SlingRings

Frequently Asked Questions

about us | product questions | shipment & payment | waranties & returns | security & privacy

About Us

Product Questions

Why order SlingRings?

Our rings are made specifically for use in baby carriers. We designed them to be lightweight, colorful and free of welds. They are strength tested, smoothed, and made of only the strongest materials.

How do I know the rings are safe?

All of our rings are individually tested to ensure safety and strength. Our rings are also tested for strength and lead/heavy metal/etc. in an independent laboratory to ensure strength and non-toxicity.

Is it okay for my baby to chew on the rings?

We are careful to smooth out the rings and use non-toxic materials, as we know that babies find our rings irresistible.

Which is better, nylon or aluminum?

We designed our aluminum rings to have all of the same great characteristics of our nylon rings. They are smooth, strong, safe and weld-free. They are lightweight and come in nine great colors. The nylon and aluminum rings come in slightly different sizes. The nylon rings are thicker, and easier to adjust. The aluminum rings are grippier, and fancier looking. The colors are slightly different. The nylon rings are slightly more durable. Either ring should work for a number of different applications; you are safe choosing the size and color that best appeal to you.

What size are the rings?

All rings are measured from the inside edge to the other inside edge. This is their inner diameter (ID)

More information about the ring sizes is available under "choosing ring sizes"

Which size rings should I order?

In general, use small rings for thin, slippery fabrics or water slings. Use medium rings for shirt-weight fabrics. Use large rings for pants weight or winter weight fabrics, for very "grippy" fabrics and for 2 layer or reversible slings. Ring size does not depend on the height or weight of you or your baby. More information is available under "choosing ring sizes"

Which size rings for solarveil?

Use small rings for solarveil or mesh water slings. Nylon or aluminum will both work. Aluminum are smaller. Both are safe for use in a chlorine environment.

Which size rings for an onbuhimo?

Use small rings for an onbuhimo.

How do I wash my rings?

It is fine to wash slings made with our rings in a regular washer. They can also be dried in the drier. You should check your sling and rings carefully after they are washed and dried and before you wear them again.

What color are your rings?

Currently nylon rings are available in black, white, grey, ivory and navy (the "neutrals") and blue, green, purple and burgundy (the "colors")
Aluminum rings are at present available in black, silver, gold and brown/bronze (the "neutrals") and blue, green, purple, turquoise, red and pink (the "colors"). See pictures on the colors page.

Will the color come off my rings?

No. The color is anodized onto the aluminum rings -- it becomes part of the metal, and will not lose its color with time. Deep scratches in the rings will show the color of the unanodized aluminum underneath. The color is fully integrated in the nylon rings as well.

Can I purchase a pattern to make the slings?

We do not sell a pattern to make slings. There are links to free internet patterns as well as patterns for sale at sew a sling.

Do you have instructions for how to use my sling?

We do not have instructions for using your sling on our website. Excellent instructions can be found at Zolowear; we also sell the tummy2tummy dvd with over two hours of helpful video instruction.

Why are your rings so expensive?

Our rings are priced as they are for two main reasons. The first is that they are made in the USA. We pay our workers a living wage. The second is that our rings are made especially for use in baby slings, which means that we put them through two and three extra processes to make sure that they are smooth and and safe. We use only the highest quality materials for these same reasons. The rings will probably still be the least expensive part of your project, though they are the part that takes the brunt of the job. You can also cut costs by buying in bulk, or by buying one of our samplers. And, when you think about it, a baby sling can be used for years and years, and if you get tired of the fabric or it wears out, you can cut the rings out and use them in another project. Our customers feel that our quality is well worth every penny!

Do I need to order all the same color to get the discount?

You do not need to order all the same color, but you do need to order the same size and type. Discounts are calculated automatically by the shopping cart. If you watch carefully you will see the price change as you add more rings.

Are the samplers first quality rings?

Yes, our samplers contain only first quality rings. They are discounted to allow you to try out the different colors and sizes.

Do you sell second quality rings?

Occasionally we have second quality rings. These rings are still tested and safe, but have cosmetic flaws. We are not able to specify colors with these rings. We offer these rings for free to organizations and individuals in need with the caveat that neither the rings nor the slings be sold. If you are interested please e-mail, and we will add you to our list of people to contact when these rings become available.

Do you offer discounts for non-profits, or do you make donations?

We do not offer discounts for non-profits, though we will put you at the top of our list of people to contact when seconds are available.

Shipping and Payment Questions

Where can I buy rings in person?

SlingRings can be purchased in person at meetings of Arizona Babywearers.

Are your rings sold in my country?

