Category Archives: Woven wrap reviews

Daiesu Jigsaw Mustard review

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Manufacturer – Daiesu

Design – Jigsaw

Colour – Mustard

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 260 gsm

Width of wrap – 70cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – 320 MYR (approximately £48)

Provided to me by – Daiesu

Website – Daiesu

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We recently hosted a Daiesu Jigsaw Mustard tester wrap for a short while. It is the first Daiesu wrap we’ve tried, although I’ve admired their jigsaw design for quite some time due to the simplicity but effectiveness of the design. I would think this design would appeal to many different people and of either gender, and with 8 different colours available at the time of writing there’s bound to be one to suit most tastes.

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The wrap had already been travelling for a while before arriving with us, and was lovely and soft and floppy on arrival. We tested it out with both front and back carries for walks and shopping trips, trying a front wrap cross carry, a ruck finished knotless tibetan and a double hammock with freshwater finish. I found it really nice to wrap with, it moulded round Reu (19 months at time of testing), and I really comfortably and was easy to tie. The passes for the double hammock spread easily and slid over each other without too much friction. And the knotless finish held well for our walk to the park, without any slipping. It was perfectly supportive for toddler Reu but would also be suitable for younger babies too, and with a width of 70cm there’s plenty of room for bigger children too.

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Overall, we enjoyed Jigsaw’s short holiday here, and have since ordered a dyed Sandbox wrap from Daiesu which I’m looking forward to trying out too. This is a great quality all round wrap, especially when you consider how reasonably they are priced.

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Yaro La Vita custom dyed by All the Small Things review

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Manufacturer – Yaro slings

Design – La Vita

Colour – White initially, dyed by All the Small Things

Blend – 40% linen 60% cotton

Weight – 230 gsm

Size tested – 7

Retail price of tested design and size – £77 plus dying costs

Provided to me by – Pour La Bebe and All the Small Things

Website – Pour La Bebe and All the Small Things

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A quick review on the Yaro La Vita linen blend that briefly visited us recently as part of a giveaway (now ended but check out the page  for more), on Sling Sally in conjunction with Pour La Bebe who stock a range of baby carriers and accessories, and All the Small things who expertly dyed the wrap.

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Despite being a brand new linen blend wrap which could have made it a little stiff to use I actually found the wrap really nice to wrap with. It was nice and sturdy but still flexible for use and was plenty supportive enough for toddler Reu. It’s not a thick wrap so would be nice to use any time of the year. I don’t think it would take much use at all to be fully broken in.

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As for the dye job, it was quite simply beautiful. Lindsay at All the Small Things is a true master of her craft, and had created a stunning design with wrap width rainbows at each end and a lovely lotus design marking the centre point of the wrap. I have got some of Lindsay’s other tie dye work and can vouch that it’s all to a very high standard. She offers a custom service including dying both stretchy and woven wraps as well as many other items.

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We loved this wraps brief visit with us, both for its wrapping qualities and the beauty of the dye design.

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Bebe Sachi Warna review

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Manufacturer – Bebe Sachi

Design – Warna

Colour – Rainbow

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 192gsm

Width of wrap – 60cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – £123

Provided to me by – Bebe Sachi

Website – Bebe Sachi

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Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

I don’t know where to start with Warna, as it is so much more than just a wrap! I picked up this tester from the Bebe Sachi stand at the European Babywearing Conference, and also attended Azizah’s (from Bebe Sachi) workshop on the handloom legacy and the work that Bebe Sachi do helping people in Bangladesh. Bebe Sachi are a social enterprise providing employment for hand weavers in their own villages, thus enabling them to stay with their families and to maintain their heritage of handweaving. The weavers weave when suits them, fitting this work in around other work such as farming, family duties and religious festivals. By keeping the men in employment within the villages, this means the land can still be farmed fully and the women and children are also safer from the violence that is unfortunately a problem in this area of the world. So families can stay together, maintaining their heritage, and be safer, all because Bebe Sachi buy all of their output (fabric not suitable for baby wraps is made into bags and other accessories). So, from all of that you can probably tell I was inspired by Azizah’s talk and the ethos of Bebe Sachi.

