Newbie ?...Why are wraps so expensive?

aaliyah88 · July 2011

I don't get it. I REALLY want to get one because I LOVE how they look and they seem as if they'd be comfy. But why are they so much money? Also, what would be the best one to get if I end up getting one for when my baby gets bigger and becomes a toddler? I am 5'3" and under 100lb before pregnant. Is there any other basic stuff I should know about wraps? Until toddlerhood, I have a Babyhawk and Beco that I already bought, and may sell later on for a wrap when my baby is a toddler. Thanks guys!

3003girl · July 2011

I thought the same thing at first. Really, there are a lot of reasonably priced wraps from $75-$100, which for that length of fabric is not that expensive.

The more expensive ones are usually different types of fabric, like linen or wool or silk, or they are limited edition or hard to find colors/patterns.

I got a bbslen shorty for $45 and see bbslens on the fsot boards alot - they are wide and a lot of people like them for toddlers. It just takes a while to figure out what all the lingo means and what wraps are "workhorses" that generally sell for under $100. I lurked a lot to figure it out.

FWIW, I love wrapping my LO - and she is just 13 months. I really enjoyed wrapping her when she was wee - in the 2-5 month stage - and I only had a moby. I wish I had a woven then!

waterfly · July 2011

If you break it down in yardage, it's pretty comparable to the decorator fabrics you'd find at JoAnn, price-wise. A standard size-6 wrap comes to about 5 yards(not counting the extra length from the tails being on a diagonal), so say the wrap you're looking at is about $150...that's $30/yard. You could find something of similar weight in the home decorator section at JoAnn Fabrics for anywhere from $20-70(unless they're on sale), depending on design, weight, fiber, etc. And then you have to cut it and hem it after that, which does take time.

Gwyneddlesliegrace · July 2011

I make all of mine, you can get patterns online and it cost about half.

BlindysWife · July 2011

NCBelle has a stellar break-down of wraps in her blog, including a blurb on the pricetag of them. https://www.becomingmamas.com/babywearing-2/wraps/

Basically it boils down to this: its a lot of fabric. Quality fabric with a special weave that makes it more comfortable for the wearer and the baby.

Check out FSOT on thebabywearer for some deals. My husband still thinks the price is ridiculous, but agrees that the two wraps we have are worth it.