We ship to nearly all countries. There are also some re-sellers of our rings in various Scandinavian countries, along with Japan and Malaysia. You can check at Customer Links to see if there is someone in your country.

How much will shipping be?

Shipping prices are determined by the number of rings ordered, not dollar amount of your order or weight of your package. Rates are tiered and vary for US orders, Canadian order, and all other international orders. You can get a shipping estimate in your shopping cart before the end of the checkout process.

How fast will my rings get here?

Generally rings are shipped the next business day after they are ordered. There are occasional delays, but rings are always shipped within 2-3 business days. Rings are shipped through the United States Post Office, and are not guaranteed to arrive by a certain date. Orders shipped first class mail generally arrive about 5 business days after they are sent. Orders shipped priority mail generally arrive 2-3 business days after they are sent. International orders are generally sent air mail, and arrive at the border within about a week. Time to clear customs varies dramatically from one country to another. Please see the Shipping page for further details.

Can I get them rushed?

It is VERY difficult for us to expedite our shipping schedule any more than we already have. Most people are pleased by the arrival time of their order. If you feel that you have a special case, please call, and we will do what we can to help.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept payment by Visa, Mastercard and Discover. We also accept PayPal. If arrangements are made in advance we can also work on other methods of payment.

Is your website secure?

Our shopping cart check out procedure is secure, though our entire website is not in a secure area of our server. Your personal information is completely safe with us, and your credit card number is safer than it would be at a restaurant or anywhere that your card leaves your sight.

Can I make a payment over the phone?

Yes, you can make a payment over the phone. We are generally available 9 am-3 pm mountain standard (pacific daylight) time. Please leave a message if you do not get a live person.

Can I pay with a credit card and have my rings shipped to another address?

We are happy to provide this service to our US customers, and will also do this for international customers once you have a safe track record with us.

I am getting an address doesn't match error on my order, what can I do?

This is a verification error. It is due to the safety guidelines in place for merchants and internet sales. The best option is to re-submit your order choosing "PayPal" as your payment method. This alternate verification system is less prone to generating these errors.

I thought I ordered 2 rings, but my confirmation only shows 1, how many did I order?

Our rings are sold in pairs. So, when your receipt says, "Quantity 1", that means one pair.

I keep trying to call but I can't get through, is something wrong with your phone?

Occasionally there actually is something wrong with our phone. We are located in a rural area, and have to deal with the availability of the phone service here. Normally if you can hear the answering machine/voice mail, it means that the phone is working. Just like you, we have small children, and can't always get to the phone. Please leave a message and we will call you back.

Can I just pick up my order?

All of our inventory is located at an order fulfillment contractor. We do not have a brick and mortar location where you can pick up rings. We are willing to bring rings to meetings of the Arizona Babywearers as a service to our local customers. We are located 15 miles from the nearest freeway and with the high price of gas, it is generally cheaper and faster to mail rings, even to local customers.

Did my order ship yet?

You should have received an e-mail with a tracking number when your order shipped. Please check your spam box and see if the confirmation was mis-routed. If you created a login, you can also get your tracking number there. Otherwise, please send us an e-mail and we will check on the status of your order for you.

I looked up my tracking number, and it shows it doesn't exist.

This usually means that you are an international customer. International orders of less than 50 pair are shipped air letter post. These packages are not trackable. You were still sent a tracking number. This is a CUSTOMS number, and can frequently be used to contact the customs department in your country, expediting the release of your package. If you are NOT an international customer, and your tracking number still doesn't seem to exist, please contact us so that we can help to find your order.

Can I change my order?

If you placed your order in the last 20 hours, you can probably still change it. Please send us an urgent e-mail, so that we can grab your order before it is shipped. If you have received a shipping notice, it is too late to change your order.

Warranties and Returns

My rings ended up being the wrong size, what can we do?

We are happy to exchange rings for others that will work better for you. Please e-mail us, and then send the rings to PO Box 27, Laveen, AZ 85339. Be sure to include a note explaining the situation and detailing what rings you would like in exchange.

The rings aren't the color I was expecting, can I return them?

We are happy to exchange rings for others that will work better for you. Please e-mail us, and then send the rings to PO Box 27, Laveen, AZ 85339. Be sure to include a note explaining the situation and detailing what rings you would like in exchange.

There was an error on my order, what do you need to know to fix it?

We need the name the order was placed under and the date of the order, or else the order ID number from your confirmation. Please let us know right away, as we want to be able to help you as soon as possible. If the rings are defective, of course, we'll be happy to refund your money or replace the rings.

Security and Privacy

Your private information is used only by us, and only to allow us to serve you better. We do not have access to your credit card information. It is transferred to our credit card verification system by our secure server.

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