At first glance both of these wraps appear very similar
✅Long length of fabric
✅Wraps around you and baby
✅Just a little bit intimidating to a sleep deprived parent
But that is where the similarities end!
So what ARE the differences between a stretchy wrap and a woven wrap, and which one should you choose?
Stretchy material - vs - No stretch
Its all in the name, a stretchy wrap is indeed stretchy.
This property can be due to the weave of the fabric and also the composition of fibres. There are many different variations of stretchy wrap on the market.
One way stretch wraps stretch along the width of the fabric.
Two way stretch wraps stretch along the width and the length of the fabric.
Four way stretch wraps add a diagonal component to the stretch also.
Although a woven wrap does not have stretch as such, it does have some give, that lets the fabric mould around your body and baby's to give a personalised fit.
This stretch (or lack there of) is the main cause of the other differences in how you use the wraps.
Tie off before putting baby in - vs - Tightening fabric around baby before tying
Because of the stretch properties along the length of a two (or four) way stretchy wrap you can do an approximate tighten of the wrap and tie it off before slipping baby in. This is a great solution for wiggly little people.
In contrast, because one way and woven wraps have no stretch along their length you have to precision tighten them around your body and baby's to make sure they are supportive in all the right places. This can be a bit daunting at first, but over time you can bet pretty quick at tightening!
Needs three layers to be safe - vs - Can be safe with just one layer
The stretch properties of a stretchy wrap mean that you need to have three layers of fabric over baby's back and bottom to make sure they are appropriately supported for a safe carry.
By contrast, because a woven wrap does not have this stretch, there are a number of different carry's that you can tie which have only a single layer of fabric over baby's back.
Can carry a newborn or infant - vs - Can carry any age of child
This is where the stretch factor comes into play again. Though many stretchy wraps have an upper weight limit of 15 or 16kg, in reality you will want to swap to a more supportive option when your child turns one, if not before.
But would you believe it, if you had the strength to do so, you could carry another adult in a woven wrap.
I wonder if I could convince my husband to let me wrap him as a demonstration!
Front and hip carry - vs - Front, hip and back carry
Once again, the stretch properties of a stretchy wrap mean that baby is best carried where you can monitor the support they are given by the carrier (and quickly catch them if need be!). This means that stretchy wraps are for front and hip carry's only, with the rare exception of "hybrid" wraps, that have some stretch, but give much more support to baby.