Short answer: a minimalist modern baby carrier is one where most of what shows is soft fabric, few buckles show, and the colors sit with what you wear. Konny FLEX is a minimalist modern baby carrier that looks like clothing: you pull it on like a T-shirt, it has no complicated buckles, and it comes in neutral shades such as black, charcoal, beige, and mocha.
FLEX looks this way because of how Konny started, and design award pages have described Konny's look. Find Your Carrier puts Konny's carriers side by side.
Nine carriers and a list of complaints
Before her first baby arrived, Konny's founder and CEO, Erin Lim, bought a $200 imported carrier, the last thing she bought before the birth. After the birth, she found it hard to use: it took too many fastenings, and it did not fold small enough for her bag. That is when she realized "big, heavy and expensive did not necessarily mean they were better." She went on to try nine carriers in all: a hip seat, a buckle carrier with a waist belt, a ring sling, a long wrap, Korea's traditional podaegi, and several fabric carriers. She wrote down the pros and cons of six types (Konny Stories).
Her notes on two of the carriers she tried back then, put looks next to everyday hassle:
- Buckle carrier with a waist belt: "So many buckles to fasten," and "Ugly, unfoldable and unable to sit while wearing it."
- Long wrap: "Good design. Makes me look stylish." But it was "cumbersome and takes time to wear," and at a restaurant she found herself "dragging yards of fabric."
Her notes gave other types credit too: the ring sling was easy to carry around, and the fabric carriers were easy to put on. What she could not find was one carrier that was "light, comfortable, and pretty." Her husband told her to make one herself: "If you love it, others will too."
Choosing the fabric by wearing it
Erin chose the fabric by wearing the samples herself (Konny Stories). A 100% cotton sample loosened during a 20-minute walk. A sportswear fabric held its shape, but it felt too thick and too warm. She settled on a light cotton and polyester blend with spandex, which stretched and then came back to its shape.
FLEX comes in two fabrics:
| Fabric | Outer layer |
|---|---|
| FLEX SoftBreeze™ | 62% polyester, 33% cotton, 5% spandex |
| FLEX AirMesh™ | 87% polyester, 13% spandex |
On its Find Your Carrier page, Konny suggests FLEX to parents who want "a carrier that looks like clothing, not gear."
From one size per parent to one adjustable carrier
The first Konny carriers came in fixed sizes. A judge for Japan's 2022 Good Design Award wrote that his own family had bought two, one for dad and one for mom (Konny Japan, translated from Japanese).
FLEX added a size adjuster. It comes in two adjustable sizes, XS-XL and M-4XL, so two parents of different builds can share one carrier (Size Guide).
What the award pages say
Three award pages describe the look:
| Award | Year | Given to | What the award page says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Dot, Brands and Communication Design | 2020 | Konny by Erin, the brand (FLEX came out in 2022) | Brand profile: "Konny is worn like a fitted T-shirt" and "the timeless, minimalist design and the careful selection of fabrics and colours" |
| Good Design Award, Japan | 2022 | Konny FLEX | A judge wrote that Konny's carrier was "the forerunner of the type made from soft, clothing-like fabric" (translated from Japanese) |
| iF Design Award | 2023 | Konny Baby Carrier FLEX | Entry description: "the simple yet lightweight T-shirt-like design and its size-adjusting function" |
What makes FLEX look modern when you wear it
FLEX goes on in three steps: you put it on like a T-shirt, settle your baby inside, and wrap the sash (Find Your Carrier). There are no complicated buckles across your front.
Off your body, FLEX folds into the pouch it comes with. At 7 oz (195 g), it fits in an everyday bag.
Both fabrics come in colors including black, charcoal, beige, and mocha, and AirMesh™ also comes in cream. Colors change, so see the FLEX collection for what is in stock.
FAQ
Do you wind FLEX around you like a long wrap?
No. There is no long piece of fabric to wind on with FLEX. You put it on like a T-shirt, settle your baby, and then wrap the sash.
How much does Konny FLEX cost?
FLEX SoftBreeze™ and FLEX AirMesh™ cost $59.99 each on konnybaby.com.
Still deciding? Find Your Carrier sets FLEX next to Konny's other carriers.