Initially we chose the atrium as our preferable space as we needed an open, bright and light space for our display. Part of our display-clouds had to be suspended so balcony in atrium seemed to be perfect for our installation. Packhorse shop seemed too dark and too small and people we met weren’t a suitable target market. I have made rough mock-up of our display at atrium.

With the development of our project our minds changed and we all agreed to display our work in Packhorse Shopping Centre. We have challenged ourselves and decided to come out to people from different backgrounds and try to convince them about benefits of reusable nappies. We thought that perfect target market of our project would be educated parents, eco-aware and interested in green issues. We took the risk and decided to promote our green reusable nappies within mixed society which mostly use disposable nappies. The Packhorse was a better option as it allowed us to gather some feedback from different people, where in university we wouldn’t receive much feedback from parents as most of people are students. We have also adapted our display to the space in Packhorse. We used only one cloud as the available space was much smaller with lower ceiling than the one in atrium.

My task was to design an A3 poster about benefits of reusable nappies with laundry tips, create a stork which was suspended with a cloud as well as flowers from tissue paper. I have managed to make more than 50 colourful flowers which looked really attractive. On the day of our presentation, many people mentioned about beautiful colours of our display. We can easily say that our display was successful and visually engaging. As we mention from the beginning, our display was only a prototype; the display in real life would be much more complex as the funds available would be much higher. Our display was very commercial as it could be used by different organisations and companies as a supporting material as well as a free-standing display in the shopping centres, health centres etc. In real life there would be professionals (for example midwives, nurses) speaking about benefits of real nappies as well as parents with children who would present how to use correctly the nappies. I believe that one-to-one conversation with people who tried and use product would be more effective and engaging than having marketing person who tries to sell the product. Our display provided supportive information with research what would be useful if the display would be free-standing. We chose the most important information to convince people about benefits of reusable nappies.

My work:

We were also asked to prepare 1000 words presentation (3/4minutes) for the day of our show to present in front of our tutors. I was really stressed as I don’t feel confident in speaking in front of people. I decided that I’m going to write my part and read it. In my speech, I included the key points of my research and our findings. I found the presentation a little bit frustrating. I noticed that some people from other groups didn’t prepare any speech. They were just talking about their work and showing what they have done. I didn’t feel comfortable presenting my 1000 words in the environment were all people were very loud and didn’t respect others. I had an impression that our presentation were too long and overwhelming compare to others, but on the other side I believed we fulfilled the task as we were meant to present our work and evidence the research. Our project was based on very rich and deep research and there was no other way to include all our hard work. Overall, I was happy with our presentation as the day went quickly and we had few really friendly people who gave us the feedback. I noticed that mostly older women +50 were looking at our display. They were mentioning old style terry nappies and talking about their experiences with them. We heard two really interesting stories: one from a really old foreign women who was so poor that when she had children she fed them with water mixed with baked flour and for her son’s birthday she gave him a cube of sugar, and other: it was memories of the university’s scriber who was talking about using terry nappies. She was really proud to put white, well-cleaned terry nappies on the washing line, that as soon as her children were asleep her duty was to wash all the nappies which were stored in the kitchen in three different buckets. All people were saying that they wish the real nappies were popular then and that it is a great idea to promote their benefits. We also gave away all our nursery thermometers and people were really friendly toward us. We didn’t meet anyone who was using real nappies but that’s why we decided to promote them as they are not as popular as disposables.

I really liked all the work displayed in Packhorse, but on the other side most of people presented work they created previously and I found it really unfair. I could easily collect all my previously made hand-drawn illustrations and promote myself as an illustrator, but a real challenge was to work with other people and create something from the scratch. I believe we did very well and worked really hard. We proved we can collaborate and work as a group, our research is well presented and documented, our work is commercial and can be used in a wide range of environments and what is more important we have the ability to solve the problems that occurs in a last minute (our corner space was taken by other group which appeared on the day of presentation so we could not use the piano as a stand for our sweets, leaflets and thermometers. We adapted the small ladder as a stand.).

