If you lift loads in an Australian workshop, fabrication shop, or on a construction site, you'll reach for a sling almost every day. Three types do almost all the work: chain slings for heavy-duty production lifting, wire rope slings for high-temperature and abrasive environments, and synthetic slings — the webbing and round slings covered in this guide — for almost everything else.

Synthetic slings are the most-used sling type in AU industry. They're light, flexible, gentle on painted and machined surfaces, and rated to AS 1353 (webbing) or AS 4497 (round) with an 8:1 safety factor. A 1-tonne webbing sling weighs about 350 grams; a 1-tonne chain sling weighs over 4 kilograms. The trade-off is abrasion sensitivity — a synthetic sling that's been dragged across a sharp edge or chemical-soaked is finished, where a chain sling would shrug it off.

This guide covers webbing (flat) slings and round slings — the two synthetic-sling formats — for Australian industrial lifting. We'll cover construction, the AS 1353 + AS 4497 standards framework, the WLL colour-code chart, hitch types and deration, inspection and retirement criteria, and where each format wins. AIMS stocks the full range across Austlift, Beaver, Garrick Herbert, and Yoke — 100+ SKUs. Browse the rigging and lifting slings range or call (02) 9773 0122 for sizing help.

For chain slings see our Chain Sling Guide; for wire rope slings see the Wire Rope, Slings & Rigging Guide. This article is the third in the slings triple — synthetic webbing and round slings, both governed by AS 1353 and AS 4497.

What synthetic slings are — webbing vs round

Synthetic slings are flexible textile lifting devices made from high-tenacity polyester yarn. Two formats dominate the AU market:

Webbing (flat) slings are woven polyester webbing — flat, ribbon-like, with sewn loop eyes at each end (or sewn endless for the rarer endless variant). The webbing is usually constructed in 1, 2, or 4 plies of webbing layered together — a 4-ply sling at the same WLL is shorter and stiffer than a 1-ply sling, but more abrasion-resistant. Most operators recognise webbing slings as the "flat blue/green/yellow lifting straps" they see on workshop walls and at builders' yards.

Round slings are continuous loops of polyester core fibres encased in a woven polyester jacket. The jacket protects the core from abrasion; the core takes the load. Round slings are even more flexible than webbing — they conform around odd-shaped loads, distribute load evenly across multiple pickup points, and are softer on painted or polished surfaces. Heavy-duty round slings (Beaver Jumbo and Mega ranges) are how 30-, 50- and even 100-tonne loads get lifted in modular construction and heavy industry.

Both formats sit alongside chain slings and wire rope slings in the AU rigging toolbox. The slings triple — chain (covered in our Chain Sling Guide), wire rope (covered in our Wire Rope, Slings & Rigging Guide), and synthetic (this guide) — covers the vast majority of below-the-hook lifting. Synthetic slings own the day-to-day workshop and trade applications; chain wins on heavy production duty cycles; wire rope wins on heat and severe abrasion.

Webbing (flat) slings — construction and anatomy

A flat webbing sling is woven polyester webbing fabricated to AS 1353.1 specifications. The most common construction is 100% high-tenacity polyester yarn woven in standard widths (25mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, 150mm, 200mm, 240mm, 300mm), folded back at each end to form a sewn loop eye, and layered into 1-ply, 2-ply, or 4-ply configurations to achieve the rated capacity.

The key parts:

• Body — the main length of webbing that takes the load. Width and ply count combine to set the WLL.
• Eyes — sewn loops at each end. Standard folded eyes for general-purpose use; reinforced or "twisted" eyes for harder-wearing applications.
• Sewing — multi-stitch box patterns at the eye joins. The stitching is the weakest point on the sling — a healthy stitch pattern is the inspection focus.
• Tag — sewn-in label with WLL, manufacturer, AS 1353 reference, serial number, length and date of manufacture. The tag is the legal certificate; if it's illegible, the sling is out of service.

Ply count matters: a 2-tonne 1-ply sling and a 2-tonne 2-ply sling have the same vertical WLL but different bend characteristics. The 2-ply is shorter for the same nominal length, less flexible, and harder-wearing. A 1-ply Beaver Flat Webbing Sling 1-Ply is the lighter, more flexible choice for clean workshop work; a 2-Ply or 4-Ply Beaver sling steps up for harder duty.

