Arguably the most adaptable, but most confusing form of babywearing out there!
Ever wondered what a woven wrap is, or how to use one? How do you decide what size to buy? What about the blend or brand? These are all really common questions and whilst the answers are out there they can often be hard to find.
A woven wrap is a length of woven fabric used to carry a baby. The length can vary most commonly from 2.7m - 5.7m.
The practice of wrapping babies has existed for hundreds of years, though how it looks varies between cultures. This article is a wonderful exploration of the cultural traditions of wrapping babies.
This guide can be read in its entirity, or you can click on the links below to go directly to the section you need most.
Why should I use a woven wrap?
Why should I use a woven wrap?
A woven wrap is a great option for most people looking to wear their child. They are one of the few options that are genuinely suitable from birth until the end of your carrying days. They don't need adjusting when switching between parents or carers.
Woven wraps also offer the chance to adapt carries to suit your needs and mood. There are many pre-tieable options as well, so you can tie it before you go out, then all you need to do is pop baby in and tighten it before you're good to go. A set of sling rings can make 'poppable' carries even easier!
Whilst many people may have multiple wraps, or choose to continually update their collection, there are just as many people who stick to just the one wrap for the duration of their babywearing days. More about why people may decide to change or add new wraps to their collections can be found in the section on blends. Therefore, woven wraps can be a very cost effective option, especially given that they can easily be picked up secondhand.
Finally, they also give a wonderful way of expressing yourself outside of parenthood. They come in such a variety of colours, patterns that there truly is something for everyone.
What size do I need?
Woven wraps are generally sold in sizes starting at a 2 and going up to a 9, though size 9s are increasingly difficult to find. Most people will start with what is known as their base size. This is the smallest size in which you can comfortably tie off a Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC) which is the usual first carry to learn - see carries for more information.
In the UK the most common base size is a 6 or 7. This chart from Oscha Slings sets out how to work out your base size, however, it is not fail proof. If you are wrapping an older child you may wish to size up, and if you are particularly petite you may wish to size down. You should also be aware that base sizes can change as your child grows.
To answer the question, the short answer is: almost any size! There are common and comfortable carries that are easily available for sizes from base - 3/4 to beautiful fancy finishes with base+2 wraps.
The long answer is that it depends on what carry you would like to do. When researching woven wrap carries you will notice that they tend to refer to carries as a base carry, a base + or base - carry. In order to work out what size wrap you need it is important to work out your base size.
However, whatever wrap you opt for can still be used, regardless of your base size, which means it can still be shared between people of different base sizes - the only thing that needs adapting is the carry that you use.
Blends
Ok, so now I know what a woven wrap is, and what my base size is - how do I pick what materials I want?
The blend you pick will make a difference to how the wrap feels and wraps.
The majority of machine woven wraps have a cotton warp, and the weft yarn then varies. In the image, the warp is the yarn that is attached to the loom, the weft is the part that goes across.
Common wefts include: cotton, linen, hemp, wool and silk. They all have different properties and some may be combined so you get the benefits of different materials in the same wrap.
Cotton is an excellent allrounder. It is easycare so great for newborns who may have nappy explosions, or be sick as it can be easily washed and dried. It is fairly supportive, though better in multilayer carries for toddlers.
Linen is strong and breathable, though depending on the type of linen it can require a bit of work to break in, but is suitable for all ages. Thinner linen wraps are a great option for warmer weather. Thick linen offers more comfort on the shoulders with big kids. It is also easy care, but does wrinkle very easily!
Hemp is very much like linen, in that it offers a lot of support, but can take some work to soften up if brand new. More on methods of breaking in a wrap in this post. (Coming soon). It is also easy care, so can handle most things thrown at it! Hemp is a great option for toddlers, but if broken in can be used for newborns.
Apart from cashwool, wraps containing wool generally have to be handwashed only, and laid flat to dry. However, as a natural material they do help with temperature regulation. They generally offer a little bit of bounce and cush on the shoulders so are great for toddlers. Thinner wraps also work well for newborns.
Silks: There are several types of silks that are used in wraps and what type may vary between manufacturers, but the most common types that I have come across are bourette, peace silk and tussah silk.
Bourette and peace silk are both fairly thin and very strong. They are temperature regulating as a natural material and work well for all ages.
Tussah silk is a bit thicker, but gives a gentle cush to the wrap which I feel works better for bigger babies and toddlers.
In the picture you can see how much thicker the Tussah wrap on the left is when compared the the peace silk one on the right.
GSM
GSM refers to the weight of the wrap, the higher the GSM the thicker the wrap is likely to feel. For someone with a small baby and limited experience of wrapping I would recommend opting for a wrap that is around or less than 250gsm - this makes it somewhat easier to learn as the wrap is fairly thin in hand and easier to work with.
However, for a toddler, you may prefer something a bit heavier for more support, unless you are using multilayer carries - which I tend to anyway. However, even if using single layer carries I would recommend sticking to a wrap under 300gsm and closer to 280gsm would likely be easier.
Where to buy a woven wrap
There are many places you can purchase a woven wrap in the UK. Once you have an idea of what size you want, you can search the various manufacturer or distributer websites.
If you would like to buy brand new the main UK manufacturers are: Oscha Slings, Firespiral Slings, Marisso, Yume, and Joy and Joe
UK distributers are a great way to access European brands without worrying about customs charges. Ruth at Carrying Connects is a UK retailer of Little Frog slings, which are a very reasonably priced option for beginning your wrapping journey. She also regularly places orders so if she hasn't got something in stock she will likely be able to get it for you, though you may have to wait for the order to come through.