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My initial thoughts on Warna (meaning colour in Malay), were that the colours are stunning, a really vibrant and cheerful rainbow, and in fact the brightness of this wrap is why it was selected for me to review, due to my Facebook page about how babywearing can help with postnatal depression (Sling Sally on Facebook). Instantly from brand new the wrap felt lovely and soft and floppy, there was no stiffness to it at all. Warna is a little narrower than Bebe Sachi’s usual width, and was designed with teaching and learning in mind as the different coloured rails are brilliant for demonstrating as well as understanding yourself which rail you are working with.

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I have been using Warna frequently now for over a month and it is a dream to wrap with. We’ve used it for front and back carries, and for short and long trips and I cannot fault it in any way. It seems to mold itself around Reu (18 months old), and I , and wrapping with it feels effortless. Reu feels weightless despite being an active and occasionally bouncy (in the wrap), toddler, so I would say Warna is supportive enough from newborn up to toddler (and I expect beyond). The narrower width should also help when wrapping a smaller newborn. The passes stay where you put them, and knotless finishes hold very well as there is a good amount of grip to the wrap, but not so much that there is friction when you are spreading passes. The wrap feels quite thin and light, but it hasn’t once pinched or dug anywhere (which can sometimes be a problem with thinner wraps), and has been very comfortable to use. It’s been quite hot here recently and Warna has been lovely and cool to use, even on hot days, and even though the tester wrap is a size 6. I’ve also used Warna to demonstrate some carries and the bright and different coloured rails have definitely helped with both the demonstration and the understanding of the audience.

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Overall thoughts

I love Warna! It has been a real pleasure to test Warna for Bebe Sachi and I have loved wrapping with it every time I have used it. Unfortunately they are out of stock or I would have added Warna to my personal stash, but instead I have added Bebe Sachi Biru and in the short time it’s been here I can already say it’s also brilliant, and I’ll also be keeping my eyes open for a Warna of my very own.

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Bebe Sachi are excellent value and quality handwoven wraps, being half to a third of the cost of many other handwoven wrap producers. Add to that the good they are doing for the communities and families they are working with, and you can’t go wrong with a wrap from them.  

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Serena Slings Fairytale review

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Manufacturer – Serena Slings

Design – Fairytale

Colour – Purple

Blend – 55% linen, 45% cotton

Weight – 290gsm

Width of wrap – 72cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – Unreleased at time of review (their released size 6 is 149 Euros)

Provided to me by – Serena Slings

Website – Serena Slings

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I was one of the first people lucky enough to test the new Serena Slings Fairytale wrap, so it was brand new when I received it. It’s a lovely purple and off white colour, with a magical design of a castle, tree, pumpkin carriage and a winged unicorn. The design is very effective from either side so both sides can be worn outwards. This wrap is quite wide at 72cm, and actually felt wider, but how wide you like a woven wrap is very much a personal preference. With quite a tight weave and 55% linen, Fairytale was a little stiff out of the box, but it noticeably softened in the short time it was with me, so although it will require some breaking in, I don’t believe it would take as long as some other linen blends that I’ve tried (and am still battling with!), and the wrap feels very strong in exchange.

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During Fairytale’s visit Reu (18 months old), and I tried out a few different carries. We tried a front wrap cross carry, a ruck with knotless tibetan finish, and a double hammock with freshwater finish. For the first uses of Fairytale it felt a bit stiff, which can be common with a new wrap (and especially linen blends). By the time I sent it on to the next tester it was noticeably easier to use and was softening nicely, so this shouldn’t be an issue for long if you were to buy one of these wraps. All three carries held very well and I found Fairytale grippy, strong and very secure. The passes stayed where I put them and didn’t slip or pull, despite a lively toddler testing them out. The knotless finish held well with no loosening at all. The double hammock with freshwater finish was very comfortable, which I put down to the secureness of the wrap job and the lack of sagging in the wrap. Some of the days we tested Fairytale it was quite hot but I never felt too warm while carrying Reu in it, which is another advantage to the linen.

