Cloth Nappy Inserts Explained: Bamboo Cotton vs Hemp vs Bamboo Terry (Originals 2.0 Guide)

If you've ever stood in front of your nappy stash wondering "wait, which insert goes with this one again?" - you're not alone. It's one of the most common questions we hear from cloth nappy parents, especially in the first few months of building a stash.

At Mimi & Co, we offer three different insert systems for our Originals 2.0 nappies: the Original Duo (bamboo and hemp), the Bamboo Terry Duo, and our newest release, the Soft Blend Snake and Booster. They all do a brilliant job of keeping your bub dry, but each one has its own personality, fabric composition, and absorbency profile. This guide breaks down exactly what's in each insert, how the fabrics behave in real use and in the wash, and how to choose the right combination for your baby's age, wetting volume, and your own preferences around feel and care.

Whether you're just starting your cloth nappy journey or you're a long-time Mimi family looking to add variety to your stash, this is the insert comparison to bookmark.

Why Insert Choice Actually Matters

Every cloth nappy insert is built from layers of absorbent fabric, and the fabric type changes three things that matter day to day: how much liquid it holds, how fast it absorbs (so you avoid compression leaks), and how it feels and behaves over hundreds of wash cycles. Getting this right means fewer leaks, less laundry stress, and a nappy stash that actually lasts through your whole cloth nappy journey, not just the newborn stage.

Our Originals 2.0 shell system is designed so every insert option snaps in and out with ease, which means you can mix fabrics across your stash and match the insert to the moment, whether that's a hot day, an overnight sleep, or a heavy wetting toddler.

The Original Duo Inserts (Bamboo Cotton & Hemp)

This is our classic combo, and the one many long-time Mimi families know and trust.

What's in the pack:

• A 4-layer Bamboo Snake insert: 280GSM bamboo cotton, folding up to a total of 2,800GSM, holding approximately 120ml
• A 4-layer Hemp insert: 360GSM hemp cotton, adding up to 1,400GSM, holding approximately 100ml

The snake insert is built for everyday flexibility. You fold it along its length to suit babies of all shapes and sizes, then snap it into the shell for stability, so the same insert grows with your baby across multiple stages. The hemp booster is the workhorse of the duo: hemp fibre naturally absorbs up to 20% of its own weight in liquid while still feeling dry against the skin, which makes it a reliable add-on whenever you need extra protection without extra bulk.

Best suited to: families who want a tried-and-tested setup with a balance of slim fit and serious absorbency, and who like that hemp tends to become more absorbent the more it's washed.

The Bamboo Terry Duo Inserts

Think of this as the plush, cuddly cousin of the original duo.

What's in the pack:

• A 5-layer Snake insert made from 100% bamboo terry with a polyester backing, holding approximately 120ml
• A 5-layer Booster made from the same bamboo terry blend, holding approximately 100ml

The standout feature here is texture. Bamboo terry is soft, flexible, and moldable against the body, and it's the insert many parents reach for once they've tried it and find it hard to go back to anything else. With five layers instead of four, this duo also builds in a touch more absorbency by design, while still folding easily to suit your baby's size and shape.

Best suited to: babies with sensitive skin, or parents who prioritise that extra-soft, cuddly feel against bub's skin and want a slightly higher layer count for added security.

The NEW Soft Blend Snake & Booster

This is our newest evolution in insert design, built for families who want both serious absorbency and softness that actually lasts wash after wash.

What's in the range:

• A Bamboo Snake insert (120ml capacity) made from 3 layers of premium 380GSM bamboo cotton with 10% polyester blended in
• A Bamboo Booster insert (100ml capacity) in the same soft blend

The real innovation is the fabric itself: a 60% bamboo, 30% cotton, 10% polyester blend engineered to stay soft and flexible over hundreds of washes, while shrinking less over time than our original bamboo cotton blends. The snake insert can be folded in two, three, or four layers for fully customisable absorbency, reaching up to 3,420GSM in the wet zone when folded at its highest setting. That range means it works just as well for light daytime use as it does for heavy overnight wetters.

Many of our customers describe it as having the absorbency of bamboo cotton with the softness of bamboo terry, essentially combining the strengths of both older systems into one insert.

Best suited to: parents who want one insert system that adapts across day and night use, and who want a fabric that resists the shrinkage and stiffening that can happen with heavily washed cotton blends over time.

Bamboo Cotton vs Hemp vs Bamboo Terry: Quick Comparison

How to Choose the Right Insert for Your Baby

A few questions can help narrow it down:

How heavy is your baby's wetting? Newborns and light daytime wetters often do well with a single snake insert. Heavier wetters, overnight sleepers, or toddlers going longer between changes usually benefit from boosting with the hemp insert or folding the Soft Blend snake for maximum absorbency.

How important is softness against the skin? If your baby has sensitive or easily irritated skin, the Bamboo Terry Duo or the new Soft Blend range will generally feel gentler than the firmer bamboo cotton snake in the Original Duo.

How much washing will the insert see? Hemp inserts are known for becoming more absorbent over time with washing, while standard bamboo cotton blends can shrink and stiffen with heavy use. The Soft Blend fabric was specifically developed to resist that shrinkage, which makes it a strong choice for families planning to use their stash heavily across multiple children or a long nappy-wearing period.

Do you want one system or a mixed stash? Plenty of our Mimi families don't pick just one. They mix and match Original Duo, Bamboo Terry, and Soft Blend inserts depending on the season, the time of day, or simply what's clean and ready to grab from the laundry pile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix and match inserts across different nappy shells? Yes. Every insert in the Originals 2.0 range is designed to snap into the same shell system, so you can combine a hemp booster with a bamboo terry snake, or any other combination that suits your bub.

Which insert is best for overnight use? The hemp insert from the Original Duo, or the Soft Blend snake folded for maximum layers, are the most popular choices for overnight absorbency because of their higher GSM capacity in the wet zone.

Do bamboo cotton inserts shrink over time? Original bamboo cotton blends can shrink and stiffen slightly with repeated washing, which is one of the reasons we developed the Soft Blend fabric, engineered specifically to resist shrinkage while staying soft.

Is hemp insert safe for newborns? Hemp is a natural, breathable fibre that's safe for newborn skin. Many parents find it especially useful as bub grows and wetting volume increases.

Final Thoughts: There's No Wrong Choice

Here's the truth: you can't go wrong with any of these three insert systems. Want the classic, proven combo? Go with the Original Duo (bamboo and hemp). All about that plush, soft feel? The Bamboo Terry Duo is calling your name. Want the latest upgrade with extra shrink-resistance and long-lasting softness? The Soft Blend Snake and Booster is your best bet.

Many of our Mimi families end up mixing across all three ranges depending on the time of day, the season, or simply what's clean and ready to grab. The beauty of the Originals 2.0 system is that every insert is designed to snap in and out with ease, so feel free to experiment until you find your own perfect combo.

Got questions about which insert will work best for your bub? Reach out to our team. We love helping you build the ultimate nappy stash.

Shop the range:

• Original Duo Inserts (Bamboo & Hemp Cotton)
• Bamboo Terry Duo Inserts
• Bamboo Cotton Snake – NEW Soft Blend
• Bamboo Cotton Booster – NEW Soft Blend