CLOTH DIAPERING ADVOCACY

The Real Diaper Association has created the following tools to equip Real Diaper Circle Leaders and local advocates for promoting cloth diapers in their communities.  As a member-supported resource center, RDA will continue to create new advocacy tools in response to Leaders' and advocates' needs. Do you have an idea for a topic?  Write us about it.  If we use your idea, we will give you credit.

Advocacy Sheets   |  Advocacy Postcard Inserts   |  Advocacy Tips

Advocacy Sheets  Look to advocacy sheets for quick tips on starting local projects.  The following RDA Advocacy Sheets are available in .pdf and .doc format.  To download .pdf files, you will need the most recent version of Adobe Reader.  Click here to update or download your FREE copy of Adobe Reader.

Sew Your Own Diapers -  [pdf] or [doc]

Cloth Diapers in Local Stores -  [pdf] or [doc]

Cloth Diapering Classes -  [pdf] or [doc]

Advocacy Postcard Inserts.  When printed on cardstock, these advocacy cards can be cut and used to mail short notes to friends or family, to post on local community bulletin boards, and insert into newsletters or packages for cloth diapering businesses.  Because our advocacy cards are only printed on one side, they can also be made into magnets to both remind you about your cloth diapering facts and hold up much needed lists or notices on your refrigerator or file cabinet.  Use them to remind yourself of quick facts when sharing cloth diapering within your community.  Keep copies of the advocacy cards in your diaper bag to give to expectant mothers.  Four cards are available, with more to follow.  Print your RDA Advocacy Card today!

To read and download the following RDA Advocacy Postcard Inserts, you will need the most recent version of Adobe Reader.  Click here to update or download your FREE copy of Adobe Reader.

Advocacy Cards are available for download below in color and greyscale. The 3.5 x 5 inch cards print four to a page and 4 x 6 inch cards print two to a page.

Why Choose Cloth Diapers? Here are a few reasons...

     [Download 3.5 x 5 inch cards]
     [Download 3.5 x 5 inch cards] - greyscale
     [Download 4 x 6 inch cards]
     [Download 4 x 6 inch cards] - greyscale

Why Choose Cloth Diapers? Consider your baby's health.

     [Download 3.5 x 5 inch cards]
     [Download 3.5 x 5 inch cards] - greyscale
     [Download 4 x 6 inch cards]
     [Download 4 x 6 inch cards] - greyscale

Why Choose Cloth Diapers? Renewable, Recyclable, Reusable.

     [Download 3.5 x 5 inch cards]
     [Download 3.5 x 5 inch cards] - greyscale
     [Download 4 x 6 inch cards]
     [Download 4 x 6 inch cards] - greyscale

Why Choose Cloth Diapers? Consider the costs...

     [Download 3.5 x 5 inch cards]
     [Download 3.5 x 5 inch cards] - greyscale
     [Download 4 x 6 inch cards]
     [Download 4 x 6 inch cards] - greyscale

Local Advocacy Tips

Advocacy Tip #1: 
Do you launder your clothing and/or baby's cloth diapers at a local coin-operated laundry facility?  Even if you launder at home, you are most likely familiar with where these facilities are in your area. A simple way to advocate cloth diapers in your community is to print out the pamphlets made available through RDA's website and tack them up on the bulletin board in local coin-operated laundry facilities.  As individuals wait for their laundry to dry, they often read these boards, and could be encouraged to consider cloth diapering by health issues, environmental concerns, cost, or any other number of reasons.  If you desire, write (or print out) your contact information on the pamphlets you put up.  In this way, you can serve as the local cloth diapering point of contact for your community.

Advocacy Tip #2: 
If you have not downloaded Advocacy Postcard Inserts, go here! Our Advocacy Cards are designed to print on one side only; when printed on cardstock, these advocacy cards are layed-out with 4 to a page and can be cut and used to mail or deliver short notes to friends or family. They make perfect, quick-and-easy advocacy pin-ups on local community bulletin boards, inserts into newsletters or packages for cloth diapering businesses. With some glue and a magnet, they can both remind you about your facts and hold up much needed lists or notices on your refrigerator or file cabinet. Remind yourself of quick facts when sharing cloth diapering within your community. Keep copies of the postcards in your diaper bag to give to expectant mothers. One card is now available, with more to follow. Print (link) RDA advocacy postcards today.

Advocacy Tip #3: 
Danielle Whittaker wrote to us about her plan of action.  She is writing letters to her state and county commissioners regarding the use of cloth diapers in day care facilities.  She has discovered that the local day cares in her area prefer not to use cloth diapers based on a 'no hands policy' presented by DHS.  Danielle says, "I am looking to make leeway in how cloth diapers can abide in this policy and present no additional hassle."  She is sending letters to local hospitals to set up informational sessions in lamaze and Bradley child birth classes. In addition, she is sending letters to local environmental agencies and national child care organizations to garner support.

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #4: 
Shannon Doan, a cloth diapering activist within her community, and owner of Wildflower Diapers printed out 50 of the RDA "Get Real" pamphlets to leave at her local breastfeeding boutique and natural food market.  You can find the "Get Real" pamphlet as well as several other advocacy items on the RDA Media and Cloth Diapering Advocacy pages. 

