Ring slings are made with cloth and rings that are made with aluminum or nylon. One end of cloth is sewn to the rings; the sling is put on from one shoulder to the hip on the opposite side of the body. The ring-less end is pulled through the rings, thus creating a pouch or envelope that the baby lies in and enjoys being close to his mother or father. The sling can be kept in the ready to use position for ease of use. When the tail is threaded through the rings, the sling is easy to put on again.



The weight of the baby places tension on the fabric that causes it to form the pocket for the baby to lie in along with the pull on the rings. Cotton and fleece are the norm for the fabrics of ring slings found at most retailers, but online sources carry slings made of other materials; these are usually smaller companies. Some of the other materials used to make the slings are: silks, twills, linens, hemp, and rayon. If a fabric has good tensile strength and diagonal give it is a candidate for making the carriers. To adjust baby ring slings to fit an individual's body, the wearer holds the baby and with the other hand pulls the fabric tighter or loosens it.

The slings need to be made with layers of stitching so if there is a break in one thread the other stitches still hold the sling together. The rings used are either made specifically for slings or have been designed for holding livestock or for marine rigging, this is good since some have had weak rings that broke and had to be recalled.

Ring slings come padded and unpadded at the shoulder and the edges called rails. The bottom of the sling or tail may be open ended or closed according to how the manufacturer designed it. If the shoulder padding seems bulky an unpadded model may be preferred to one with padding. Some manufacturers sow a curved seat into the sling. Slings are similar to the rebozo of Mexico. The way the rings are attached to the fabric is called shoulder style. The names of some of the basic styles are gathered, pleated, hot dog or centerfold, and pouch-style.

Ring slings are so popular because of their versatility. They can be worn in different positions according to the age of the baby and what the baby can handle. If the baby is already controlling his head he can sit in the forward looking at the world position. The stomach-to-stomach hold is a great one for infants and until he is a little older. Initially, this style of sling may be uncomfortable after some time as the weight of baby is pulling all on one shoulder. But its versatility and the ease of breastfeeding make it one that should be in a mother's arsenal of baby carriers.

Ring slings are useful from birth to toddler age; they are good for babies that like to be picked up a lot. It is an easy carrier to use and can be used by parents of differing sized without much difficulty.