Other people work:

This project helped me to solidify my existing skills and was a great opportunity to get to know the environment I would like to work in better. It was also a great group work exercise as it allowed me to apply my skills to professional practice and become more confident. I’m interested in social campaigns, branding and promoting and this project allowed me to gather better knowledge how commercial campaigns influence people’s decisions. Real nappies are not commercial, there’s a lack of promotion that’s why they aren’t popular even though they are more eco-friendly.

Through this project I have learnt that the visual communication process starts with the right narration, strategy and analysis of the aims. Creativity is the key skill as it gives the shape and form of the message. It also creates influence and social impact. The right decisions have to be made to make everything work as a one coherent and inspiring piece of work (Bergstorm, 2008). These are the key points that should be applied in promoting real nappies to become popular and successful.

I believe that the research I have undertaken has encouraged me to think more creatively and be more professional and practical. I realized that deep research into the subject helps to design successful campaign. The key to success is to have knowledge about the subject and strategies available to reach the target market and I am sure I will apply this in my future practice.This project taught me to manage time better and be more systematic too.

References:

Bergstrom, B. (2008). Essentials of Visual Communication. London: Laurence King Publishing.

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve looked at few organisation promoting real nappies to gain better understanding of their promoting strategies as well as to find more information about real nappies.

Women’s Environmental Network is the only organisation in the UK working consistently for women and the environment.  Their mission is to make the connections between women’s health and well-being and environmental issues. WEN works directly with women in the UK, providing information and training to encourage and inspire women to make change in their lives (WEN, 2010).

WEN has campaigned to raise awareness of the environmental impacts of using disposable nappies. They promote the use of washable cloth nappies to reduce that impact since 1989.

WEN developed and established the Real Nappies for London scheme which is now run by LCRN (London Community Resource Network). In partnership with LCRN, WEN also runs a Real Nappy Exchange, which puts buyers and sellers of used real nappies in touch with one another.

Real Nappies for London provide all essential information about benefits of reusable nappies, how to use these nappies, suppliers and nappy types.

Go Real- the Real Nappy Service  is the other one-stop shop for parents interested in using reusable nappies. Run by a social enterprise based in Cornwall, they offer a designated helpline and provide advice from mothers who have had experience of using Real Nappies. They provide wide information on suppliers, local authority incentive schemes, local agents, laundry services and real nappy networks (WEN, 2010).

We decided to contact different organisation and companies that could possibly provide us with any materials about real nappies, free samples or giveaways.

I’ve emailed: Emma’s Diary, Hipp, Wee Angels, Go Real, Great British Nappy Hunt, Change Works-real nappies, Cow and Gate, Baby Centre, Zero Waste Scottland and received leaflets promoting the Great British Nappy Hunt as well as nursery thermometers from Hipp.

I’ve also received some of the Real Nappy materials from the Edinburgh Real Nappy Project:

Real Nappy Guide_LD_13-03-12

smallTP Guide

RN Suppliers list Dec 2013

Info Sheet Jan_March 14_2

Due to Government legislation many companies and organisations are unable to distribute to members of the public any samples or giveaways so I’ve received many refusing responds.

References:

Women’s Environmental Network. (2010). About WEN. Retrieved from http://www.wen.org.uk/about-wen/

Women’s Environmental Network. (2010). Real Nappy Campaign. Retrieved from http://www.wen.org.uk/your-wen/past-successes/real-nappy-campaign/

We have created a questionnaire through the SurveyMonkey and sent it off to our friends who have children. Jackie posted the survey on netmums.com to receive more responses.

We have managed to receive 21 responses and our predictions of using Real Nappies were right. 85% of respondents use disposable nappies as they believe that real nappies are inconvenient and washing them is a problem. Most respondents would switch to reusable nappies if there were any easier and quicker way to wash and dry the nappies.

