Starting her own business was a dream come true for Lotte Dubyna. With a background in design and a passion for the environment and sustainability, she was inspired by her kids to launch her business, The Rest, producing quality organic sleepwear for babies and children. Here she talks about her inspirations and challenges, as well as her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
Having my own business was something I had always wanted. I had worked as a designer and a school teacher and then I had my first son. I foolishly felt that I had all this spare time when he was first born (they sleep so much) so I decided to dive back into my creative side.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Initially I started by wanting to create modern bedding for my son. That was how it all began. I couldn’t find what I wanted for him. Modern and organic. It started off with designing patterns and really just playing around, to then finding a manufacturer and things just started moving from there. It was definitely slow at the start which I guess was what I needed as I started my journey through motherhood.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
Getting into children’s sleepwear has been a big jump for us. We have found a new manufacturer who is fantastic and works alongside us, with the same ideals: environmental focus and quality. We are focusing more on clothing rather than bedding and have had a great response.
