TainaK. Wraps: Handwoven #037 and #042

Two handwoven TainaK. Wraps visited us in the beginning of June. TainaK., the weaver behind the wraps, is a Finnish industrial and graphic designer who has enjoyed babywearing so much that she started weaving wraps of her own. I have been lucky to follow Taina’s work for some time already but until now had experience of one of her wraps only. The more the merrier, #037 and #042 travelled together to visit us ♡

#037 is a size 2+ shorty from a beautiful cottolin (60% cotton & 40% linen) warp. The warp contains colors of green, orange, navy and bits of ecru, in my opinion perfectly embodying its name "Maisema lapsuudesta" which means "Landscape from Childhood". The weft used in this wrap is black cotton-cashmere and the weaving patterns applied are two versions of faux-crackle, designed by Taina with the support of another Finnish weaver, Raisa from Chunky Slings. The more dominant pattern looks like waves, creating a lively look to the surface of the wrap.

#042 is a size 3 wrap from a natty Haiku warp. I guess this was the first ever hexablend (a blend with six different materials!) handwoven I got to test, the warp containing 59% cotton, 22% natural bamboo, 14% hemp, 5% cashmere and less than 1% glitter PE/PA. It is noteworthy that the bamboo used in Haiku warp is natural bamboo aka bamboo linen from one of the best Italian mills and different from bamboo viscose. Bamboo linen is made through mechanical crushing of bamboo after which the bamboo parts are converted into a homogenous organic mass with the help of natural enzymes. The weft used in this wrap is mulberry silk-seacell in dark grey color and it is woven in a large-ish faux-crackle pattern, also designed by Taina with the support by Chunky Slings weaver Raisa like the weaving patterns used in #037.

With our toddler weighing close to 13kg and us favoring simple ruck carry, double hammock and front wrap cross carry with wraps sized 4<, we have been far from shorty fans until now. We however courageously took the effort to wear these two pretty wraps every day for over a week and I definitely also got more at ease with some useful shorty carries along the way! I used to dislike size 2 wraps quite a bit but the TainaK. Wraps made me change my mind and realise that my previous shorties were probably simply too thin for my taste - a team thick member as I am. #037 and #042 were totally toddler worthy in our use and amazingly similar aka wonderful in their wrapping qualities despite the very much different blends.

Both #037 and #042 were easy to wrap with, stayed nicely on place and felt heavenly on shoulders. #037 is about 290gsm while #042 is reaching to 350gsm, yet they both came across rather light and airy for me which was lovely. Through cashmere #037 was warmer and fluffier, yet very supportive even though linen was not at all dominant in the feeling. #042 had a bit more grip in the overall feeling without being sticky. Even if silk or seacell are often described as gliding, to me this feature was also not in any way dictating, probably thanks to the weaving pattern that brought texture to the wrap as well as the balancing cotton and hemp in the blend. Similarly, the natural bamboo didn't come across as slippy as the bamboo viscose I have experienced, which can be expected due to the difference in the processing method I assume.

I couldn’t really name any single material that would have stood out in #042 nor is there really any other wrap that I’ve tried to compare it to. I guess having a blend of six different materials merging together so seamlessly is something you simply need to experience yourself. To my surprise however, what it comes to wrapping qualities, #037 was not left behind at all with ”only” three different materials but felt equally luxurious in use. Both wraps were something I would recommend for toddlerwearing and probably they would suit bigger babies, too. The colors of the wraps are in my opinion classic and sophisticated, making you feel glamorous even on a forest walk.

Thank you to TainaK. for letting us host these wraps! I have more photos (mainly action shots) on my Instagram account. TainaK. Wrap Chatter is available in Facebook and Taina's future wraps are mainly released through draws there. Come and join the rest of us desperate ones in the chatter who look for a TainaK. Wrap of their own! :)