Aloha and Light Linen Essentials Review, "The best baby sling", by Sara Bare

Aloha & Light Linen Essentials Review 

If I could only recommend one product to a new parent, it would be a ring sling. This handy length of material can follow your child from newborn to toddlerhood, keep them close and secure, and has a very small learning curve. But with so many options to choose from, how do you know which one to get?

A ring sling that I recently had the opportunity to try, and would highly recommend, is from Aloha & Light’s Linen Essentials line. I am a huge fan of linen slings for remaining cool and light, while also providing rock solid support for those heavier toddlers. The only downside to linen, in my opinion, is that it can be a bit of a bit of a beast to break in. You can imagine my delight, then, when I pulled the Aloha & Light sling out of the packaging to find the softest linen I have EVER felt brand new. It is moldable and floppy right from the start, with absolutely zero breaking in required! This is the sling you want if you prefer ready-to-wear, and want to avoid all the braiding, sitting on, washing and steam ironing that the break in process requires.

This gorgeous color is called “Aura”, the perfect mix of purple and blue. It comes with matte gold rings which I feel are a great contrast to the cool tones of the sling. There is no horizontal or vertical stretch, but the soft and airy nature of this linen allows for a tiny bit of diagonal stretch (important for getting that tight and secure carry). The pre-softened linen pulls easily through the rings and stays put with no slippage.

Because linen has almost no stretch and is very thin, it has the tendency to feel diggy on the shoulders, especially while carrying your toddler. What sets the Aloha & Light ring slings apart from others is that they have quadruple layered shoulder.  This shoulder offers the cushion and comfort that is missing from every other linen sling I have tried. The rest of the sling is a single layer, keeping you and baby airy and cool.

Aloha & Light’s Linen Essential ring slings are incredibly easy to take care of. They can be washed in the washing machine, and can either be hung to dry, or placed in the dryer on a low setting with a sock over the rings. A quick steam iron will remove the wrinkles. It is also worth noting that any regular detergent is fine to use, compared to the need for “free from optical brighteners” detergent that most babywearing items require.

Aloha & Light is a mama run business, with each and every ring sling lovingly handmade in the USA. They are suitable for 5-35lbs, and are CPSIA and ASTM compliant, meaning they have passed all the consumer safety testing for USA and International sale. And finally, for those who like to make any small impact in our world, you can contribute to the Aloha and Light Safe Space, which will donate a sling to mothers who are in crisis or are starting over. This is a company and owner that truly cares about her customers and community, and one that I have been honored to highlight.

You can get your own ring sling directly from the Aloha & Light website, linked here. 

*I received this sling in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own*