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Overall, I found Fairytale to be a very good wrap. It will require some breaking in to get it soft and floppy, but I haven’t yet met a linen blend wrap that doesn’t need breaking in, and it’s already in a better state than a Natibaby linen blend that I bought pre loved (and that I really must put some more time into!). So don’t let this put you off, as in exchange the linen will provide strength and a coolness to your wrap, and will be worth the effort. Reu’s a lively toddler and Fairytale stood up to his weight and jiggling about very well, and could take a much heavier toddlers weight well. Serena Slings are a new company and have just released their first design called Florella, which is a beautiful butterfly design, with Fairytale and Tyger soon to follow. All three designs are lovely (Fairytale is definitely my favourite though), so I look forward to seeing the company grow and their future designs.

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Mokosh-wrap Sirin Colombina review

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Manufacturer – Mokosh-wrap

Design – Sirin

Colour – Colombina

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 248gsm

Size tested – 4

Retail price of tested design and size – 130 euros

Provided to me by – Mokosh-wrap

Website – Mokosh-wrap

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This is a quick review of Sirin as unfortunately Reu and I weren’t very well while Sirin was here so we didn’t get as much chance to try it out as we would have liked.

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I really like the design, it initially reminded me of flames, but when I read the inspiration behind the wrap (Columbine is a street theatre character from the Medieval ages), it fitted perfectly. Sirin came for testing along with Eywa, and they both arrived in a rather nice and very spacious drawstring bag, with the Mokosh-wrap logo on (always a nice touch).

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The weave feels quite tight and there’s not much stretch or give to the wrap, but it feels very strong, and the passes stayed exactly where they were put with no sagging at all. The slight texture to the weave helped the wrap hold a knotless finish well, with no slipping at all. I have definitely wrapped with softer wraps, but this wrap makes up for that with it’s strength and ease of use. And I expect it will soften further with continued use.

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Reu (17 months) and I used Sirin for a walk, with a ruck carry finished knotless tibetan. It was comfortable and didn’t pull at all, I think because it stayed exactly where I put it, so there was no sagging to alter the weight distribution from where I wanted it. Reu fell soundly asleep so Sirin gets his seal of approval! The tester wrap we had here was a size 4, but I think it’s probably a long four (should have measured to check), as I usually need a size 5 to have enough length for a knotless tibetan finish. I also had a go with Sirin and our demo doll. I tried a front cross carry with a ring finish and it held well.

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Overall, I found Sirin a really nice wrap to use, it’s very strong, has a lovely design and held the carries very well. And having looked at Mokosh-wrap’s Facebook page, they have lots of other gorgeous designs.

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Mokosh-wrap Eywa Tree review

 

IMG_20150702_160113764Manufacturer – Mokosh-wrap

Design – Eywa

Colour – Tree

Blend – 48% cotton, 52% silk

Weight – 262gsm

Size tested – 7

Retail price of tested design and size – 194 euros

Provided to me by – Mokosh-wrap

Website – Mokosh-wrap

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This is a quick review of Eywa as unfortunately Reu and I weren’t very well while Eywa was here, so we didn’t get as much chance to try it out as we would have liked.

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The Eywa design is beautiful (and comes in other colours if green isn’t your taste). As anyone who has seen my personal stash will know, blues and greens are very much my favourite colours, so I was really pleased to open the Mokosh travelling wrap bag (very spacious drawstring bag with the lovely Mokosh-wrap logo on), and find this green beauty (along with the vibrant Sirin). The design has a lovely grippy embossed feel to it and the silk makes it shimmer in the light.

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As with the other Mokosh-wrap I tried, Eywa has quite a tight weave with minimal stretch, but feels very strong in exchange. It’s also not as soft as other wraps I’ve tried but I expect it will soften with further use.

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Reu (17 months) and I used Eywa for a front wrap cross carry and went for a walk together. The wrap was really easy to use, the passes spread well and stayed exactly where they were put and I found it very supportive. The green almost sparkles in the sun, it really is very beautiful. I also had a go with a back carry using our demo doll, as Reu was quite hot and bothered. I tried a double hammock with freshwater finish, which was very comfortable. I found Eywa easy to use and make the passes with, and they stayed in place well.

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Overall, it was a pleasure to have Eywa here and I enjoyed carrying Reu with this wrap. What this wrap lacks in softness, it more than makes up for with strength and beauty, and I was pleased with how well it held the carries I tried.

