Disclosure: I received this product free for review. All opinions remain my own.
As I’ve mentioned many times, every family has their favourite style of diaper. I am still very much a pocket diaper fan, so my favourite “style” of all-in-one (AIO) diaper (because there are many styles!) is the kind that still does have a pocket for adding additional inserts if desired. That said, this is not the case for all AIO users, so I’m reviewing this SmartBottoms Organic AIO with that in mind!
The composition of the SmartBottoms AIO reminds me of the old-style BumGenius Elementals: the fully cotton-lined inner with a sewn-in cotton insert. However, I see one major improvement on the old Elemental design: the insert is only sewn in on one side, which means a significantly reduced drying time and also the possibility of folding the insert smaller for the lower rises or doubling it up as necessary for extra absorbency. Just because this AIO doesn’t have a pocket doesn’t mean you can’t add extra inserts, either. You can easily tuck a booster under the “tongue” for naps and longer outings. I did try adding a TotsBots V4 booster to see if the diaper would hold for us overnight. While we had a leak, it may just be that I didn’t have the fit perfect that night. I think this diaper has the potential to be boosted into an overnight solution.
Love:
- I love that the insert is sewn in on only one side, which shortens dry times and means you can fold it to the right length and thickness depending on your needs;
- I always give bonus points for diapers that are North American made (in this case, in the US);
- The fit is very generous: if you follow my reviews, you know that sometimes “one size” diapers just do not accommodate Cub, who’s in the 95% percentile;
- The 100% organic cotton inner is a major selling point for many parents who are looking for the most natural fibers against baby’s skin. Plus, if a baby is sensitive to PUL (the waterproof fabric), there is no exposed PUL to touch baby’s skin on the inside of the diaper.
Love less:
- The way that the leg elastic is sewn (without a casing) means that you have to be careful that the cotton inner doesn’t turn outwards when you put the diaper on, which could lead to moisture wicking onto pants;
- The lack of a “stay dry” layer, for us, means Cub is more prone to redness unless I put a fleece liner on top. That being said, the fact that there is not a synthetic “stay dry” layer is probably a major selling point for other users;
- Slower to dry, as is the case with any cotton AIO. (But it is designed to dry as quickly as possible, given the type of material!)
Overall, I would recommend this diaper for parents specifically in the market for a natural-fiber AIO diaper that can really grow with baby and still have the customized absorbency options of other styles.
You can purchase your own SmartBottoms 3.1 Organic Cotton AIO via their website.
To find out about their Newborn AIO, check out Celeste’s review at Thinking About Cloth Diapers.
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