Experiences with HÄNSCHENKLEIN sling and ring sling
HÄNSCHENKLEINs ring sling I have already quite a while in my consulting assortment. Now I had the opportunity to test the elastic sling of the manufacturer. In this article I present the manufacturer itself, the sling and the ring sling, as well as my experiences in the test.
Summary
Information about the manufacturer HÄNSCHENKLEIN
HÄNSCHENKLEIN is a relatively small German manufacturer. On the website www.haenschenklein.shop I can read that made in Germany
is thereby a matter of the heart to ensure a great safety and quality.
The owner of HÄNSCHENKLEIN, Judith Kugel, writes that it has always been her dream to have a job that she can look forward to every morning. After becoming increasingly involved with babywearing, she developed a sling that would be timeless, chic, high quality and yet affordable.
Judith Kugel also describes on her site how babywearing can satisfy both our needs for freedom and our babies' needs for closeness and security at the same time.
In the online store I can buy elastic slings, ring slings made of linen, as well as doll ring slings for children. Recently, there are also slings made of 100% linen.
Cooperation with the drugstore dm
In addition, some models of the elastic slings and ring slings are available in the online store of the drugstore chain dm. Besides the products from HÄNSCHENKLEIN, only the manufacturers Hoppediz and Manduca are represented there. All baby carrier products that you can buy at dm can be found in the online store www.dm.de in the baby carriers category.
Information about the elastic baby sling
The sling from HÄNSCHENKLEIN is made of 100% bamboo. It is available in one size and costs 79,95€ in the online store. According to the manufacturer, the sling can be used up to a weight of 11kg. In the store are available both plain models, as well as cloths with patterns.
Bamboo has the property not to be equally elastic in all directions, as I can read on a subpage of HÄNSCHENKLEIN. The transverse elasticity is significantly higher than in the other direction. I also found this to be the case. This is supposed to provide better support when worn.
At the end of the sling is a small pocket in which I can put the sling when I am not using it. This makes it easy to transport and takes up very little space.
Experiences with the elastic sling from HÄNSCHENKLEIN
I have now been able to test the elastic sling at my leisure with my daughter, but also with the demo dolls from my babywearing consultations. I tried both the pre-tied and the non-pre-tied wrap cross sling, as well as other tying methods.
With my daughter, who weighs just under 9kg, I found that the sling gave a bit when she was carried, even when I didn't pre-tie it. I found the pre-tied version uncomfortable when wearing for long periods with my daughter, because it did not provide enough support and was too loose. I constantly had the feeling of having to hold extra. However, it was fine for short wear and as support while breastfeeding.
When testing with the demo dolls, which weigh between 3kg and 4.5kg, I also found the pre-tied version comfortable. Retightening here makes sense again in most cases. Of course, the dolls do not move, so I can not adequately say how the sling is here when wearing.
For me, the sling was incredibly comfortable, which I had not expected at all, since the fabric is relatively thin. I had no pain or pressure points in any of the carrying modes. Only in the non-bound variant I had partly, as described above, the feeling to have to support.
Instructions for tying the baby wrap
How to tie with the elastic sling from HÄNSCHENKLEIN I show in the following video.
Information about the Ring Sling
The ring sling from HÄNSCHENKLEIN is made of 100% linen. The slings are all one color and can be ordered with different ring colors if available. They cost 89,95€ in the store and can be used up to a weight of 15kg, according to the manufacturer.
Linen as a material is particularly breathable and can absorb a high percentage of humidity. In addition, linen is a particularly tear-resistant and stable material.
By the way, you can find more information about the materials bamboo and linen on the subpage "Fabrics" at HÄNSCHENKLEIN direkt.(www.haenschenklein.shop/de/learn/stoffe). You can also find more information about the different materials in my article Kleine Materialkunde Tragetücher.
Experiences while wearing the HÄNSCHENKLEIN Ring-Sling
I have been able to test the Ring-Sling since the birth of my daughter and also in the babywearing sessions here in Oldenburg and have therefore been able to gain some experience.
The material linen seems quite firm at first, which is made up for by the fact that the fabric is very thin, yet it does not lose stability. I was able to carry my daughter very comfortably in the sling, even with increasing weight, without getting any pain that was not caused by carrying her on one side.
With larger and heavier children, I would always prefer a carrying variant that allows an even distribution of weight when carrying for longer periods. Especially for short distances, however, the ring sling is more than practical even for larger children.
The blend or the material with 100% linen I felt especially in the summer in hot temperatures, because my daughter is a summer child, as incredibly comfortable and airy. The sling of HÄNSCHENKLEIN was therefore my preferred wearing option on such days.
For tightening and retightening the sling, the fabric should be well sorted beforehand. Due to the weave, the friction is somewhat higher than with "smooth" fabrics, so that otherwise can not be tightened well. At the same time, the fabric will not slip again.
Instructions for wearing on the back with the Ring-Sling
You can get an impression of the Ring-Sling from HÄNSCHENKLEIN when tying it in the following video, in which I show in a tutorial how you can wear on your back with a Ring-Sling.
Washing
The elastic sling from HÄNSCHENKLEIN should be washed in hand wash or gentle cycle at 30 degrees. The manufacturer also recommends a liquid, mild detergent without bleach. I would recommend drying the cloth lying down, so that the cloth does not lose elasticity. According to the manufacturer, the cloth can also be dried in the gentle cycle of the dryer and also ironed.
In the cold gentle cycle of the washing machine, however, the ring sling should be washed. This ermpfielt the manufacturer in addition to hand washing.
Conclusion
The sling of HÄNSCHENKLEIN I found despite the thin fabric as very comfortable when wearing. Especially with heavier babies, I would prefer a non-pre-tied tying method that can support more. The quality of the sling convinced me, so I could not find any defects.
I find the ring sling super especially for hot days and weeks. The material properties of linen have a particularly positive effect here. But even with heavier children, a ring sling made of linen is recommended. It would be nice if the edges could be distinguished somehow, which would make it easier for beginners to put on.
Overall, I have had very positive experiences with customer service, shipping and packaging at HÄNSCHENKLEIN and can highly recommend the manufacturer!
Your opinion
You know the products of HÄNSCHENKLEIN? What do you like about them? Or what bothers you? Do you know similar products that I should present in my blog? Let me know your opinion in a comment. I look forward to hearing about it!