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Lawilde Latreille Aveta

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Manufacturer – Lawilde

Design – Latreille

Colour – Aveta

Blend – 39% Egyptian cotton, 35% Merino, 26% Linen

Weight – 270gsm

Size tested – 4

Retail price of tested design and size – £205

Provided to me by – Holiday from a friend

Website – Lawilde

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A brief review from me of the lovely Aveta, as I only got to try her briefly before the beautiful butterflies had to fly on to their next holiday home.

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The Latreille design is stunning, a simple repetition of butterflies which alternate which way up they are (so you don’t have to worry about having the wrap the ‘right’ way up for the design), but very effective as a design. I was definitely sad to see this beauty leave at the end of our holiday.

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This wrap feels quite thin but so very strong, and it was really nice to wrap with. Passes glided over each other and stayed where they were put. The wrap is very smooth, although not as soft as other wraps I’ve used, and almost silky to the touch. When you wrap with it, you can really feel how strong the blend is (cotton, merino, linen). I used Aveta in hot weather and at no point felt hot and bothered while carrying Reu, again thanks to the blend. I only got the chance to try two carries, a front wrap cross carry tied under bum, and a simple ruck tied at waist. Both were comfortable and stayed in place well, although I could have done with sandwiching the ruck straps if we’d gone for a longer walk.

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Overall, I enjoyed our short holiday with Aveta, and would definitely welcome the butterflies into our stash if the opportunity arose. A classic beauty, with a strong backbone to support you and your child of any age.

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Pure Baby Love grey review

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Manufacturer – Pure Baby Love

Design – Pure baby

Colour – Grey

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 225gsm

Width of wrap – 70cm

Size tested – 7

Retail price of tested design and size – 75 Euros (foreign currency fee is extra)

Provided to me by – Pure Baby Love

Website – Pure Baby Love

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Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

I can’t get over how soft this wrap is, right out of the box! I received a brand new wrap and it feels really lovely and floppy straight away, and quite light too. Currently Pure Baby Love wraps come in three colours, pink, blue and grey, but more colours are in the pipeline. The grey wrap that I received is a lovely soft and subtle shade of grey. I was a little worried that it would seem harsh or industrial but it’s not at all and is actually a really nice colour for a wrap, maybe for those who don’t want to be wearing a bright rainbow wrap! Being grey, it’s also a great unisex colour for babies and wearers alike. When I went to wash the wrap before use I initially thought it didn’t have a washing instructions label, but then I realised they were on the middle marker. I like this touch as there’s just the one label, so less chance of it sticking out of your finished carry. It also came nicely packaged and with a lovely little wooden plaque that says ‘Enjoy the little things’, a nice extra touch and great advice.

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Front carry thoughts

I tried the Pure Baby Love wrap out a few times in a front wrap cross carry, both with bunched and spread passes. It remained lovely and soft after it’s wash and just as floppy, which made it really easy to wrap with. Reu and I went for a walk as he was grumpy from teething and being overtired, but he settled quickly in the wrap and went on to have a nap in it, remaining asleep even after we got home and I sat down (usually a bit of a gamble on my part as to if he’ll wake up when I stop moving). I found that the wrap was well cushioned on my shoulders, so was suitable for 16 month old Reu’s weight. The slight stretch was enough to make it easy to use without it making tightening harder. Clare, who co-runs a local sling library also had a go and commented on the softness of the wrap and that it had a nice amount of give to it.

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Back carry thoughts

I put the Pure Baby Love wrap to the test with three different back carries, a ruck finished knotless tibetan, a double hammock with saltwater finish, and Christina’s ruckless. I found it really easy to use due to the floppiness of the wrap. It was easy to make the passes for the carries and threading the tibetan passes through the ruck straps was no bother at all as there was no stiffness or friction catching. Again, I was impressed by the softness of the wrap, and it felt well cushioned on my shoulders in the ruck carry, even with gathered ruck straps (if I find a wrap digs in on my shoulders then I tend to sandwich rather than gather the shoulders to make the carry more comfortable). The double hammock with saltwater finish was very supportive, and the ease of use of this wrap made it simple to make the passes required for this carry. We went for a half hour walk with Reu wrapped in the double hammock carry and it remained comfortable throughout, and Reu settled happily while we admired the local horses. On all three back carries the wrap stayed where I had put it well, with minimal movement or sagging. I had never tried a Christina’s ruckless before this time, and Reu was not himself either, so it wasn’t a great wrap job! However that was purely down to Reu and I rather than the wrap, and the ease of use of this wrap meant I did at least manage the carry; with a stiffer wrap I don’t think I would have managed it quick enough for Reu’s mood.

