femalfwomenroI get 710The idea for Fox & Bobbin was created in 2019 when we started using reusables with our first baby, Robin. I fell down the reusable rabbit hole with breast pads – I just hated how much plastic waste there was on single use ones, and after swapping to bamboo ones I realised just how much more comfortable they were too. I soon swapped Robin over to reusable nappies after a recommendation from a friend and a loan from my local nappy library, and then reusable wipes very quickly followed.

In a pre-baby life, I was a fashion designer, making custom and made to measure gowns. I still do now, and I’ve even done some TV costume work and freelance work for other small businesses. I already had the machinery and knowhow to sew most things, so once I’d done some research on fabrics, I bought myself some bamboo towelling and I started to make myself some wipes during baby nap time. It wasn’t long before a few friends asked for some, and then their friends started asking too. What started as a little hobby during maternity leave quickly became a business, and at the end of my maternity leave in 2020 (just before lockdown) I launched Fox & Bobbin officially, with a range of bamboo wipes in different shapes and sizes.

Lockdown came and I had to stop trading. I turned my skills to making scrubs for front line workers, and later reusable masks, before eventually being able to re-launch the business. The wipes took off again, and I then expanded the line to include kitchen roll, and later breast pads too.

One of the only drawbacks to using cloth nappies that I’ve found (particularly when baby number 1 was a chunky one) is finding clothing to fit properly on the bottom half. I started making Robin harem pants when he was still fairly little, again without any real intention of selling them – just a hobby to keep my skills sharp whilst on maternity leave. I did not realise how much this would take off AT ALL! As soon as Robin arrived at baby groups wearing handmade clothes, people asked where I got them from. I launched cloth friendly clothing (plus some matching mama bits) in 2021. I use custom printed fabrics, which are often exclusive prints, so you know you won’t get them anywhere else.

Alongside individual items of clothing, I also launched my 1 Metre Challenge concept – 1m of your chosen print (plus some added plain co-ordinates) turned into as many items as I can possibly make, for a set price of £70. You can make requests for specific items or leave it up to me – all I really need to know are your sizings. This option is popular for two really great reasons: you get more for your money (I guarantee at least £70 worth of items, and they regularly reach over £100) AND it’s a very economical way to make clothing. Most of my 1m challenges are even zero waste!

My Pre-Loved; Re-Loved scheme now means that after your little one has outgrown their clothing, you can send them back to me (the clothes, not the small human!) and in exchange you’ll get a code for money off your next order. I will wash, iron, photoraph and relist the Pre-Loved items for someone else to Re-Love them – closed loop clothing at its finest! Some of the original items I made for Robin as a baby (3 years ago) are still going strong now!

I am OBSESSED with quality: from the fabrics I use to the way the items are made, they have to be made to last! I get my printed fabrics directly from the printers in China, they’re just such amazing quality! Wherever possible, I try to buy my co-ordinate fabrics, notions, packaging and business stationary from other UK based small businesses, so when you buy from me, you’re not only supporting this family, but other female-run/WAHM/small businesses too!

Thank you for reading and I hope you have fun shopping Fox & Bobbin! Please let me know if you have any questions or requests – I’d love to hear from you!