There are many companies on the market that offer laundry services. They pick up the dirty nappies and deliver nice fresh clean ones to the door. However this can work out as £1000 over 2.5 years and so isn’t cheap. It is better to wash reusable nappies at home what costs around £130 over 2.5 years for one baby (Money Saving Experts, 2008). Many organisations (such as Go Real, Real Nappies for London) provide washing guidelines to save parents’ time, energy and money.

An Environment Agency report published in May 2005 said that disposable nappies were no worse for the environment than cloth nappies. But a barely publicised update released in October 2008 said that if cloth nappies were used in a correct way they could be 40% better for the environment than disposable nappies (What a Waste, 2009). It is important to use cloth nappies properly.

Here are some useful tips:

-It is essential to wash real nappies several times before use to make them absorbent. It is recommended to test them by pouring water on a dry nappy: if the water runs off the surface, it is not ready for use.

-It is good to put the nappies through a cold rinse cycle and then add to the rest of the household washing at 40°C. If the baby is under 6 months soiled nappies should be washed at 60°C to avoid any infections.

– Wraps should be washed at 40°C. They don’t have to be washed each time they are used if they have not been soiled and can be quickly rinsed under a tap if this is necessary. Most are very quick drying.

-Biodegradable liners can also be washed once or twice if they are wet and not soiled.

-It is recommended to dry nappies on a washing line as sunshine will deodorise, sanitise and naturally bleach them.

-It is good to avoid tumble drying, as this uses a lot of energy and therefore costs more, reduces the life of the nappy and is not good for the environment.

 

References:

Money Saving Experts. (2008). Cheapest Nappies. Retrieved from http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/cheap-nappies

What a Waste. (2009). Flawed Impact Studies Review. Retrieved from http://whatawaste.info/but-i-heard/flawed-impact-studies-review/

We all agreed and assumed that cloth nappies are better than disposables, but we wanted to investigate if our assumptions are correct and if so, why real nappies aren’t so popular.

As me and Jackie live quite far from Huddersfield and we are on the campus twice a week while Claire is in just once a week, I decided to create a private Facebook group where we could communicate and exchange our ideas. We have also exchanged emails so Jackie could set the Dropbox folder where we were adding important documents.

I was mainly looking at price comparisons: real cloth nappies v disposable nappies, other organisations promoting real nappies and how to use them correctly.

Real nappies are also known as washable nappies, cloth nappies or reusable nappies. They have evolved significantly in the past decade and nowadays are a popular choice for eco-conscious parents.

Reusable nappies come in a wide range of colours and fabrics. They often look like disposables and can be just as easy to put on and take off again. There are 3 main types of real nappies available: shaped, flat, and pockets nappies. All-in-ones are another type that tend not to be used these days as they take a long time to dry. Shaped and flat nappies are also called 2 part nappies because they require a separate waterproof wrap. Biodegradable or reusable liners can be used with any nappy.

Shaped nappies are fitted, with soft, elasticated legs and waist. They tend to be made of breathable cotton, bamboo or other natural material. They are easy to put on and most of them have velcro fastenings or poppers. The main types are the ‘one size’ (birth-to-potty) or ‘sized’ (S, M, L and even XL). They wash and dry easily, although some fabrics take longer to dry than others. All shaped nappies need a waterproof covering wrap. Cost: from around £9 each.

Flat nappies tend to be made of cotton so they are breathable. They are also economical, durable and versatile. These include traditional terries, muslins and pre-folds. They need some folding and a waterproof cover (wrap). No pins are needed if a little plastic gripper (nappy nippa) or fitted wraps are used. Cost: from around £3 a nappy.

Pocket nappies are also called stuffables. These are wraps with a pouch into which the pad needs to be inserted. These can be folded terries, shaped inserts, prefolds or homemade pads from absorbent fabrics. They do not require a separate covering wrap as this is integral to the design. Cost: from around £14 each; extra inserts around £3 (Go Real, 2009).

We conducted the research into price comparisons from birth to potty training (period of 2 and half year) as it is considered to be the normal age at which a child is potty trained.

