I have been almost exclusively wrapping for a while now, but Onbuhimo carriers have caught my eye, so I am going to review my first non-wrap carrier: Soul’s 100% Linen Onbuhimo in Matcha!
Soul’s Matcha Onbuhimo is a beautiful green.
Soul is a family-owned and -run baby carrier company based in India that is doing great things in the babywearing community to increase accessibility & representation. I previously reviewed a Soul wrap, Flyaway, here, and yet again I am blown away by the quality of their carriers! When I received Soul’s Matcha Onbuhimo, the first thing that struck me was how tiny it folded up. I thought there was no way that such a small carrier could carry my big LittlerHill, but I was so, so wrong!
Full disclosure, I tried to carry LittlerHill in a visiting onbuhimo once before Matcha visited us, and it did not go very well, including *one of us* yelling “NO ONBUHIMO!!!” (hint: it wasn’t me). Needless to say, I was a bit apprehensive about getting LittlerHill up in Matcha, but as soon as I took it out of the bag he said, “Ooooh, what is that GREEN? I loooooove it!” and began rubbing the fabric. Matcha is 100% linen, so it is incredibly smooshy and soft, while also being very supportive. The straps are a beautiful dark grey with padding that is more than adequate for long carries, but is also pretty low profile and not bulky at all even for a petite caregiver.
We got caught in a rain storm without an umbrella! Thank goodness for babywearing to keep LittlerHill pretty dry while we dashed to the subway entrance.
So I mentioned that I was concerned about whether Matcha would fit us. LittlerHill is in size 4T pants now, and weighs at least 35 lbs. Matcha offered a perfectly comfortable ride for LittlerHill. Even though it didn’t reach all the way from knee to knee, there are nice darts in the seat of Soul’s onbuhimo carriers that make it comfortable and supportive for a bigger kiddo like LittlerHill. Carrying him was definitely comfortable for me, which was surprising to me since I usually use a chest pass to distribute his weight when I wrap him, and onbuhimo carriers place the child’s weight on the shoulders by design. I was able to carry LittlerHill all over the city and through a rain storm pretty comfortably, although toward the end of our journey I began to feel his weight on my shoulders. I think I would have continued to be comfortable if I wore this style carrier more frequently.
My favorite thing about onbuhimo carriers is how high they carry the kiddo! LittlerHill could easily see everything, talk directly into my ear, and give me lots of kisses!
My favorite thing about onbuhimo carries is how high the kiddo is!
I think Soul’s Matcha Onbuhimo is great! It would make an especially excellent summer carrier for any kiddo that can sit comfortably and has good head control, but especially for a bigger or more independent child that likes frequent ups and downs, but sometimes needs a supportive and comfortable carrier for a walking break. The linen is airy and cool, and the carrier folds up very small for ease in carrying around in a bag.
When I was offered the opportunity to review a Soul Slings wrap, I snapped it up! This company has a great reputation, and for good reason – it is a family-run company based in India with beautiful wraps that are priced affordably AND they offer many of their wraps in sizes 8 & 9, which means the sizing is more inclusive for caregivers who have a base size that is larger than sizes 6 or 7 (the longest sizes offered by many weavers). Additionally, the jacquard wraps from Soul Slings “are woven in an ethical and environment-friendly mill from Southern India, which uses only wind and solar energy to run their entire factory. They are a completely green manufacturing unit and after using the energy they need they have surplus to send back into the grid. Only the best quality baby-safe dyes are used and no child labour is involved at any stage.” Such consciousness is rare in the babywearing industry, and other woven wrap companies could learn some things about inclusivity and accountability from Soul Slings.
I received one of their jacquard woven wraps, Flyaway, in a size 7. The first thing that struck me was the beauty of the jacquard pattern. Soul Slings describes the pattern as “drifting balloons”, but to me it seems nature-inspired and is reminiscent of dandelion puffs or Ginkgo tree leaves. The muted mustard yellow color is perfect for fall – nearly neutral, warm and flattering for most skin tones, and not too bright.
Flyaway is a beautiful muted yellow with a unique, balloon-inspired design.