The Garrick Flat Webbing Sling range is the AU mid-tier — 1-ply construction, full 1T to 10T+ capacity range, AS 1353 compliance, sewn-in tag with serial number. Browse the full webbing sling range for the size and capacity you need.

Round slings — construction and anatomy

A synthetic round sling looks like a continuous polyester loop — there are no visible eyes, no sewn ends. Inside the woven polyester outer jacket, a continuous core of polyester yarns runs in a single endless loop. The number of core yarns determines the capacity; the jacket is purely abrasion protection — it doesn't carry load.

Construction is governed by AS 4497.1. Manufacturers wind a continuous polyester yarn around a fixed length to build up the core to the rated capacity, then enclose the core in a woven jacket sleeve. The jacket is colour-coded by capacity (we'll cover the chart below), and a sewn-in label provides the legal WLL, manufacturer, serial number, length, and AS 4497 reference.

The key parts:

• Core — the polyester yarn loop that takes the load. Hidden inside the jacket.
• Jacket — the woven polyester sleeve. Colour-coded for WLL (1T violet, 2T green, 3T yellow, etc.). Provides abrasion protection.
• Tag — same data as a webbing sling tag. Sewn into the jacket.

The big advantage: round slings cradle a load with a rounded, soft contact area. Webbing slings squeeze a load between two flat surfaces; round slings flow around the load. For odd-shaped or coated loads — castings, finished machinery, fragile fabrications, painted assemblies — the round sling is gentler and more secure. The trade-off is that the jacket can hide internal core damage; an abraded jacket is obvious, but shock-loading or chemical exposure can damage the core without leaving visible jacket marks.

AIMS stocks the full Austlift range across all common WLLs:

• Austlift Round Sling 1-Tonne (Violet) — workhorse light-duty option, 0.5m to 8m lengths.
• Austlift Round Sling 2-Tonne (Green) — the most-used WLL in AU industrial work.
• Austlift Round Sling 3-Tonne (Yellow) — step-up for heavier loads.
• Austlift Durabone Round Sling 2-Tonne — heavy-duty jacket variant for high-abrasion environments.
• Garrick Round Sling 5-Tonne (Red) — mid-tier 5T option.
• Beaver Mega Round Sling 6-Tonne (Brown) — heavy-duty premium tier.
• Beaver Jumbo Round Sling 30-Tonne — for modular construction, transformers, and other heavy industrial lifts.

Webbing vs round — when to use each

Both work. Both are AS-compliant. Both come in the same WLL range. The decision usually comes down to load shape, surface sensitivity, and how harsh the environment is.

In real workshops, most operators have both. A 2T webbing sling and a 2T round sling cover 80% of day-to-day lifting between them. The forum consensus from r/Rigging and Practical Machinist machine-shop threads matches this: webbing for boxes and beams, round for castings and machinery.

AS 1353 + AS 4497 — Australian standards explained

Two Australian Standards govern synthetic slings:

• AS 1353.1-1997 Flat synthetic-webbing slings (Product specification). Sets the design, materials, construction, marking and testing requirements for webbing slings sold in Australia.
• AS 1353.2-1997 Flat synthetic-webbing slings (Care and use). Covers correct use, inspection, retirement criteria and operator responsibilities.
• AS 4497.1-1997 Round slings — synthetic fibre (Specification). Equivalent design and testing standard for round slings.
• AS 4497.2-1997 Round slings — synthetic fibre (Care and use). Equivalent care-and-use standard for round slings.

Both standards mandate a safety factor of 8:1 — meaning the minimum breaking load (MBL) of the sling is at least 8 times the marked WLL. A 1-tonne sling has an MBL of at least 8 tonnes. This is much higher than the 4:1 or 5:1 typical for chain slings — the higher safety factor compensates for synthetic slings' greater sensitivity to damage and shock loading.

Compliant slings supplied in Australia are individually serial-numbered, NATA-tested, and supplied with a test certificate. Look for the AS 1353 (webbing) or AS 4497 (round) reference printed on the sewn-in tag along with the manufacturer name, WLL, length, serial number, and date of manufacture. If any of those data points is missing or illegible, the sling is out of service until re-certified by a competent person.

For the broader WLL/SWL/MBL framework — what each acronym means and how they relate — see our SWL meaning explainer.

The colour-code chart — WLL by jacket colour

One of the most-cited features of synthetic slings is the standardised colour code. Every round sling jacket and every webbing sling label uses the same colour-by-WLL scheme across AU and global markets, harmonised with EN 1492 (the European equivalent). At a glance, an experienced rigger reads the WLL off the colour without picking the sling up.

