Izmi Baby Bamboo Wrap Review

The Izmi Baby Bamboo Wrap is Izmi's 3rd carrier, and just like the other two it's simply genius.  You'd probably guess designing a stretchy wrap is really easy - I mean its just a long bit of material right?  Well no, having compared over 15 different stretchy wraps, the smallest changes to the stretch, width, composition of the material, thickness, length, finishing etc can make a huge difference in how easy or hard the finished wrap is to use.  The Izmi wrap is genius because the designer, Emily Williamson (who is a babywearing consultant and sling librarian) has thought about all these tiny differences in immense detail to produce a wrap that's subtlety different to anything else on the market, and absolutely perfect for the tiniest of newborns all the way through to older babies.

Made from 97% Bamboo viscose, the Izmi wrap is super soft and has a luxurious sheen and beautiful drape.  But it doesn't just look good - it has 2 way stretch and consequently is very easy to tie and to use.  However, where it differs to most other 2 way stretchy wraps is that it is much less stretchy than others.  It still stretches equally in both horizontal and vertical dimensions but much less so compared to many other wraps on the market ... only 1.6x in each direction verses 1.8-2x for most others.

This reduced stretch makes this wrap more supportive, but without comprising ease of use.   It's just magic!  For most wraps it's a trade off between the two, easy to use but not as supportive for bigger babies, OR more supportive but a steeper learning curve to get the tying and the tightness right.  Izmi have absolutely managed to nail that magic middle ground where the wrap is a total piece of cake to tie and it will continue feeling supportive enough to carry you baby as they grow for as long as you want.

It's weight tested from 5 lb (2.3 kg) so this is definitely a wrap you can use right from birth, and it's definitely one I would choose to show a parent of a lower birth weight baby or baby born prematurely.  Interestingly the upper weight limit is 9 kg.  I was completely surprised by this as this wrap is definitely strong enough to continue supporting a baby heavier than 9 kg - indeed it works perfectly with my 11 kg 15 month old, and I am sure it will continue to be supportive enough for her for a long time to come.   I think this simply represents more realistic guidelines from Izmi - there are so many stretchy wraps that are weight tested to 13-16kg but if you put a 9 kg baby in them they stretch right out and feel really 'bouncy', 'heavy' and unsupportive.  The Izmi wrap is much stronger than many of these and will continue carrying your little one for wrap naps as long as you want, but most people find they want to move away from a stretchy wrap and onto something more structured from 6 months anyway.  Often older babies still love the stretchy wrap for a nap but prefer something less snugly and enclosing for when they are awake.  So often the higher weight limits of other brands just give new parents and unrealistic idea of how long their wrap might last for, and then parents are disappointed when their 6 month old has 'grown out' of something that in theory should last them till they are much older (for reference my son was 13 kg at age 2 and 16 kg at age 3.5!).  So I respect Izmi's decision to publish a lower, more realistic weight limit.

In terms of thickness of the material, I would say this wrap is medium - its certainly thicker than other Bamboo wraps such as the Hana Baby or the Joy and Joe, more similar in thickness to the Lifft wrap but certainly not as thick and warm as the Moby wrap.  Plus because it is Bamboo and Bamboo has thermoregulating properties it doesn't feel overly warm despite being a little thicker than others and I think this is a wrap you could definitely use all year round.

The final touch of genius in this wrap is in how it's been finished.  The top and bottom are hemmed in different colours.  Its so subtle you wouldn't notice unless you were looking but the top is hemmed in purple, the bottom in red.  Which means that you can tell the top from the bottom and thus you can tell if you've twisted the wrap.  Its such a tiny thing but can really help when your total beginner learning to use a wrap for the first time.  Likewise this wrap has a really subtle middle marker, which won't make you feel self conscious (so many wraps have these enormous logos that make you feel like the company have taken out paid advertising space across your baby's back!).

Also did I mention how I have ALWAYS wanted a red wrap, but I have never found the perfect shade until now?  Other red stretchies have always been burgundy or a pinky red, this one is at last the perfect shade of true, absolutely beautiful red.  Just the perfect colour.

All in all the Izmi Baby wrap is super soft and easy as pie to use, and I absolutely wouldn't hesitate to recommend this wrap to anyone looking for a stretchy wrap; all the way from parents of a tiny tiny baby to parents looking for something that will last a bit longer.  Cost is £45 and these can be purchased from the Sheen Slings webshop here, or by arrangement at sling library meets, consults, workshops or doorstep collection.

-Madeleine