Bébé Sachi Rebung Erinite
Rebung Erinite is 100% cotton and weighs 244 GSM, making it a medium weight wrap. It’s handwoven using a very special jacquard weave with two layers of warp (the threads that run the length of the fabric).
Bébé Sachi make handwoven (or handloomed) wraps in Bangladesh under fairtrade conditions. The company, which was established as a social enterprise in 2011, provides sustainable employment for weavers and an alternative to the migration of artisans to the cities of Bangladesh in search of employment. Buying from Bébé Sachi therefore helps to preserve ancient traditions of fine craftsmanship and a rich cultural heritage.
Bébé Sachi wraps come in a lovely and useful little bag cut from the same fabric as your wrap.
Despite oggling Bébé Sachi online we’d never had the opportunity to try one, so I was extremely excited to finally get to test the wrapping qualities for myself.
The triangular ‘Pucuk Rebung’ pattern that the Rebung weave is named after represents the sprouting bamboo shoot. It’s a traditional Malay motif that continues to influence design for things as diverse as skyscrapers, food and textiles.
The intricacy of the Rebung weave is fascinating. Being the self-confessed wrap geek I am, I like to look carefully at wraps to try to understand a little about the weave structure. It doesn’t matter how long I stare at Rebung though, I just can’t fathom how someone could create such a fine, complex pattern without the use of a machine! There’s no doubt it’s a work of art by extremely skilled craftspeople and the result is very beautiful.
Rebung has a variegated teal, cyan and aqua warp, and a cream warp, with a choice of weft. Rebung Chrysolite has a cream weft and Erinite (reviewed and photographed here) grey. These sister wraps share the same weight, fibre content and wrapping qualities.
Erinite and Chrysolite may be named for vivid geological gems, but to me Erinite conjures up images of the scales of magnificent sea serpents or dragons. The variegated warp and fine geometric pattern create an impression of thousands of shimmering scales reflecting the sea and sky. Erinite is both gorgeous and very practical and wearable as a colourway.
A strip of the variegated blue / greens runs along one side, and the grey weft along the other, adding an attractive accent and making it easy to distinguish the rails when wrapping.
The Wrapping Qualities
In hand, Rebung feels fairly light, cool and has a fine, grippy texture. I was expecting a bit of resistance when wrapping, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the passes still eased into place quite easily. One thing’s certain, when in place, your wrap job’s as solid as the Iron Throne (apologies, if you’re not a Game of Thrones fan, just ignore me...)!
At about 71cm, Rebung is a little wider than some wraps I’ve tried. This extra fabric was useful when creating a seat for my toddler who’s over a metre tall with legs like a giraffe. Rebung has a fairly acute taper at each end, which makes tying knots a bit easier and gives a prettier finish.
If the word ‘handwoven’ conjures up thoughts of fragility to you, think again! It may be beautiful but Rebung is sturdy and ready for action. The double warp makes for a really strong, supportive and comfortable wrap. This is achieved without without compromising mouldability and Rebung has a good amount of diagonal stretch, not too much or too little. Rebung is definitely toddler-worthy as well as being suitable for smaller babies. Should you forget to put your toddler’s wellies on for a very wet, puddle-abundant walk, resulting in him getting sopping wet & covered in mud, refusing to walk back to the car, & evicting his baby brother from the wrap, Rebung would be well up to the job... just saying...
Zero sag, and zero slippage even with my giganta-toddler, Rebung will hold better than The Wall (I can’t help it, the similes are just so apt!). It’s also very resistant to pulls when being put through its paces... and bristly undergrowth.
Rebung will need a little bit of wash and wear to soften up fully and reach its full potential. That’s not to say it’s in any way a ‘beast’ - far from it. It’s just one of those wraps that gets better the more it’s loved. The knot’s a little bit bulkier than some, but this too will no doubt lessen as the wrap is fully broken in.
Rebung can be machine washed on a cool delicates cycle but shouldn’t be tumble dried. I found that it air dried quickly however.
Beautiful yet strong, Rebung is The Mother of Dragons of the wrap world. Grippy, and very supportive, especially for a wrap this light, yet still mouldable and comfortable to wear, Rebung has the perfect amount of diagonal stretch. With a little bit of wash and wear, Rebung will relax, soften up to its full potential and be supple enough for even a newborn, while still being strong & supportive enough to carry a toddler. It could happily be the only wrap in your stash. I love Rebung in base-2 but it’s also thin enough to work well in your base size without swamping you in fabric, and strong enough to work as a shorty or ring sling too.
Rebung Erinite and Chrysolite are available to buy from the Bébé Sachi website along with their other, stunning, in-stock woven products. It’s definitely worth signing up for their newsletter (you might even get 10% off your first order!), and following them on Facebook for news and new releases.