We have estimated that during this period a baby in disposables will need around 4,000 nappy changes (Which, n.d.).

Each of us looked at different age group to find out how much parents spend when using disposable nappies. My task was to investigate price of disposables for 6-12 months old babies. I used Tescos online to research the prices. I looked at different sized packs and various brands from Tescos own to Pampers and Huggies. When averaged out the cost per nappy came in at £ 0.15 per nappy, if using only ‘brand’ nappies the costs are higher. I worked on an average of 8 nappies per day, so it worked out: 1460 nappies used in this age group what gave total cost of £ 219.

I also looked at ‘The Birth to Potty Mixed Fitted and Pocket One Sized Nappy Kits’ and they seemed to be cheaper than buying each nappy separate. The most expensive I looked at was about 350 pounds, but it included 36 nappies of 3 sizes, 2 rolls inner liner and laundry bag ( The Clean Green Nappy Machine, 2014).The Birth-to-Potty Nappy Kit of 20 nappies in one size that can be adjusted to baby’s size cost 230pounds (price included liners and laundry bag) (Fill Your Pants, 2014). LittleLambs offers wide range of nappy kits from 12 ‘one size’ pocket nappies for £99, through 20 sized pocket nappies for £210 to the most expensive set of 30 sized pocket birth-to-potty nappies for £ 300 (2014).

After presenting our findings we have estimated that the average baby uses 7 disposable nappies a day with cost of 20p per nappy, that works out at £9.80 a week. Which over 2 ½ years is £1,274.

Upfront cost of washable real nappies is between £120-300as the cost depends on type of nappy. Weekly cost is around £2 (£1 per week on washing and £1 on liners, if used). The total cost over 2 ½ year period is between £325-505.

By choosing reusable nappies, parents can reduce their nappy bill by an average of £1000 per baby. The real nappies can be sold or used again for subsequent children as most real nappies are designed to use for at least two babies. The costs can be also reduced by using real nappies vouchers that are provided by many councils.
Although using Real Nappies definitely saves money in the long run, the initial outlay can sometimes be difficult to find. That’s why many Local Authorities fund incentive schemes, to help new parents with the cost of the essentials.

There are several different types of incentive schemes available, including vouchers, cashback, trial kits, loans/payment schemes and free samples.

Vouchers

Vouchers can be worth up to £50, although it varies from region. The vouchers are issued by a Local Authority and can usually be redeemed with a number of different retailers, giving parents the chance to shop around for the best deals.  Occasionally there are also vouchers available for nappy laundry services.

Cashback

Once parents have bought the Real Nappies they might be able to apply to Local Authority to get some of the money back. It is worth checking out the local scheme before purchasing nappies as it might be required to buy nappies from registered retailers. The minimum spend and amount of money parents can get back might vary too. Some councils give cashback even for purchasing second-hand nappies, so this might be a great way of saving money.

The receipts need to be kept as proof of purchase and the payment might be split in two, so parents can get more money the longer they continue to use Real Nappies.
Trial Kits

Trial kits allow parents to test a whole range of Real Nappy types and styles at home, on the baby, helping to make the best decision on which nappy to use.The kits are usually lent out for up to a month, some will require deposits which are given back on return of the kit. Trial kits are offered by local retailers and advisory groups as well as Local Authorities.

Free Samples

Some Local Authorities might offer a free starter pack to get parents going with Real Nappies.  These can be great to help parents save money and decide the best nappy for their baby.

Loans/Payment Schemes

In some areas of the country, loans/payment schemes are available to help with the initial cost of Real Nappies. Loans are usually low interest or interest free and can help parents spread the cost of the nappies over a longer period (Go Real, 2009).