For higher capacities (12T, 15T, 20T, 30T+) the orange code continues, with the WLL printed on the tag. The Beaver Jumbo and Mega Round Sling ranges cover 6T to 50T+ in orange jackets, with the precise WLL on the tag.

Hitch types — vertical, choker, basket

The same sling rated to 2 tonnes can be safely loaded to anything from 1.6 tonnes to 4 tonnes depending on how you rig it. Understanding the three hitch types and their derating factors is the difference between a safe lift and an overload.

Vertical hitch (1.0×). The sling hangs straight down from the hook with both eyes attached to a single load point or a shackle. WLL is the rated value. This is the baseline.

Choker hitch (0.8×). The sling is wrapped around the load, then one eye is passed through the other, forming a self-tightening loop. The sling tightens on itself as the load is lifted. WLL drops to 80% of vertical because of the bend angle at the choke point. The forum consensus from r/Rigging and r/cranes is consistent: "if you choke, multiply by 0.8."

Basket hitch (2.0×, parallel legs). The sling passes under or around the load, with both eyes attached up at the hook. The load hangs in a U or "basket" formed by the sling. With both legs vertical (parallel), capacity doubles to 200% — both legs share the load. As the basket angles spread (the legs come apart at the top), capacity derates by the sling-angle factor — the same maths as a 2-leg sling.

For more on sling angle deration and the 60° rule, see our Chain Sling Guide sling-angle section — the maths is identical for chain, wire rope and synthetic slings.

Reading the sling tag — what it tells you

Every compliant sling has a sewn-in tag. The tag contains the legally-required information for use:

• WLL in vertical, choker and basket configurations — three numbers on a single tag. Vertical is the baseline; choker is 0.80× the vertical; basket is 2.0× the vertical (parallel legs).
• Manufacturer name and country of origin.
• AS 1353 (webbing) or AS 4497 (round) reference.
• Serial number. Ties the sling to its individual test certificate.
• Length. Usually printed in metres.
• Date of manufacture. Used to track service life — 10 years is the typical hard limit, less in harsh environments.
• Material code. "PES" = polyester (the AU industrial standard). "PA" = polyamide (nylon). "PP" = polypropylene (rare, lower temperature limit).

If any of those data points is missing or illegible, the sling is out of service until re-certified. Bleached, faded, ripped, or covered tags are common failure modes — UV exposure, paint over-spray, abrasion, and chemical contact all kill tags. Replacement tags are available from manufacturers but must be authorised — a sling without traceability cannot be used safely on a regulated site.

Pre-use inspection — the hand-feel rule

The inspection rule for synthetic slings is different from chain or wire rope: visual inspection alone is not enough. The forum consensus from professional riggers is consistent — you must hand-feel the entire length of the sling for each pre-use check. Run the sling through your gloved hands, feeling for:

• Cuts in the webbing or jacket. Any cut that severs even a single fibre means retire — the load-bearing yarns may be damaged below.
• Abrasion that's reduced webbing thickness. Significant fluffing, fuzz or fibre loss = retire.
• Heat damage. Brittle, hard, glossy patches indicate heat exposure (welding splatter, hot work nearby). Polyester degrades from about 100°C; melted polyester is brittle and weak.
• Chemical attack. Stiff, discoloured, or chalky patches indicate acid, alkali, or solvent exposure.
• UV damage. Sun-bleached, faded, brittle webbing = the polyester chains have broken down. Common on slings stored on outdoor racks.
• Stitch damage. Broken, missing, or pulled stitches at the eye joins. Stitch failure is the most common catastrophic failure mode.
• Knots or kinks. A kinked synthetic sling is permanently damaged. Knots reduce capacity to ~50% and damage the fibres.
• Internal core damage on round slings. If the jacket is intact but you can feel a discontinuity, lump, or thinning in the core through the jacket, retire the sling.

