Did you know that there is an active cottage industry around the world of women sewing diapers for babies?

Most of these women work at home in order to generate income even while they have flexible time to be with their families. Most of them create their own pattern, take orders through face-to-face contacts or websites, sew whenever they can manage, and deliver quality products. Why not support your local diapermaker?

If you find someone local, you may be able to save money on shipping, and perhaps have custom work done. You will be able to meet other cloth-diapering parents face to face, learning from their experience in a way you just can't from an online community. Use the online contacts to reach out to people near you.

• Real Diaper Association (RDA) is a collective non-profit organization in which parents of small businesses take the lead in creating a cultural shift to increase the use of simple, reusable cloth diapers. [In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that the owner of Firefly Diapers is also the Chair of the Board of Real Diaper Association.] Includes directory of businesses and local Real Diaper Circles to promote cloth diapering education. http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/

• Diaper Pin, includes reviews and extensive directory. http://www.diaperpin.com/

• Mothering Magazine, includes active cloth diapering forums. http://www.mothering.com/discussions/

• The Women’s Environmental Network sponsors campaigns that have resulted in an astonishingly far-reaching movement to convert the whole of Britain to reusable nappies. Much of this work is now taking place independently through local Nappy Networks and through local governments. http://www.wen.org.uk/nappies/index.htm

• The Nappy Network in New Zealand is a community group that supports cloth diapering education. http://www.thenappynetwork.org.nz/

copyright © 2000 - 2007 Lori Taylor. Used by permission.