Abstract: A lifting sling assembly comprising a textile lifting sling. The lifting sling defines a longitudinal direction and a webbed direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and comprises a work surface region and a loop region. The lifting sling assembly includes a reinforcement disposed on at least one of the edges and the surfaces of the lifting sling for protecting the lifting sling from abrasion. The reinforcement comprises a textile overlay at least partially surrounding the lifting sling at at least one of the work surface region and the loop region thereof. The textile overlay includes a woven strip having first zones and second zones located side-by-side in the webbed direction of the lifting sling, the first zones having a higher wear resistance than the second zone, the first zones further covering at least one of the edges and the surfaces of the lifting sling, and the second zones being firmly bonded to the lifting sling.