Carrying babies in shawls and other unstructured, simple pieces of cloth is an ancient and beautiful practice, and one that remains almost universal in some cultures. For example, in Kenya, almost all babies and toddlers are carried on their caregivers’ backs in simple cloths or kangas, which, to Western eyes, look rather like small tablecloths.
As baby carriers, simple pieces of cloth have the advantage of maximum versatility. They can be tied different ways for different situations, and they are infinitely adjustable to fit every body type. Some carrying cloths make great picnic blankets or beach coverups, and vice versa. In fact, many common household textiles, such as bed sheets, tablecloths, curtains and beach towels make excellent baby carriers.

Different dimensions and fabrics distinguish different types of carrying cloths.

A wraparound sling, or wrap, is a long strip of cloth. A wrap is typically 4½ to 6 yards long and 20 to 40 inches wide. Many people find that wraps are the most comfortable baby carriers available; the baby’s weight is wrapped onto the carrier’s body for maximum weight distribution.

Wraps are made of woven fabric or stretchy knit fabric and are generally referred to as woven wraps or stretchy wraps. Several companies, many of them German, weave and market wraps of exceptional strength that have a bit of diagonal stretch because of the way they are woven; these wraps are sometimes referred to as "German-style woven" wraps, and they are highly prized carriers whether they are new or, better yet, used and "broken in." Stretchy wraps, on the other hand, are especially cuddly for newborns and small babies, and their stretch makes them easy to use. Wraps are ridiculously easy and inexpensive to make yourself.

A shawl is typically 6 to 9 feet long and around 30 inches wide. Mexican rebozos are examples of shawls commonly used for carrying babies. Many beautiful shawls not made or marketed for baby carrying nevertheless make excellent carriers. Some, such as pashmina wool shawls, are too slippery to make good carriers. A twin sheet folded in half lengthwise makes a serviceable shawl for practice or in a pinch.

Other dimensions of cloth work as well. An extra-long shawl or extra-short wrap is ideal for certain carries, including the strap carry and the rucksack carry. Pareos that are shorter and wider than a typical shawl are commonly used as torso carriers (that is, "strapless" carriers). A beach towel works well for torso carries, and knowing how to carry a baby in a beach towel is an excellent skill to have on a trip to the beach, amusement park, or anywhere you or someone else unexpectedly needs to carry a baby or toddler.

A good carrying cloth will have enough texture to hold a knot, and there should be some friction between the cloth and your baby’s clothing. As examples, most inexpensive bed sheets have plenty of texture, as does silk dupioni, cotton knit jersey, cotton interlock, and of course, German-style woven wraps have enough texture to hold a knot and hold a baby in place.

Regardless of what kind of carrying cloth you have, the edges of the long sides are referred to as rails, and any end that hangs down is called a tail.