Almost every day I am asked why there is such a difference in the prices of items within the same category.
And as with so many, many other things, prices can vary due to
- type of materials used
- quality of materials
- type of weaving
- fabric weight
- standards
- mark
- conversions
If you go to a fabric store, you will know the price of these fabrics. These fabrics are completely different. They are tested for strength, flexibility for comfort, stretch for fit, diagonal for support.
#sheetsarenottheclothes
Neither in price, nor comfort, nor safety….
Then there are the paints, did you know that children bite cloths? Well, I don't think anyone wants them to be biting paints... Toxic? Harmful? It could be worrying.
And these things have costs.
The rings on ring slings, used in babywearing, are not just any old ones. They don't have joints (how on earth do you do that?), they are special and specific.
The conversions include buckles, nylon straps, and even here there is as much variety as quality and price…
Backpacks have belts and foam, which can translate into comfort.
The most economical options may be perfectly acceptable and tolerated, but something is left behind. It is impossible, economically viable, to be good, beautiful and cheap at the same time.
We can compare it to cars.
They all have quality, they work and they serve their purpose (and here the details come in). But we don't all have the same purpose and ambitions, nor do we all value the same thing. But it is undeniable that a Mercedes or an Audi is more comfortable than a Renault... (Don't come at me with brand wars, that's not the intention)
What is best for each person depends on what they expect, what they prioritize, what they value.
(I also started with Mei Tai from Ali, I tried cloths and slings made of sheets, I tested non-ergonomic baby carriers and Pouch slings with small babies. The path is made by walking, and like most people, at first I didn't understand the reasons for the prices. After all, "it's just a piece of fabric"... Until... With experience and testing and everything and everything... Everything becomes clearer, more evident. And if you can avoid bad choices, the good one doesn't end up being that expensive. It's worse to spend money on a bad one, and then have to buy the good one anyway.)