Retirement criteria — when to scrap a sling

Synthetic slings retire on damage, not on age alone (though most manufacturers specify a 10-year hard maximum from date of manufacture, even on slings that look unused). The conditions that mandate immediate retirement:

• Any cut through the webbing or jacket exposing core fibres.
• Significant abrasion with visible fibre loss.
• Heat or chemical damage — brittle, hard, discoloured, or chalky patches.
• UV degradation — fading and brittleness.
• Knots or kinks — permanent fibre damage even after the kink is straightened.
• Broken or missing stitches at the eyes.
• Tag illegibility — no traceable WLL or serial number.
• Shock load — any sling that's been shock-loaded (sudden drop, snatch lift, severe arrest) must be inspected by a competent person before further use; the hidden core damage cannot be ruled out by visual inspection alone.
• Overload — any sling loaded above its WLL is condemned. The UK LOLER inspector rule applies as a principle: a sling that's been at twice its rated load is finished.
• Manufacturer's stated service-life limit reached (typically 10 years from manufacture).

Cut a retired sling in half so it can't be returned to service by mistake, and remove the tag. This is standard AU rigging practice and is required under several site-specific lifting registers.

Edge protection — sleeves, corner protectors, burlap

Synthetic slings die fast at sharp edges. Steel plate edges, casting fettle marks, machined corners, even rough timber edges can cut a sling in a single lift. Edge protection is the standard mitigation.

Three options:

• Slip-on protector sleeves. Heavy-duty leather, Cordura, or polyurethane sleeves that slide over the sling at the contact point. Reusable, fast to fit, cover the full circumference.
• Corner protectors. Rigid plastic or steel V-blocks that sit between the sling and the load corner. Better for sharp 90° angles where a sleeve would still be cut at the apex.
• Disposable wraps — burlap, hessian, cardboard, even old timber offcuts. Common on field jobs where dedicated protectors aren't to hand.

Sling connectors — terminal fittings and hooks

Synthetic slings often need a hook, master link, or connector at the eye end. AIMS stocks two common Yoke products plus the Austlift G80 connector:

• Yoke G100 Webbing Sling Connector 8mm — Grade 100 alloy steel connector designed to attach a chain hook or master link to a webbing sling eye without damaging the webbing.
• Yoke G80 Round Sling Connector — designed for the rounded geometry of a round sling, prevents jacket abrasion at the connector.
• Austlift G80 Type WL Webbing Sling Connector — Grade 80 alloy steel, specifically shaped for webbing sling eye geometry.

The wrong connector kills slings. A sharp-edged shackle pin pulled directly through a webbing sling eye creates a stress concentration and can cut the webbing under load. A purpose-designed sling connector spreads the load across a wider, smoother contact area. For shackles attached directly to sling eyes, see our Bow Shackle and D-Shackle Guide — the pin-orientation rules apply equally to chain, wire and synthetic slings.

1-ply, 2-ply, and 4-ply webbing — what the difference means

Webbing slings are constructed in single, double, or quadruple plies of webbing layered together at sewn eyes. Same webbing material, same polyester, same AS 1353 — but different stack-up.

For the same WLL, a 4-ply sling has roughly 4× the cross-section of a 1-ply sling — making it shorter, stiffer, and tougher on the wear faces. For a workshop wanting the lightest, most flexible 1-tonne sling, the 1-ply is the choice. For a hire fleet or a high-abrasion environment, the 4-ply pays for itself in service life.

AIMS synthetic sling range

AIMS stocks 100+ webbing and round sling SKUs across the four AU brands most riggers trust:

Austlift — AS 1353 / AS 4497 compliant, 100% polyester yarn, individual test certificates, full 1T to 30T+ range. AIMS stocks the entire core Austlift round sling series (1T, 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T at standard lengths 0.5m to 8m) plus the heavy-duty Austlift Durabone Round Sling for high-abrasion work and the G80 Type WL Webbing Sling Connector.

Beaver — premium AU rigging brand. 1-Ply, 2-Ply and 4-Ply flat webbing slings, the Flat Endless Sling for choker and basket work without eye joins, plus the Mega Round Sling (6T to 8T) and Jumbo Round Sling (30T to 50T+) for heavy industrial lifts.

Garrick Herbert — AU manufacturer with the Garrick Flat Webbing Sling (1T to 10T+, AS 1353, 8:1 safety factor) and the Garrick Round Sling 5-tonne (Red).

Yoke — Grade 80 and Grade 100 connectors. The G100 Webbing Sling Connector and the G80 Round Sling Connector are the trusted hardware for connecting slings to chain hooks, master links and shackle assemblies.

Browse the full rigging and lifting slings range — 66+ products covering chain slings, webbing slings, round slings, wire rope slings and accessories. Need help sizing? Call us on (02) 9773 0122 or contact our team.

