There are lots of things to think about when picking fabric for your baby slings. I have found a few things out and formed some opinions over time that I would love to share with you. Please remember that these are my own opinions!
Here are some things to think about when choosing fabric:
What is the fabric made of?
Natural fibers are best because it will be up against your baby's skin. If you look at most baby clothes they are made of 100% cotton or other natural fibers. Baby's skin, especially tiny babies, can be very sensitive and you need to be careful what you expose them to.
I am in Florida, so lightweight, cool colors are very important to me when choosing fabrics. If you live up north and are having your baby in the dead of winter, you will probably have very different qualifications for your fabric. I love the quilting section of the fabric store because they are mostly 100% cotton fabrics that are lightweight and thin. If you are looking for a heavier fabric you can look in the home decor section. Some of the home decor fabrics are 100% cotton, or mostly cotton, and they are much thicker.
You can also layer your sling and make it reversible. I even had someone ask me to make them a sling out of felt to slip over their cotton sling when it was cold outside, which I thought was a great idea.
Should it be stretchy?
I personally don't like stretch in my sling fabrics. I may not have found the right amount of stretch, but every time I have used stretchy fabric it has felt like my baby continued to sink lower and lower the longer I wore it. I like the secure feeling that cotton fabric gives me. This is a very personal preference, though.
There are a lot of fabrics that have stretch in just one direction. The ones that I am familiar with have added spandex into the mix to allow the stretch. This makes the material thicker and less breathable (uh-oh) but the stretch is available.
Should it be two-sided?
This is especially important when you are picking a fabric for a ring sling or a wrap because the tail end of the sling is very visible. You can't see the inside of a native sling as much, although it still will be a bit visible. If it bothers you that the print is only on one side, you may want to have a reversible sling made, or you may have to hunt for two-sided fabrics or just use a solid colored fabric.
