The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
The first 3 years were fairly plain sailing to be honest; our audience grew exponentially and we reached our £1 million turnover reasonably quickly. This last year however, has been very tough indeed. The aftermath of Covid on international freighting has been almost crippling – a shipment which once cost £2000 was costing £18000 at the height of the crisis – and the cost of living and the inflation crisis has made the UK a particularly difficult area to do business. Our products are a similar price to the leading brands but during recession we see more clients turning towards the cheaper less eco products due to reduced household expenditure. It’s a sad fact that the environment will be less of a priority for households and governments for however long the recession lasts.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
Setting up my own business allowed me to create the exact product and service I wanted to without compromise. I didn’t have to answer shareholders or committees when I agreed to additional costs to make the nappies even more sustainable or I wanted to put wellbeing schemes in place for my staff. I had the flexibility to make the choices I knew were right for the planet and my people without the pressure to drive for more profit all the time.
I find great worth in the work I’m doing now – for every nappy sold, I know that we saved 1 plastic nappy being manufactured and thrown away. We’ve sold millions of nappies and wipes in our 4 years of business and saved 1000s of litres of crude oil.
It’s not all rainbows however. As one great superhero once said, “With great power comes great responsibility”. I often worry myself awake at night thinking about big decisions and fretting over the bank balance and job security for my team. I know ultimately the responsibility to get it right rests with me and that can sometimes be a very lonely headspace.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I hope Mama Bamboo will continue to grow and allow more parents to move away from plastic nappies and wipes, and many more babies will be happy in their bamboo nappies with a nappy rash free botty 😊
I’m also actively working with the University College London’s Plastic Waste Innovation hub and the Sustainability Accelerator programme at the University of Hertfordshire to establish the UK’s first collection and composting service for nappies and wipes. My utopia would see all nappies and wipes being made using bio-based materials and returning to the soil as nutrient-rich compost.
Visit the Mama Bamboo website to find out more and join their communities on Facebook and Instagram.
