Top to bottom: Didymos Anthracite Hemp Indio AHI, Didymos Teviot, Didymos Zinc Indio, Inda Jani Fular Tiil Blanco
Didymos (nicknamed Didy) has been making wraps and carriers since 1972.
Teviot is the only woven wrap made with wool that I have tried so far. My super, super sensitive skin tends to react to various fabrics. I can't wear polyester and a few other un-natural fibers. I also can't usually wear wool in any form, including cashmere, merino, or pashmina. I once borrowed an extremely high-quality pashmina scarf that didn't bother me, but pretty much everything else did.
When I hold wool fabrics in my hands, they feel cuddly, squishy, and extremely soft. However, once they are on my skin, in form of sweater or scarf, my skin feels itchy and irritated. I was keeping my fingers crossed that the high quality of Didymos wool wraps would feel differently to me, but I was sadly disappointed.
Thinner wool wraps like Teviot can be used in winter or summer. Wool has amazing moisture-wicking properties, and is breathable in a way only natural fibers can be. I was actually much cooler wearing this wool wrap in the middle of the summer, than I was wearing a thickly padded soft structured carrier or a rayon/ramie blouse. There are thick wool wraps better worn in winter, but many wool wraps are fantastic summer carriers.
Wool has a bit of a "bounce" to it, which makes it comfortable and cushy on the shoulders in a way that any other natural wrap fibers just can't compete with. Hemp is a close second, but it is warmer and not as breathable as wool, in general. Wool is also very supportive in wraps, making heavier babies feel lighter weight.
Wool wraps do require special care, which isn't difficult, but must be carefully maintained. They are handwash only (most people use a clean bathtub), and cannot be squeezed or wrung out or twisted much when wet. They obviously never go in the dryer, as anyone who has washed and dried a wool sweater can tell you! A wool wrap that has been improperly cared for can become "felted." The wool shrinks substantially in length and width, has a "creaking" sound when it moves, and has lots of "fuzz" all over it. If this occurs the wrap is no longer safe for babywearing, although it could be used for creative scrap sewing projects. I'm not an expert, but anyone investing in a wool wrap would do well to research proper washing technique. Other than appropriate care when washing, wool makes a fabulous fiber for baby carriers.
I had heard so many great things about Teviot, but at the moment they are a bit hard to find, and I wasn't sure the wool would work out for me anyway. I have a soft spot in my babywearing heart for grey and white wraps, so it was definitely on my to-try list. I finally found this size 2 shorty which would give me a chance to test it out.
It is truly everything I've heard about it. Soft, thin to medium thickness (as Didymos wraps go), bouncy, cushy, supportive, breathable, a bit textured, and overall everything I would really want in a wrap. Except my skin couldn't handle the wool. Sad times.
Overall, the color reads white, slightly creamy "off white" with black. The black is woven in such a way that it comes across dark grey, making it hard to pin down the true color. The weave is gorgeous in person, subtle enough that you can't call it a definite pattern, like stripes. It is classy looking and dresses up or down with flair.
It also comes out beautifully when dyed, but I love its true color.
