ideas for promoting cloth diapering

[Lisanne]

Some friends and I are planning to have a booth at our local Earth Day fair to display and discuss cloth diapering. Do any of you have great ideas on handouts or displays? We're planning to set up a diaper changing station too because there isn't a great place there, but I'm sure most of the diapers will be disposable and we'll have to find an eco friendly and sanitary way to set it up so everyone can use it. Maybe we'll just provide a private place and have them use their own blankets to place baby on. I'm also helping run the local breastfeeding group's table so I can use all the help I can get :) 

[lactomom]

I teach a.free.cloth diaper class once a month at the local Recreation Center. The handout I give during class is the $$ people save using cloth. I also have a selection of cloth diapers of different styles so people can see how easy it really is.

[Lisanne]

The money saving part would be a great handout. Which statistics do you use? I've seen so many different versions and while they all look good I don't know what is most accurate.

[rinap]

Ideally, the money-saving statistics would be specific to a given area: water prices, electricity prices, diaper service if there is one. (if there is one, they themselves may have a handout already; you might talk to them).

[lactomom]

Later I'll post a picture from the inside of the handout, however mine are very general... working off averages! I'll give more details with the image.

[MommyLibrarian]

Since you mentioned this was for Earth Day.  Don't forget about the Great Diaper Change.  Last year on the Saturday after Earth Day, the cloth diapering community gathered all over the world to change as many cloth diapers as possible at one time.  We set the record at over 5000, so I think this year they are planning to try to break the record.  It was a fun event.  Check out their website and facebook page to find out about local events. 

http://greatclothdiaperchange.com/

[MamaInTheDesert]

As someone new to cloth diapering, I'd really love a list of local and online resources for purchasing cloth diapers. I'd talk to the different places first, and see if they have any brochures, cards, or freebies like magnets or pencils that you can hand out. You could also schedule "events" throughout the day. Maybe give demos on each of the different kinds of diapers. Have someone go over the different kinds of folds, how to use the snappys etc. I like the ideas from the PP about listing out the cost savings. Having cute kiddos in cute diapers at the booth would be a great touch to see the diapers in use. I love the idea you had for the diaper changing station. Too often Moms and Dads end up going back and forth and back and forth to the car at fun things like fairs just to change diapers. Also, I don't know if you plan on selling anything at the booth, but perhaps you could involve a local mama who makes cloth diapers, so you have some readily available for sale.

[Lisanne]

These are all great ideas :) We live in the middle of nowhere so no diaper service or even places to buy them. We do have one local mom who makes them and she has already said she would help me out and I have another who sells through Oh Fancy Baby and she will help as well. 

[nstewart]

I guide to cloth diapering would be a great hand-out.  When I was looking into cloth diapering, I was very over-whelmed by the choices at first and had no idea how the different systems worked or anything.  www.bynature.ca has a great guide, and if you go to their facebook page (parenting by nature) you could probably easily get in touch with the mom who owns the company to get permission to use it.

Also, the idea of washing the diapers seemed intimidating.  My mom did the old school "wet soak" method.  I think people would be surprised how EASY cloth is if they just tried it.  This has been my friend's excuses for using disposables only.  I just think, "Really?  Two extra loads of laundry a week is too hard?  It's like, 10 minutes of your time, tops!"

I was going to also say the idea of the $$ savings.

[Siouxsie]

Here are some examples of displays and pictures that made some people I know say WHOA and listen long enough to become believers ;)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=359340831050&set=a.317236781050.156420.52569396050&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=359682981050&set=a.317236781050.156420.52569396050&type=3&permPage=1

http://itsybitsybums.blogspot.com/p/new-cost.html

I'd say have a bunch of cute cloth diapers there for sure. Usually once people hear I use cloth they say "Oh my god are you crazy?" They get visions of pins and dunking in the toilet and plastic pants. But when we're out and people see my son's awesome cloth diapers they go nuts over them. We have redsox ones too which guys have stopped me in the store to ask about! 

I love the idea about having local WAHM diapers available for purchase too.