Review: Bambino Mio miosolo*
Product Name: Bambino Mio miosolo
Company:Bambino Mio Ltd
Country of Origin: China
Materials: Outer: 100% polyester laminated to polyurethane (PUL); Core: 85% polyester, 15% nylon; Inner: 100% Polyester
Diaper Type: One-Size (OS) All-In-One (AIO)
Width of Gusset: 17cm (6.75")
Weight Range: birth - toilet training
Height of front rise at each setting (approx.): Small — 16.5cm (6.5″); Medium — 18.5cm (7.25″); Large — 20.5cm (8″)
Dry weight: 121g
Saturated weight**: 329g
Absorbency: 208 ml
Approximate Cost: $24.00
The miosolo is an All-In-One diaper, intended for use from birth until toilet training. The packaging doesn't indicate a specific weight range but, after comparing it with similar diapers I own, I would just it to be approximately 8lbs - 35lbs. It is manufactured in China by a UK-based company.
The diaper consists of a PUL exterior for moisture-proofing. The attached polyester microfiber tongue is stuffed into a pocket , topped with stay-dry material, keeping baby's bum nice and dry. The miosolo has Velcro-style closure at the waist, and rise snaps for adjusting the size. The leg and waist elastic is nice and stretchy with generous give, ensuring a snug but not tight fit.
Overall, I really like the fit and function of this diaper. The stuffable tongue has loops on it to make it easier to remove from the pocket, but I usually open the mouth of the pocket and let the washing machine draw it out during the cycle. I was less-satisfied with the fold-back wash tabs. Made from a low pile Velcro-like material, I found that they failed more often than they worked -- a concern to me, due to the damage it could potentially cause to itself or other diapers in the wash.
I found the gusset quite wide -- not a problem for me with a 27lb, 2 year old, however, I suspect this would be extremely bulky on a newborn. The PUL exterior is beautifully soft and silky, without the crunchiness of many pockets and AIO diapers. The difference between each of the size settings is fairly generous -- in my opinion, 8lb-15lb at the smallest, 15lb-25lb, and then 25lb+ when fully open.
Being a one-size diaper, it has all of the usual shortcomings -- the most notable being wear and tear on the elastic. It was nice to see that the Bambino Mio miosolo elastic is turned and top-stitched, creating casings that could be used for future elastic replacement. I'm not a fan of microfiber, due to the odor issues that generally follow, but for a second (or third!) child the stuffable insert could be removed and the pocket stuffed with something else. In fact, the pocket also allows me to stuff a little something extra in for added absorbency at bedtime -- always a good feature to have!
Things I would change about this diaper:
I would like to see them use a natural fiber like cotton or bamboo instead of the microfiber. I would also like to see them use a different style of wash tabs, or get rid of the Velcro-like closure altogether in favor of snaps. Narrowing the gusset would make this a less bulky diaper for smaller babies. Having the stuffable insert snap onto the pocket opening (and, therefore, making it easily replaced when the time comes) would be fantastic! I would like to see the diapers made in the UK or in North America instead of China.
I am neither in love with diaper, nor disenchanted with it. It does more or less exactly what it is supposed to do (wash tabs excepted), and it does it well. The price point is similar to other diapers in this style (stuffable OS AIOs). It is reasonable value for the money. To see where it stacks up against other diapers, you can check out my Cloth Diaper and Insert Absorbency rankings.
Boy #3 and I give this diaper 3 thumbs up.
*Disclosure: I was provided this diaper free of charge through a supplier at the shop where I work, in exchange for a review.
** Clean, dry diaper thoroughly soaked in water and then allowed to hang for 15min, until no more water dripped from fabric.