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Knotless finish thoughts

As the tester wrap was a size seven, I ended up loosely tying the tails behind me on the knotless tibetan finish ruck, but without applying pressure to the knotless point, so that I could still assess how well it held. It was easy to pass the tails through the ruck straps as the softness of the wrap means there is very minimal friction. Despite this lack of friction the knotless finish still held well for our walk.

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Overall thoughts

I have been really impressed with this wrap, especially the softness and the price. It’s been really easy to use straight from new and I’ve not come across many wraps that are as soft and floppy as this from brand new. While it is perfectly suited to experienced wrappers, I think it would make an ideal wrap for someone new to wrapping as they won’t have to worry about breaking it in. It’s so soft it would be lovely for a newborn, but was also plenty strong enough for me to comfortably carry my toddler around in. I look forward to seeing the future colours and designs that they come up with (purple and royal blue are now available for pre-order). Lovely wrap and at a great price.

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Joy and Joe King of the Birds review

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Manufacturer – Joy and Joe

Design – King of the birds

Colour – Brown (Chrysaetos)

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 255gsm

Width of wrap – 63cm

Size tested – Medium (4)

Retail price of tested design and size – £110

Provided to me by – Joy and Joe

Website – Joy and Joe Baby

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Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

Anyone who’s seen my posts involving my personal wraps will know this is very much ‘my’ colour! It’s stunning! It’s a really vibrant colour and the fabric has a beautiful sheen to the ‘right’ side thanks to the sateen weave. It’s been difficult to photograph how it shimmers in the light so you’ll just have to take my word for it. The eagle design feels a very strong and confident design to me, and would look totally at home on either a man or a woman. The name of the brown weft (Chrysaetos) is the latin species name of the Golden Eagle, and the other colourway King of the Birds comes in has a black weft (Verreauxii), named after the Black Eagle, which I think is a nice touch. This wrap came to me brand new, and was soft and floppy straight out of the bag (a nice touch from Joy and Joe is that their wraps come in lovely bags).

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Front carry thoughts

I tried King of the Birds out in a front wrap cross carry, tied under bum. Reu was getting a little grumpy before bed but he quickly settled once wrapped. I found it easy to wrap with and it was comfortable. There’s not too much stretch to this wrap so it didn’t move from where I placed it and was fully supportive for my toddler. Although it was easy to use, because it’s new I ended up with what felt like quite a big knot, but this will decrease as the wrap gets further broken in. Having said that it’s not at all stiff to use and I wouldn’t say it needed breaking in, just that it will get even softer with further use.

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Back carry thoughts

I put King of the Birds to the test in four different back carries. We tried it with a double hammock with single ring finish, a ruck tied at waist, a ruck tied at shoulder with candy cane chest belt, and a ruck with single ring finish at waist.

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I always forget how comfortable double hammock with single ring finish is, and this wrap was perfect for it. The ‘odd’ side of the wrap gave good grip for the ring finish and the wrap held perfectly and really comfortably. It didn’t budge at all, the passes were easy to make and stayed exactly where I put them, and the wrap felt very supportive.

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Reu was in full wriggle mode for the ruck tied at waist (he was excited as he’d nabbed my selfie stick so he was enjoying waving it around and banging it on Mummy’s head!). Despite this, the wrap was still comfortable and didn’t pull on my shoulders, and the seat held well despite all his bouncing up and down!

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We went out geocaching with King of the Birds and I had Reu in a ruck tied at shoulder with candy cane chest belt. I found it supportive and sturdy, even when climbing across ditches, searching and bending down frequently.