Our first ups in Flyaway were on a walk to preschool. The jacquard pattern on Flyaway actually makes it quite grippy, but not so much that I couldn’t spread the passes and tighten properly. Our first carry was Wendy’s Double Hammock with a candy cane chest belt (Wendy’s DH CCCB), which is my favorite back carry at the moment. Flyaway is definitely on the grippier side, but has enough glide that it is still quite easy to work with – the chest pass was very easy to tighten and stayed put. Flyaway’s generous width made this carry extra easy to tie – I could get a super deep seat without sacrificing any security or ease in wrapping my tall guy. I always struggle with getting the last pass of this carry to go from knee-to-knee, especially when I am using a narrower wrap, and that was absolutely no problem with Flyaway! We effortlessly got all of the passes knee-to-knee while being able to keep the wrap high on LittlerHill’s back. This was a really good thing because halfway to preschool he decided that he wanted to try popping his seat and arching back out of the wrap. Flyaway barely budged!! I was so very thankful that we used this wrap that day. After the toddler shenanigans had ended, all that had happened to my carry was that the back was *slightly* lower on his shoulder blades. I didn’t have to readjust or retighten anything, and we were able to comfortably finish our walk to preschool! Moments like these make me grateful for high-quality wraps that supplement my mediocre wrap jobs, to give us a carry that is shenanigan-proof!
Look at the amazing seat we got with Flyaway!
We did a Ruck carry to test how supportive Flyaway could be in a single-layer carry. Again, Flyaway performed impeccably! It was quick to tighten for a comfortable carry, and even a single pass was supportive enough for a bouncy walk. I tied off my Ruck carry by crossing the passes across my chest and then I did Brittany’s Rose Finish to use up the extra length. I was again amazed by how easy-to-handle Flyaway is and then how well it stays put once wrapped.
Flyaway makes a wonderful single-layer carry and gorgeous Brittany’s Rose Finish!
Flyaway is a medium thick wrap that is very supportive. It has just a tiny bit of diagonal stretch, which is a quality that I loved when wrapping my biggish kid, because chest passes were easy to tighten and stayed in place while the carry did not feel saggy at any time. The medium-thickness makes it easy to handle, and the jacquard weave doesn’t seem very pull-prone. All of these wrap qualities make this wrap perfect for both a newer or a more experienced wrapper. The weave is dense enough to give Flyaway great support, but it still has an airiness that is cushy on the shoulders and strong enough to hold a large kid. The width and support make this wrap something I would definitely grab for a multi-layer carry with a big toddler, especially if I planned to carry for a long time. I would also use this wrap for a single-layer carry with a big toddler or preschooler. The medium weight and softness lead me to believe that it would also be a great wrap to use with a newborn or infant, although some may find the width a little bit overwhelming with a tiny squish. Flyaway shines in a base size, but since our single-layer carry was so comfortable, I really think it would shine in any size!
Flyaway makes a perfect Fall wrap for any level wrapper, and any sized wrappee!
Overall, I really loved this wrap! Soul Slings makes beautiful textiles that are developing an excellent reputation for good reason, and this company’s practices demonstrate that high-quality woven wraps can be ethically woven and accessibly priced. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Flyaway’s wrap qualities compete with wraps that are priced 2-5 times as high. Flyaway is a beautiful wrap that would make a great first wrap for a new wrapper, or a beautiful addition to a growing wrap collection. I am thrilled to have been introduced to Soul Slings jacquard woven wraps, and I can’t wait to try some of their other carriers.
Flyaway’s medium thickness makes a beautiful CCCB.
weight: 280 gsm (as listed by Soul Slings for this wrap)
blend: 100% jacquard woven cotton
wrappee: 32 lbs of toddler
carries tried: Wendy’s Double Hammock with a candy cane chest belt (Wendy’s DH CCCB), Ruck carry with Brittany’s Rose Finish
wrap qualities: dry, flat, grippy, medium density, new wrapper friendly, solid, very supportive, minimally stretchy with great recoil, toddler worthy, slightly airy, minimally bouncy, moderately cushy, not diggy, wide, easy to handle, moderately thin in hand
