lavabili facendo a gara a chi faceva la piega migliore e segretamente compiacendosi se la piega non perfettamente fatta da qualcun altro provocava una perdita di pipì. Di recente ho addirittura beccato mia mamma a scegliere i vestiti da mettere a Nina in base al colore e alla fantasia del pannolino lavabile che ha indosso in quel momento”

Nella scelta dei materiali, suggeriamo di preferire tessuti biologici (anche il cotone biologico va bene), non sbiancati, meglio se con certificazioni GOTS e OEKO-TEX, e prodotto localmente, in modo da limitare l’inquinamento da pesticidi, sostanze chimiche e da trasporto. La scelta second-hand di Alice è ancora meglio.

Grazie Alice, Francois e Nina per questa attenzione all’ambiente e per aver raccontato un’utile esperienza!

English – Alice, Francois and Nina: the story (and two videos) of the experience with washable diapers!

We tell you about the experience of Alice (and Nina, two-month-old) with washable diapers: how she (they) like(s) them, the reasons for the choice, the doubts, the materials, how to use them, how to wash them… And also two videos to see step by step first Alice while she changes Nina’s diaper, and then her father Francois 

Why are we talking about diapers? Because of the impact they have on the environment. “ISPRA’s latest report (in Italy) on urban waste 2017 (page 78) estimated the average composition of waste in the 2008-2016 period, highlighting how 3.7 percent is made up of diapers and other absorbent materials. Considering the annual production of urban waste in about 30 million tons, the amount of the aforementioned waste category can be quantified in over 1 million and 100,000 tons. Disposable diapers for newborns and infants amount to around 6,000 in number, and  1 ton in weight, during the first 2.5-3 years of life. One can hypothesize in Italy 2.2 billion diapers per year, over 150 thousand tons of waste produced each year by disposable diapers only” (from Atto Camera C.4/18396 4-18396).

“They contain plastic, chlorine (to whiten cellulose) and ultra absorbent gels, which in addition to irritate and overheat the baby’s skin are very polluting at the time of disposal. If incinerated, they produce harmful substances (including dioxin), nanoparticles, ashes to be disposed of and contribute to global warming” (source: Il Fatto Quotidiano, 25 April 2016).

Nina is a little “Dress Ecode” girl! Her mother Alice (and her father Francois) is very caring about environmental and social issues and since the baby was in the belly she has shared with us ideas on how to deal with some ecological aspects. In our exchange of photos and news, they live far away, in Australia, the theme is “Little Dress Ecodes grow!”, also with the grandmother Antonella

Hi Alice, we have some questions for you about washable diapers.

“A premise: the birth of a child is in itself a total turmoil. There are so many things to learn, so many challenges, so much pressure and above all so much tiredness! Although I am a convinced ecologist, during pregnancy I had promised myself that all the things I wanted to do (natural childbirth, breastfeeding, washable diapers, talking to Nina in Italian, etc.) I would have made only if there had been conditions and no particular stress had been created for me. I had no intention of pushing myself beyond my limits and creating frustrations in a very delicate and difficult moment.
This was the case for washable diapers. I started with disposables and after a few weeks, when I had recovered from the birth and had started breastfeeding, I tried with washable. It turned out to be pretty easy, so I decided to continue”.

Why do you use them?

“I use them because I have always been a lover of nature and in the last few years I have become increasingly aware of the drastic impact that our daily life choices, particularly our way of buying and ‘consuming’, have on the environment. Last year I attended a course on waste management and recycling awareness, organized by the municipality where I live. During the course it emerged that in Australia (the country where I live) as many as 3.75 million disposable diapers end up in landfills every day. Considering that a diaper takes between 200 and 500 years to decompose, it seems clear to me that the use of disposables certainly does not contribute to creating that better, healthier and cleaner world in which I would like my daughter to live“.

What material are they produced from?

“There are so many types of washable diapers on the market, made from many different materials.
To help you understand (because at the beginning it is really complicated to orient yourself), you can take a look at the diagram on this page Tipologie pannolini lavabili.

My ‘diaper fleet’ is composed of:
– 4 TPU covers (thermoplastic polyurethane)
– 12 prefold inserts in raw cotton in small size and 6 in medium
– 10 pocket diapers whose outer part is in PUL (laminated polyurethane) and the inner part in white bamboo charcoal fleece with 7 microfibre and bamboo inserts and 4 inserts made of 55% hemp 45% organic cotton.
I took them all second-hand to have less impact on the environment and on my wallet“.

How do you use them?

“The prefolds are rectangles formed by several layers of cotton overlaid with a thicker stratification in the central part. They are used by folding them in three, adapting them around the body of the child, widening the corners of the back part to join them to those of the front part and securing them with a little hook, called snappy. Once secured, they must be contained in the waterproof TPU outer cover. These are the ones a bit more complicated because you have to learn how to fold, but with a few tutorials on youtube and a little practice it soon becomes automatic.
The pocket diapers look like the disposable ones, but they have clips to adapt to the growth of the child and are used by positioning the inserts into the pocket, which are absorbent strips. Personally, however, as a matter of practicality in washing I prefer to leave the insert outside the pocket. Sometimes, having few diapers at the moment, I use small prefolds as inserts for pocket diapers. During the night, I use two inserts instead of one”.