Specialty slings — drum, pipe, jumbo

Beyond the standard webbing and round-sling ranges, several specialty types fill specific applications:

• Drum slings — purpose-shaped slings for lifting 200L drums vertically. Cradle the drum body without crushing the chime. CPC $110 on "drum lifting sling" — these are real-world specialty products.
• Pipe slings — wider webbing or larger-diameter round slings rated for cylindrical loads with even load distribution.
• Endless slings — round slings or sewn-endless webbing slings (no eye joins). The Beaver Flat Endless Sling is the AU example. Useful for choker and basket hitches where eye joins would interfere.
• Jumbo round slings — heavy-duty industrial round slings rated 30T, 50T, 100T+. Used in modular construction, transformer lifts, vessel placement, and pre-cast panel handling. The Beaver Jumbo Round Sling series covers this end of the market.
• Anti-static slings — for environments where electrostatic discharge is a hazard. Specialised order, typically polypropylene rather than standard polyester.

For specialty configurations not in the standard catalogue, contact us — most can be sourced or fabricated to AS 1353 / AS 4497 specifications with NATA test certification.

Common mistakes

From hundreds of forum threads and AU rigging incident reports, the same handful of mistakes show up repeatedly. Every one of them is preventable.

Selection checklist + how to order

A practical pre-order checklist:

1. Know the load weight — and the WLL needed at the hitch type you'll use (vertical / choker / basket).
2. Choose webbing or round — flat surface vs irregular load, abrasion environment vs surface protection.
3. Pick the WLL by colour — violet 1T, green 2T, yellow 3T, grey 4T, red 5T, brown 6T, blue 8T, orange 10T+.
4. Pick the length — long enough for the hitch geometry without forcing knots or overly horizontal angles. Standard lengths 0.5m, 1m, 1.5m, 2m, 3m, 4m, 6m, 8m.
5. Pick the ply count (webbing only) — 1-ply for clean, 2-ply for general industrial, 4-ply for heavy duty / abrasive.
6. Confirm AS 1353 (webbing) or AS 4497 (round) — every AIMS-supplied sling is compliant and individually serial-numbered.
7. Plan edge protection — sleeves, corner protectors or wraps if there are sharp edges in the load path.
8. Check operator licensing — dogging or rigging licence as required by the WHS framework. Slinging loads is dogging activity under CPCCLDG3001.

For multi-leg sling assemblies, see our Chain Sling Guide — the multi-leg geometry rules apply equally to synthetic configurations. For complete rigging context including shackles and connection hardware, see our Wire Rope, Slings & Rigging Guide and Bow Shackle Guide. For overhead lifting points, see our Beam Clamp Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a webbing sling used for?

A webbing sling is a flexible polyester lifting strap used to attach a load to a chain block, electric hoist, crane hook, or other lifting device. Common uses include lifting machinery for transport, suspending loads from beam clamps for maintenance work, supporting fabricated assemblies during welding, and general workshop and trade lifting where a chain sling would be too heavy or damage the load surface.

What is the difference between a round sling and a webbing sling?

A webbing sling is flat, ribbon-like polyester webbing with sewn loop eyes at each end. A round sling is a continuous polyester core inside a woven jacket — no visible eyes, just an endless loop. Webbing slings have visible damage modes (abrasion, cuts, broken stitches show clearly); round slings hide internal damage under the jacket and are gentler on finished surfaces. Both are AS-compliant with an 8:1 safety factor.

What is the safety factor of synthetic slings in Australia?

AS 1353 (webbing) and AS 4497 (round) both mandate an 8:1 safety factor — the minimum breaking load (MBL) of the sling is at least 8 times the marked Working Load Limit (WLL). A 1-tonne sling has an MBL of at least 8 tonnes. The 8:1 factor is higher than the 4:1 typical for chain slings, reflecting synthetic slings' greater sensitivity to damage.

What does AS 1353 cover?

AS 1353 covers flat synthetic-webbing slings in two parts: AS 1353.1-1997 is the product specification (design, materials, construction, marking, testing); AS 1353.2-1997 is care and use (correct use, inspection, retirement criteria, operator responsibilities). Compliant webbing slings sold in Australia are individually serial-numbered with a sewn-in tag carrying the AS 1353 reference, manufacturer name, WLL, length and date of manufacture.

What does AS 4497 cover?