 

References:

Fill Your Pants. (2014). Birth-to-Potty Nappy Kit. Retrieved from http://www.fill-your-pants.com/complete-nappy-kits/NK02.html

Go Real. (2009). Which real nappy?- Getting started. Retrieved from http://www.goreal.org.uk/which

Go Real. (2009). The Real Nappy Information Service: Incentive Schemes. Retrieved from http://www.goreal.org.uk/why/money/incentive

Go Real. (2009). The Real Nappy Information Service: Trial Kits. Retrieved from http://www.goreal.org.uk/trial-kits

LittleLambs.(2014). Nappy Kits. Retrieved from http://www.littlelambnappies.com/

The Clean Green Nappy Machine. (2014). Pocket or stuffable nappies. Retrieved from http://www.cleangreennappy.co.uk/pocket-or-stuffable-nappies/fz-pb2p.html

Which. (n.d.). Best nappy brands:best reusable nappy brands. Retrieved from http://www.which.co.uk/baby-and-child/shopping-and-family-finances/reviews-ns/best-nappy-brands/best-reusable-nappy-brands/

Within a new module Creativity in Contexts we were asked to develop the idea and contextualise it within a business/career development plan. To be honest I was not looking forward to another group project as I prefer working on my own. From previous experience I noticed that in the mixed specialisation groups there are always people who aren’t keen on collaborating and working as a team. In our previous group projects we had some problems as there was lack of communication caused by language barriers as well as some people were not interested in subject of research and worked on their own.

I was really pleased with fact that we can choose our own group and work with people who are interested in the similar subjects. I think this helped in terms of team work and communication. I also was happy with the form of presentation as I would rather present things visually. I am not a very good speaker and I don’t feel confident speaking in front of groups of people. I have difficulties in promoting myself and I prefer expressing myself through visual things.

From the beginning me and Jackie knew we want to present our idea visually and asked Claire if she would like to join us. Within our group we wanted to mix different skills with the similar interests.

My creative practice is mainly based on social campaigns. In previous projects I was studying the impact of social campaigns on society, people awareness and decision making. I was also looking at marketing strategies and how organisations promote their aims in an effective, efficient and sustainable way.

My last year’s project developed the idea of organ donation by the National Health Service (NHS). The idea was to design an information kit about organ donation and develop an advertising campaign. The aim of this project was to reach a wide group of people within the UK, to make them aware of organ donation needs and to encourage them to join the Organ Donation Register.

My project within the Exploration in Practice developed a social campaign for the National Trust. The idea was to create an integrated campaign that made the National Trust stand for a positive impact on people’s relationship with nature and beauty, re-establishing the importance of place in people’s life and reposition the National Trust away from its current perceived image.

Jackie is more interested in commercial work but also marketing and promotion. Currently she is working on creating an ident for Santa Monica based theater company, City Shakes.

Claire’s background is in creating shop displays. Our aim was to come up with an idea that would synthetise all our skills and would be beneficial in our future practice.

After fist session with Karen we were really pleased and we gave ourselves a week to think about our project’s title and research subject. Next few weeks we had the business sessions which I found really confusing. I didn’t enjoy it at all and I found it really uninteresting. This could be the optional sessions for people who are interested in opening their own business in the future. It wasn’t about promoting ourselves as the artists neither how to open an art related business. It was inappropriate and I found it really disappointing. I didn’t understand how to tie these sessions back with the module and our project. I spoke to my colleagues and they had the same impression and opinion. We have also discussed these sessions with Claire and Jackie to make the final decision about our project’s subject. We came up with the idea of promoting real nappies. We thought we could create a visually engaging display and if needed create a business plan too. We didn’t want to wait for the next session with Karen to check with her if our project is suitable for this module. We assumed that if we have to create a business plan we are going to do so as our subject is very flexible, but if not it would be easier to concentrate on the research and visual presentation. We have determined that in terms of our visual presentation we have limited budged as we can’t afford spending a lot of money on the materials. We made it clear that we are going to create a prototype not a finished and final piece to display. We had a very clear picture in our heads of a washing line with some baby clothes shaped posters that contain our research details surrounded by colourful flowers. Our aim was to recreate the idyllic summer days of an ‘Enid Blyton’ time gone by.