How do you wash them?

“Initially I tried to follow a facebook page in English, but it was really complicated and I was getting discouraged, so I decided to try washing them with the products I usually use, that is with percarbonate, citric acid and the essential oil of eucalyptus.
When they are dirty, I put them in an open laundry basket. I put the inserts apart and the covers with the rest of the baby’s clothes.
If the diapers are dirty with poop I rinse them with Marseille soap, squeeze them well and then put them in the basket. My daughter has two months and her poop is very liquid, so I can rinse directly in the sink of the laundry with the hand shower, when later it will be more solid I read that we must first shake it in the toilet.
I usually wash the inserts with a longer wash (my washing machine has a 60-degree 2-hour program) and the covers, which usually get less dirty, along with my daughter’s other clothes with a short 30-degree program for to preserve the elastic and the colors of the patterns for as long as possible. Then I lay everything out in the sun, as long as weather permits. I believe that with the advent of winter (being antipodean, the seasons are opposite) the drying time of the inserts will be longer, so I’m thinking of getting some more.
At the moment, with the amount of diapers I have, I make a washing machine every two days. With a greater number of diapers it would probably decrease the frequency of washing.
So far I am satisfied with the result, but I’m not sure this is the best practice”.

The washing phase is also important to make the choice really ecological compared to the disposable one. Indeed, washable diapers lead to a net reduction in waste (from almost a ton to a few kilograms), but attention must be paid to the consumption of water and energy for washing and drying diapers. Here are some tips: Altroconsumo – Washable diapers

How many do you use more or less a day?

“I would say about 7 a day, but often only the insert gets dirty, so you can keep the cover for more than one diaper change and only wash the insert”.

How do you like them? Is it complicated to use them?

“I am very happy with them! My daughter’s skin remains pretty rosy, without any irritation, the diapers are beautiful and at the end of the day, when I see that the waste bin near the changing table is empty, I feel a huge satisfaction!
It was much more complicated to choose which ones to buy than to use them. I found it very difficult to orient myself in choosing diapers. You have to deal with many types and many different materials, and the facebook pages I consulted use a specific lexicon that is totally incomprehensible for a beginner.
As I said before, prefolds can be a bit more complicated because you need to learn how to fold them, but once you’ve learned the technique it becomes very automatic and fast”.

Does it take you a long time?

“I wouldn’t say it takes me a long time. Perhaps the biggest difference compared to disposables is the rinsing of dirty poop nappies by hand. Fortunately it happens to have to do it once or at the most twice in one day”.

A strength and a weakness?

Just one advantage? There are so many! They are beautiful, delicate on the skin, economical in the long run and ecological.
Disadvantage: they require a little initial study (to understand which types to buy) and to organize spaces for the storage of dirty diapers.

Would you recommend them to other mothers?

“Surely yes, I would recommend them to mothers, dads, grandparents, kindergartens…! However, I believe that to encourage the use of washable diapers it would be useful to have some financial advantages for the purchase (it seems to me that some Municipalities already offer them, but it should be something more generalised and not at the discretion of the single Municipality) and of the ‘courses’ on the use of washable materials with presentation of the types and instructions on use, storage and washing, perhaps organised by the hospitals and included as an option between pre-birth training courses. In fact, I believe that there are many preconceptions about washable materials: that they are complicated, that they bother the child, that they are too expensive… All ideas that can be debunked thanks to greater awareness on the subject. But we cannot expect this to start from individuals, not everyone is sensitive to these issues, it should be something organized at an institutional level. Everyone should have the opportunity to try and then choose whether to use disposable or washable options”.

And how is it going in your family with this choice?

“In addition to me, my partner and my mother also change Nina’s diapers and both were initially skeptical or even opposed to the use of washable diapers.
Since I am stubborn and having seen with my own eyes that there were mothers who used washable products without problems and indeed with great satisfaction, I started using them, without however imposing my choice on them and leaving them free to use disposables.
At first they watched me with a mixture of skepticism and curiosity, but after the first changes the spirit of competition started. Both my partner and my mother started experimenting with washable by competing with those who made the best turn, and secretly rejoicing if the not perfectly formed fold by someone else caused a loss of pee. Recently I even caught my mom choosing clothes to put on Nina based on the color and pattern of the washable diaper she was wearing at the time”.

In the choice of materials, we suggest to prefer organic fabrics (even organic cotton is fine), not bleached, preferably with GOTS and OEKO-TEX certifications, and locally produced, so as to limit pollution by pesticides, chemicals and transport. Alice’s second-hand choice is even better.

Thanks Alice, Francois and Nina for this attention to the environment and for telling an useful experience!