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The ruck with single ring finish was also a comfortable and supportive carry with this wrap.

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Ring finish thoughts

I tried two different ring finishes with King of the birds (double hammock with single ring finish and ruck with single ring finish at waist), and both times the wrap held well through the ring. The sateen side was easy to pass through the ring and the textured ‘odd’ side provided good grip. I used a large sling ring for both the double hammock and ruck, but maybe would have been better with a medium sized ring for the ruck.

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Overall thoughts

I have really enjoyed having King of the Birds here to stay. It’s a beautiful wrap with a vibrant colour and the design is really striking and powerful without being overwhelming. As with other Joy and Joe wraps I’ve tried it’s lovely quality and really nice to wrap with. It’s very supportive and would suit toddlers as well as newborns. Although it’s not as instantly floppy to wrap with as Joy and Joe’s new Fountains of Love range (see my review for Fountains of Love here http://slingsally.com/?p=18 ), it’s still easy to use from brand new and will just get even softer and more flexible with further use. Ben had a quick go too and really liked the colour and design. Overall, King of the Birds is a great wrap and it’s a shame it has to fly on to a new home.

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Yaro Black Turtle review

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Manufacturer – Yaro

Design – Turtle

Colour – Black

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 230g/m2

Width of wrap – 66cm

Size tested – 5

Retail price of tested design and size – £44

Provided to me by – Pour La Bebe (www.pourlabebe.co.uk)

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Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

The plain black looks really quite classy, and the weave pattern, which reminded me of Roman mosaic designs, is subtle but adds to the overall effect. Being all black it would go with anything, to any event and work for either a man or woman. This wrap arrived to me brand new but was already light and floppy, straight out of the packaging. Because there was no stiffness to it, it was really easy to use straight away. There is some stretch to the wrap, and the texture of the weave design looks like it should provide enough grip to hold a knotless finish well.

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Front carry thoughts

I used Black Turtle for a front wrap cross carry tied under bum for Reu, my 15 month old toddler. I found it really nice and floppy to work with, and found the slight stretch of the wrap added to the ease of wrapping. It was very comfortable and Reu was asleep within seconds (I hadn’t even finished tying the knot!).

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Back carry thoughts

The first back carry I tried with this wrap was a ruck with knotless tibetan finish (a personal favourite carry). The wrap is a good width and was flexible enough even from new to easily form a good seat. It was very easy to work with but I did find that it wasn’t as cushioned on the shoulders as some other wraps I have tried.

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I had just bunched the ruck straps for the knotless tibetan ruck carry so when I next used the wrap for a basic ruck tied at waist, I sandwiched the shoulders, and this completely solved the comfort problems. I carried Reu in this ruck with sandwiched shoulders for quite some time and it remained comfortable throughout.

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I also tried a double hammock with single ring finish and a ruck with sandwiched shoulders, twist in front and ring finish at waist. I found both comfortable and the wrap held well and was easy to work with.

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Knotless finish thoughts

When I tried the ruck finished knotless tibetan I found the texture of the weave held well without being so textured as to make it difficult to make the passes and the wrap didn’t slip at all.

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Ring finish thoughts

I tried a couple of ring finishes while Black Turtle was with us. First was a double hammock with single ring finish using a large sized sling ring. I found this a comfortable carry and it held well through the ring.

The second ring finish I tried was a ruck with ring finish at waist. I was using a large sized sling ring but I think a medium would have held the finish better. Despite this it still held well and was comfortable.

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           Overall thoughts

When this wrap first arrived I was worried I would find the plain black a bit boring, as I usually go for brighter coloured wraps. But I actually really loved it; it went with everything and I found myself reaching for it frequently. It was easy to wrap with and supportive for my toddler, especially once I’d sandwiched the ruck straps. I noticed it softening in the few weeks it was with me and I’m sure it will continue to do so in its new home at a local sling library (thanks to Pour La Bebe’s very generous donation). I found it easy to use straight from new and really liked the design of the textured weave. It’s a great wrap for the price and could be a real use anywhere for anything kind of wrap.

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Ben had a couple of quick goes too and found it sturdy with good grip, so he felt confident in his finishes. He also liked the texture and colour so found it a good unisex design.

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