I often get asked how to choose a rebozo, so here is a guide based on my experience of using a wide range of rebozos lengths and styles. When I started using rebozos, I only had a standard sized open weave one. It worked well for me, and I used it to support many families through pregnancy and birth. Over the last 10 years I have developed my knowledge of rebozo use and worked with many different type of rebozos and fabrics.
I have practised rebozo techniques and facilitated rebozo workshops with several hundred women (and a few men) of all shapes and sizes. As I started selling rebozos, I acquired a large number of different rebozos and other shawls/scarves from many different suppliers and countries. Whilst you can use any rebozo for pretty much anything, I have found that different rebozos have different qualities, and lend themselves to different techniques.
Rebozos can be a bit like choosing a pair of shoes. You would choose different pairs of shoes to go hiking or to attend a wedding. Similarly, certain lengths or types of fabric lend themselves better to certain techniques.
If you’re on the shorter side like me (I’m 5ft3), and want to be able to wear the rebozo like a scarf or shawl, then a standard length (2 m plus fringe) may work better than a 2.5m length (thought you can still wrap it several times around your neck).
Despite being short, I sometimes support taller or larger people. After finding my standard rebozo length slightly too short for a particular technique during a birth, I started taking both a long and a short rebozo with me at births (sometimes they get covered in bodily fluids so it’s good to be able to replace it if needed).
When I worked as a doula, I liked to gift a rebozo to my clients as part of my doula package, this way I knew they were more likely to become familiar with it and use it, plus it would make a lovely thing to keep afterwards. I would teach the partner a bunch of support and relaxation techniques, as well as show the mother how to wrap her belly and hips. A standard length is works for most people. In fact, I once supported a petite pregnant woman to wrap her hips, but I brought an long 2.5m instead of a 2 m one by mistake, and there was too much fabric around her hips, making it feel cumbersome, so I brought her a shorter one at the next visit.
If you are tall (over 5ft6) and you want to use your rebozo to do floor techniques (for example, to rock someone’s hips whilst they lie on the floor), then with a standard 2 m length you will need to bend forward as you work, which can be uncomfortable. A longer length (2.5m) might work better for you. Similarly, if the person you are supporting is very curvy, a short rebozo might not be long enough to cup the body comfortably. Much of this is also down to personal preference and experience.
As well as length, rebozos also come in different widths. I have seen some which vary from 50cm to 80cm in width.
A width of 50 cm for example, might be a little too narrow to cup the average person’s hips if you are doing wrapping work such as closing the bones. A 60 to 70 cm width works better in my experience. Very wide rebozos can still be used comfortably, but they might be slightly more difficult to adjust if you want to focus on rocking a very specific part of the body, or if you are working with a very petite person. They also make great cosy shawls/blankets.
As well as length, there are lots of different types of material, weaves and thickness etc. Having tried both cotton and acrylic rebozos, I personally prefer cotton, so I only stock cotton rebozos (apart from the rainbow rebozo from Guatemala which is a mix of cotton and synthetic fabric, but I love the look of this one). I personally don’t like the feel of 100% synthetic rebozos. I recently trained with Mexican midwife Naoli Vinaver and she advises against synthetic ones as they can produce static electricity.
Open weave rebozos lend themselves very well to wrapping. The open weave means that they cup the body really closely, which is great for rocking and massage. They are also very grippy which means they stay tucked when wrapped around the body. They are my favourite rebozo for closing the bones. They are also thinner and pack smaller. The open weave makes them prone to pulls, so they are more fragile than close weave rebozos, but thread pulls are easily pulled back into the weave by tugging on the fabric. I have these in both in the standard (2m) and long (2.5m) length.
Traditional patterned closed weave rebozos are both beautiful, grippy and sturdy. Most of them are soft straight away (though depending on the weaver some may need more than a wash and some use to soften the fabric, a bit like with a brand new woven wrap), and the closed weave makes them less prone to pulls and broken threads. They are also slightly thicker than the open weave rebozos. They are an all round versatile sturdy rebozo, and they make a good baby carrier too (here is a bunch of wrapping tutorials that shows you carries you can do with a 2.5m wrap which is referred to as a size 2 wrap in the babywearing world). They are the kind of rebozo I like to take to a birth because of their sturdiness. I have one which has seen many births, and still looks as new. I stock these in both the standard and longer length.
I have found that most rebozos standard length is around between 1.8 and 2 (plus fringe). I think anything between 2 and 2.5 m will work for most people. The longer length can give more versatility.
An alternative is to use babywearing wraps (shorter ones, as the standard 4.6m length would be quite cumbersome to use).
You can find my rebozos in my online shop
Dear Sophie
I am looking to purchase some authentic rebozo scarves to use in my birth class . I am just starting out as an independent midwife, having been a practising mideife since the mid nineties. I like the fact that yours are fairly traded and made with natural fibres . Are they washable?
Hi Sarah Joy! Thank you for your comment. Yes they are washable in fact if you click on each type and scroll down you’ll find washing instructions 🙂
Hi Sophie, I’m only 5,3 and quite petite. I want to choose a rebozo for wearing while pregnant as well as taking to the birth, then potentially wrapping baby in! Could you recommend which is best?
Hi Katy! If you want to wearing your baby in it, then a 2.5m long rebozo is more versatile than a standard one (and you may also want to look at longer wraps for babywearing, as a typical one tend to be 4.5 metre long), however it’s totally possible to carry your baby in a 2.5m long one (see for example this hip carry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yZghA4q7BQ&t=4s). A closed weave rebozo would be sturdier than open weave for using at birth and for babywearing. I’m 5ft3 myself and the longer length works for me.
Hi Sophie,
I am petite( 1,58 cm)
and want to choose a Rebozo for my due and generally for pain relieving technics. Which size and material would u recommend? Thanx 🙂
Hi Maria, I’m 1.60 myself and the standard sizes work fine for pretty much everything. All the rebozos in my shop are pretty good in that respect so you can go with the one you like the look of the most 🙂