Many consumers flinch at using chemically infused wipes or applying strongly perfumed wipes, yet according to a report by Mintel in April this year, more than 95% continue to use disposable nappies which have been through many chemical processes to ensure they are super absorbent and perfectly coloured including powerful bleaching.

The double standards here are disappointing but show how important in our ever faster lives efficiency and ‘performance are'. I(n other words mums want to be absolutely sure that the nappy will not leak and they don't want to have to get their fingers dirty sorting out any form of washing.

What is interesting is that Pampers share of the market has reduced to around 60% and has been decreasing for the last ten years. The reports says that the so called eco-disposable brands such as Moltex, Tushies and Nature Boy Girl are forcing the market leaders to look for more ecologically friendly solutions that use fewer trees and require less chemical processing. But of course there is still the issue of waste and throwing vast amounts of it into landfill sites which is hardly a hygienic way to dispose of the problem and is not generally biodegradable since the backing and/or bag can take up to 500 years to break down. And that's not even mentioning the blight of landfill in our landscapes.

The report also identified a significant desire by parents to use more natural products to avoid adverse skin reactions. This is great news for the many thriving organic toiletry companies now emerging offering products without unnecessary chemicals, many of which are low levels

toxins and may irritate the skin. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate for example is found in many shampoos and toothpastes and started its career as an industrial degreasant and garage floor cleaner. When applied to human skin it has the effect of stripping off the oil layer and then irritating the skin, leaving it rough and pitted. Yet its there in most toiletries on supermarket shelves.

There's good news for the smaller companies in the Baby Wipes market.

Johnson and Johnson leads the way with 26% market share and all the super market own-label brands together taking 38%. But the independent, generally more natural wipes such as Simple and Clearly Herbal are making a significant impact.

But to truly go natural you've got to go reusable and this is where the buoyant collection of cotton and bamboo nappy suppliers has found its niche. Lollipop, Generations and Ahead and TotsBots offer a wide range of all-in-ones, folded, shaped and adjustable nappies.