Bambino Mio Nappies Review

Typical price:

£12

We like:

The price; the customisable options; lack of big bum bulk

We don't like:

That there isn't enough absorbent material for long or overnight usage; the lack of an organic option

SmartPlanet judgement:

The concept behind Bambino Mio's pre-folds is sound -- not every baby wees or poos in the same place in a nappy. So you can fold these to give extra absorbency where it counts for your kid. On the other hand, an explosive emission tends to go, well, everywhere. Ultimately, to us, pre-folds represented a bit more faff for not much more saving (you save a bit of bulk, a bit of money) compared to the more secure nappies on test. But for those on a serious budget, these represent reasonable absorbency at a lower price. And, unfortunately, with lower ethical values.

Score:

Contact:

Nice Car Company at http://www.bambinomio.com/
Telephone: +44 (0)1604 883 777

This is what's called a 'pre-fold' nappy -- they sit halfway between shaped nappies and old skool terry towelling. They're cheaper than shaped nappies, and the lack of defined shaping means a bit more faffing around in folding up the inner nappy. But you have more options in terms of customising the nappy to fit your baby.

The waterproof wrap is like any other, but the nappy inside is a large cotton square with three panels that you fold. The outer panels are made from four layers and the central one is made from six to eight layers. You can fold it in various ways, depending on where you need the absorbent bit to go -- which depends on the gender and size of your baby. The nappy, now folded into a rectangle, is placed in the wrap and then done up using Velcro.

There are two advantages to pre-folds. Firstly, they're cheap. Extra nappies cost just £2-3 each, comparable to terry towelling squares. Secondly, they're far less bulky than other real nappies. And the absorbent nappy doesn't reach around the sides of the baby's bum at all, so the baby doesn't get that bottom-heavy look -- which might make them more acceptable to parents worrying about moving from disposables.

The cost-savings of a pre-fold are slightly diminished by the fact that you have to buy three or four sizes of wrap to fit your baby from birth to potty. The Bambino Mio comes in four sizes, but you probably won't want the tiny newborn size, so expect to buy three sizes: 11-16lbs, 16-21lbs and 21-27lbs. In use, these took only a few seconds more to get on than shaped nappies, and were actually more absorbent and secure than they initially appeared. But we still didn't feel confident that they would last overnight.

Bambino Mio nappies are only available in non-organic cotton and are made in China. But the fabric for the wraps is UK-sourced and then made into wraps in Lithuania -- manufacturing was moved there from China to reduce transport emissions. The company told us it regularly visits its factories in China and Lithuania to assure that working conditions are fair. Also in the ethical corner, Bambino supports the Real Aid charity, donating nappies which are sent to disadvantaged mothers all over the world.

Additional testing done by Caramel Quin

Score breakdown:

 

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