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #5: 
Do you have any cloth diapers or diaper covers that your baby has outgrown? Do you know any parents in your area that cloth diaper, might consider cloth diapering, have a baby on the way, or one that could wear the cloth diaper and diaper cover sizes your baby has outgrown? Consider hosting a cloth diaper giveaway. If there are other cloth diapering families in your area, contact them and find out if they have any diapers they can give away. Make sure the diapers are not overly worn or stained, so as not to 'put off' any potential cloth diaper users. Print out pamphlets, post cards and other advocacy materials to hand out, or leave around at your cloth diaper giveaway party.  Don't forget to wear your "Ask Me About Cloth Diapers" button on the days leading up to your party to generate conversation and possibly find someone new to invite.

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #6: 
Brenda Wells of Sunshine Diapers sent this cloth diapering advocacy tip. "The more of our sites that add links to the RDA, the higher the RDA site will climb in Google and other search engine rankings when someone is searching for cloth diaper information."  It is true that search engine rankings are directly affected by link popularity.  What is link popularity?  Link popularity is basically a score given by search engines based on how many related, external sites link to any particular website.  By linking to RDA, you are telling the search engines that RDA is a high-quality site with relevant information.  Linking to the RDA website is easy.  Visit our media page for simple cut and paste text and image links and show the search engines that RDA has external approval from sites that matter.

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #7: 
Speak with your local hospital's birth educator or request to give a cloth diapering presentation at your local midwifery school. These suggestions come from Individual Member, Cynthia Thompson, who is putting together a 'suitcase' resource kit with diaper samples and literature that can easily be used for cloth diapering presentations. Cynthia is also developing a curriculum for a diaper sewing workshop.

Here's a tip from Lori Taylor for reproducing diaper patterns at local meetings. "To create a pattern for the diaper sewing meeting, cut one pattern from heavy card. If you bring butcher paper or even other sheets of cardboard, each person could quickly trace around the first pattern and cut out their own pattern to use and take home. It would probably only take about 5 minutes per person, and the labor is spread out among the group. Or everyone could take turns with the same cardboard pattern"

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #8: 
Amanda Geaney  from Eagle River, Alaska wrote, "We are in the military and the base hospital has a mandatory OB Orientation briefing for new mothers before they can make their first prenatal appointment. It would be nice to have writing pens, magnets, baby bottles, pacifier clips, or other trinkets with your slogan on them to add to the goody bags that the hospital hands out. Another idea would be window clings or bumper stickers for members to put on their vehicles."

WE AGREE that a more extensive line of RDA approved cloth diapering advocacy tools would assist in spreading the word, and RDA needs some volunteer talent to make it happen!  If you have experience as a Print Media Designer and would like to take up the cause of cloth diapering advocacy, please consider volunteering with Real Diaper Association!  Check out our other RDA Advocacy Tips.

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #9: 
In our Cloth Diaper Advocacy Tip #8, we discussed giving cloth diapering presentations at your local midwifery school.  This type of advocacy can be taken into local hospitals, parenting groups, your local church or community ladies' groups, co-ops, and home school meetings, for some more examples.

Taking it one step further, you can create a 'calling card' with contact information and hand it out to expectant parents or to families you know in your neighborhood.  Don't have time or the ability to create a calling card?  Use one of our Cloth Diapering Advocacy Postcards and write your name and contact information on the back.  Be available for in-house cloth diapering lessons once a new baby is born.  Be your community's Cloth Diapering 'Go-To' person - making yourself available for follow-up questions and answers once baby is home.

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #10: 
Create a cloth diapering cake from prefolds, flats, or fitted cloth diapers.  Cloth Diaper Cakes make an interesting and conversation-provoking center piece at baby showers or in hospital rooms!  Make one for a new or expectant mother.  Be ready to demonstrate how to use the cloth diapers - bring a few extra so you don't have to break down the cloth diaper cake for your demonstration.  Create your own Cloth Diaper Cake with these simple FREE instructions.  If you Google cloth diaper cakes you will find a variety of instructions and/or online cloth diaper stores that offer a variety of different cloth diaper cakes.

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #11: 
Do you work with radio or know someone who does?  Record a Public Service Announcement (PSA) about cloth diapers and cloth diapering.  If possible, be available at the station to respond to local phone calls from listeners.  Many radio stations now have live internet stream that extends beyond their local coverage area. 

The FIRST Real Diaper Circle in Everett, Washington now has a weekly mid-day time slot on KSER 90.7FM for their Public Service Announcement.  Read about it here.

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #12: 
Would you like to encourage your local baby store or food coop to carry cloth diapers? Talk to the buyer and be prepared to address several issues. Consider whether there are local manufacturers who offer wholesale. Offer contact information for local as well as national wholesalers. Try one product at a time to start. Show the buyer why their customers will buy cloth diapers. You need to sell them on the idea before they can sell cloth diapers to their customers. If the plan works, approach other stores. And, be sure to encourage local parents to buy cloth diapers locally.

This tip is based on an Advocacy Sheet, "Cloth Diapers in Local Stores," available for download on the RDA website.

Cloth Diapering Advocacy Tip #13: 
Do you really like to talk about cloth diapers? Are people always asking your advice on how to start, how to wash diapers, or what to do in a diaper crisis? If so, then you may be a local expert. Share what you know. How about setting up a local cloth diaper hot line on your cell phone. You can publicize available hours or just return calls at your convenience.

Do you have more ideas for Advocacy Tips? Tell us all about it.

Are you interested in being a Real Diaper Circle Leader or local advocate?   Go here.

Have an idea for an Advocacy Topic?  Please contact us.