AS 4497 covers synthetic round slings in two parts: AS 4497.1-1997 is the product specification; AS 4497.2-1997 is care and use. AS 4497 is the round-sling equivalent of AS 1353 — same 8:1 safety factor, same colour-code system, same care and inspection framework. The two standards are usually treated together in AU rigging documentation.

What is the colour code for lifting slings in Australia?

The AU/NZ colour code matches the global EN 1492 system: 1-tonne violet, 2-tonne green, 3-tonne yellow, 4-tonne grey, 5-tonne red, 6-tonne brown, 8-tonne blue, 10-tonne and above orange. The colour identifies the WLL at a glance, but the legal WLL is on the sewn-in tag and must always be read before the lift. Bleached or replaced jackets can mismatch the original WLL.

What is a 2-tonne sling colour?

Green. Across both webbing slings and round slings in Australia, a 2-tonne WLL is marked with green webbing or a green jacket. This is the most-used WLL in AU industrial work and the colour most operators recognise immediately.

How does the choker hitch reduce sling capacity?

A choker hitch wraps the sling around the load and passes one eye through the other to form a self-tightening loop. The sling bends sharply at the choke point, creating a stress concentration that reduces effective WLL to 80% of the vertical rating (multiply vertical WLL by 0.80). The 0.8× factor is a long-standing rigging industry standard and applies equally to chain, wire rope and synthetic slings.

How does the basket hitch increase sling capacity?

A basket hitch passes the sling under or around the load with both eyes attached up at the lifting point. With both legs vertical (parallel), the load is shared equally between two lines, doubling effective capacity to 200% of vertical (2.0×). As the basket angles spread (legs come apart at the top), capacity derates by the sling-angle factor. At 60° from horizontal the multiplier is 1.732×; at 45° it's 1.414×; at 30° it's back to 1.0× and the geometry is unsafe.

What sling angle puts the least stress on the slings?

The closer to vertical, the lower the stress per leg. A two-leg sling at 90° from horizontal (straight vertical legs) puts only the load weight per leg through each sling. At 60° from horizontal, leg load increases to 58% of total per leg. At 45° it's 71% per leg. At 30° it's 100% per leg — each sling is carrying the full load weight even though the lift is shared between two. The AU rigging rule of thumb: 60° from horizontal is the practical minimum.

How often should I inspect a webbing or round sling?

Pre-use visual and hand-feel inspection before every lift, by the operator. Periodic thorough inspection every month to three months by a competent person, recorded in a lifting register. Annual NATA proof-test by an accredited test facility, or per the company's lifting-equipment register requirements. Most regulated AU sites require quarterly thorough inspection on hire-fleet equipment.

When should I retire a synthetic sling?

Immediately, on any of these: any cut through the webbing or jacket; significant abrasion with fibre loss; heat or chemical damage (brittle, hard, discoloured patches); UV degradation (faded, brittle); knots or kinks; broken or missing stitches; illegible tag; shock-loaded; overloaded above WLL; or the manufacturer's stated service-life limit (typically 10 years from manufacture). Cut a retired sling in half so it can't be returned to service.

Can I keep using a sling with a small cut?

No. Any cut through the webbing or jacket exposing the load-bearing fibres mandates immediate retirement. Synthetic slings rely on every fibre being intact to develop their rated capacity. A small cut becomes a large failure under load — the cut is the propagation point. The forum consensus from AU and international rigging communities is unanimous on this.

What's the difference between 1-ply, 2-ply and 4-ply webbing slings?

The number of layers of webbing stacked at the eye joins. Same polyester material, same AS 1353 compliance, same WLL at given dimensions — but a 1-ply is the lightest and most flexible, a 2-ply is mid-weight and mid-flex, and a 4-ply is the heaviest, stiffest and most abrasion-resistant. Same WLL at higher ply count means a shorter, stiffer, more durable sling. 1-ply for clean workshop work, 2-ply for general industrial, 4-ply for heavy-duty or hire fleet.

Are round slings stronger than webbing slings?

At equivalent WLL, no — both meet the same 8:1 safety factor. Round slings are typically lighter and more flexible at the same WLL because the polyester core is concentrated rather than spread across a flat webbing. Round slings handle higher capacities at smaller cross-sections — the Beaver Jumbo Round Sling reaches 30T+ in a package that's still hand-handleable. For straight comparison at common WLLs (1T to 10T), the choice between webbing and round is about load shape and surface sensitivity, not strength.