There are several UK retailers of Lenny Lamb slings:
Moor to Sea Slings - https://2ndlyfe.co.uk/
Wear my Baby - https://wearmybaby.co.uk/?s=lenny&id=149288
Sling Spot - https://www.sling-spot.co.uk/product-category/woven-wraps/lennylamb-woven-wraps/
Outside of the UK, Yaro wraps are very good with ensuring that parcels under £135 are appropriately labelled to ensure no customs charges, but the postage is a little steep. However, their wraps are less expensive than some other brands.
Mokosh is another brand that I love, but at the time of writing I am unsure of their import and postage costs to the UK.
There are so many other reputable and excellent brands, but I have only listed the ones I have experience with here.
If you would like to buy second hand, there is usually a good variety of wraps listed on vinted, and on facebook in the babywearing groups, and brand specific groups, so it is always worth checking these groups out if you use social media.
Finally, don't forget to contact your local sling library if you would like support when buying your first wrap - they are able to give you advice on your choice and often a discount code too!
How do I use a woven wrap?
Using your wrap really depends on how old your child is, and what size wrap you have. However, to get you started I have included some carries below with links to reputable tutorials on youtube. They are organised by the minimum size wrap you will need. You can use longer wraps if you have them. I have tried to include a mixture of pre-tied carries and ones that you tie as you go.
Front Carries
Base - 2
Pre-Tied Kangaroo carry - this carry can also be tied around a sleeping child and is a lovely newborn carry.
Front Wrap Cross Carry Tied under Bum (FWCC TUB) - this is a variation on the usual beginner carry that can be done with a shorter wrap. It is suitable for all ages of front carrying.
Short Cross Carry - this is not great for children who lean a lot, but is a lovely pre-tie carry. The carry in the image is a variation which is pretied in the same manner, but the top pass goes over both legs instead of under one leg and over the other. It is tightened in the same manner.
Base - 1
Short Anne's Cross Carry - Suitable for all ages of front carrying. This is a supportive and leaner friendly carry.
Base
Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC) this is the usual starting point for learning to wrap as it gives you the opportunity to learn how to tighten the wrap properly. There are many variations on this for how it can be finished. Some common variations are a pond finish and a lexi twist.
Front Double Hammock - this is a lovely carry for pre-tying, especially if you use a ring to secure it as it can then be easily 'popped' and tightened as required and you don't need to keep rewrapping throughout the day. As a double layer carry it is super comfortable for bigger kids too! I have finished with a ring in the image, but you can finish with a secure double knot too.
Anne's Front Wrap Cross Carry - this is the full length version of the short carry above, but gives longer, swishier tailes. This is an alternative method for tying it, but if you prefer the way of tying in the short version, that is fine too!
Base +1
Popparoo carry - this is a lovely carry for all ages and very supportive. It also looks incredibly pretty. With experience you may also find you can do this with a
shorter wrap.
Back Carries
Back carries are where shorter wraps really come into their own. Many carries are easily adapted to suit the size of wrap you own. Once you have mastered getting baby on your back and tying a ruck it can become quite fun, exploring new carries together and finding what works for you. This youtube playlist is a good starting point for learning about back carrying.
There are several methods you can use to get your child on your back, the most common ones are:
Superman Toss with a small baby
Superman Toss with a standing child
Santa Toss - this is generally used for very little babies
You may need to practice to find the method that works best for you, and I would highly recommend doing so with someone to catch baby if anything goes wrong, or by sitting on the edge of a bed or sofa so there is a close and soft landing until you are confident!
Carries
Base – 4
Ruck tied under bum (Ruck TUB) – A basic ruck is the foundation of most back carries, and this one can be done with a very short wrap if you tie it off behind you under your child’s bum. This video shows it using the hip scoot method.
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Base – 3
Double Hammock – Double Rings (DHDR) – this is a great carry for heavier children with the second layer giving more support, and being more comfortable for the caregiver.
Ruck with a Candy Cane Chest Belt (Ruck CCCB) – this is a lovely carry and still a basic carry. The chestbelt option ensures that the straps don’t slip and looks really pretty too! This carry starts off centre, which isn't shown in the video.
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Base -2
Base-2 wraps are a really popular size for a short wrap as they give you a lot of options to play with, but less fabric to work with.
Ruck Tied in Front (Ruck TIF) – This is a basic ruck and a good starting point for learning to back carry.
Shepherd’s Carry – this is a more complicated carry with multiple layers, but a great back carry for leaners and bigger babies/toddlers. It is fairly supportive and looks pretty as well! The video below shows it with a flipped chest pass which helps with leg strighteners!
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Base -1
Double Hammock Tied at Shoulder (DH TAS) – This is another multilayer carry so is good for bigger children. It is also a nice carry for children who like to lean!
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Ruck tied knotless Tibetan – This is a great all round carry and is another variation of the basic ruck.
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Base
Back Wrap Cross Carry (BWCC) – this is a great bigger child option, however, it isn’t great for leaners. There are a couple of different methods for this.
Xena finish - this can be done with a ring.
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Double Hammock (DH) Â - this is a good carry to move on to after a basic ruck and once mastered you can do lots of fancy finishes with a longer wrap.
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There are many more back carries available that you can try, but I recommend starting with these as it will get you used to how the passes work and what works best for you and your child. Most of the above carries also have fancy finish options that you can do with base+ wraps.
Summary
Whilst this guide has aimed to give you somewhere to start with woven wraps, it is impossible to give you every scrap of information and it was intended to be a starting point. There are a lot of excellent resources online, and your local sling library will be able to offer you further in person support.
As with any type of baby carrier - if you are unsure seek professional support. This guide is not intended to be a tutorial, but a basic guide to selecting and using a woven wrap.
There is no affiliation with any of the companies or videos linked in this article.
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