Rowan Bay Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
The Basics
Rowan Bay Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
The Rowan Bay Sorbus prototype is 100% Egyptian Combed Cotton and approximately 350 GSM, putting it in the 'very thick' category. It's woven in Rowan Bay's cushy Double Weave.
The Brand
Rowan Bay Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
Rowan Bay is a new British company, set up by a mother who wanted to "create luxury woven wraps designed for adventures" that are "comfortable, strong and beautiful." The brand was born out of her passion for babywearing and her love of nature and all things wild. The complete design process is carried out 'in house', and the wraps manufactured here in the UK.
The Looks
Rowan Bay Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
Sorbus is one of Rowan Bay's two introductory designs (the other being the geometric 'Chrysler'). It's named for the genus of trees that includes the Rowan, a tree that has a long history in folklore and escoteric meaning. In Norse mythology it was the Rowan tree from which the first woman was created. In the British Isles, the Rowan tree has long been held to have protective qualities and used in various ways to keep people safe from harm. It makes the perfect design to wrap your loved ones up in.
Rowan Bay Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
The leaves in the Sorbus design are real. Collected from a garden and printed (the old way where you get your hands messy!), before going through the digital process that brought them to be woven into fabric. This has resulted in a delicate, organic and very beautiful design.
Close up of Rowan Bay's Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
Sorbus has gently tapered tails and mirrored hems so there's no 'wrong' side. The prototype Sorbus was woven with delicate mint and dusky blue wefts on an ecru warp. It's a classic and very pretty colourway that's easy to wear and looks great as a 'jeans wrap' especially. The middle marker (the tester has one, but normally there'll be two) is a pretty little Rowan leaf.
The Wrapping Qualities
Rowan Bay Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
In hand, the Sorbus Double Weave prototype feels fairly thick and weighty, though not as thick as some 350 GSM wraps due to the tight, dense, Double Weave. At around 61cm in width, it's on the narrower side and may struggle to accommodate taller children who like to have their arms in.
My first impression was that whilst the design and colourway are delicate and beautiful, this wrap is ready for action! It's the kind of wrap you wouldn't be afraid to sit on when you forgot your picnic blanket, or tie to a tree for a makeshift hammock.
Rowan Bay Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
The Sorbus prototype has a fine, regular texture which gives it lots of grip, whilst the combed cotton provides a softness to the overall finish. The Sorbus prototype had obviously been used a fair bit, and I was curious to know how much breaking in the Rowan Bay Double Weave needed. I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that a new Chrysler Marina was beautifully soft and smoochy as a marshmallow after just one wash! I'd say that very little breaking in would be required despite the thickness of the wrap.
When wrapping, Sorbus takes a little bit of effort to ease the passes into place, but when they're there they're staying put! I went on several lengthy walks carrying my excitable, wriggling toddler in a Double Hammock Tied Under Bum (DH TUB), secured with only a half knot, and it didn't budge an inch.
My toddler testing the resilience of Rowan Bay's Sorbus Double Weave Prototype!
I can honestly say that the Rowan Bay Double Weave makes for one of the most supportive, toddler-worthy wraps I've ever tried. It has very little stretch and oodles of cush which make it extremely comfortable when carrying a toddler or pre-schooler. It'd make an exceptional 'shortie' for rucks or traditional sling carries with a larger child (be prepared for a fairly big knot though!). In short, the Sorbus prototype is a 5* toddler prison!
The Rowan Bay Double Weave was created with toddlers in mind and it achieves this objective outstandingly. It's not a 'squish' (small baby) wrap due to its lack of stretch and the thickness of the Double Weave. New wrappers may feel a little overwhelmed too.
Sorbus is hard-wearing, not prone to pulls, and very easy care. It's machine washable at 40 degrees & loves the tumble drier so your small person can drag it through the mud to his or her heart's content!
Summary
Rowan Bay Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
The Sorbus prototype is a super toddler-worthy wrap with oodles of cush & support. It's a Bear Grylls of a wrap, ready for adventure, strong, hard-wearing and pleasing to the eye! It's in its element as a 'shorty', and over long walks with bigger children.
Rowan Bay Chrysler Marina
Lovers of the Sorbus design will be excited to hear that Rowan Bay will soon be releasing a Sorbus in a lighter, thinner single weave more suitable for smaller babies. For those of us with bigger wrappees, two new (& most delicious!) colourways have just been woven using the cushy Double Weave in Rowan Bay's geometric Chrysler design. I happen to have a stunning Chrysler Marina sitting here just now... followers of The Wrapping Years should keep their eyes peeled for a very exciting giveaway soon!
Rowan Bay Sorbus Double Weave Prototype
