Pure Earth Collection is a multi award-winning eco children’s brand, founded by Emma Bianco, through her love of babies, the planet and all things natural. They believe that babies and children should be nurtured in a natural and non-toxic environment as much as is practical for modern day life and are passionate about keeping children safe: protecting their future by looking after both their health and that of our beautiful planet. They use natural, sustainable and biodegradable materials in all of their products, with no nasty chemicals. Here Emma talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind Pure Earth Collection, their biggest breakthrough, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
When I had my first baby, I assumed that the products in the baby market would be well regulated and non-toxic. When my little boy was around 3 months old, and the newborn fog started to lift, I looked around at the products we had bought for him, and had been gifted, and I started to realise that they were largely very toxic and the fabrics were almost all polyester! I began to search for healthier, more planet-friendly options, and there were a couple of products at the time I couldn’t find in a totally natural, polyester-free form: a wadded baby sleeping bag and comforters.
My little boy was a very unpredictable sleeper and I had noticed that a lot of the time when he was waking in the night, he was too hot or too cold. The sleeping bags we had been given all had a polyester wadding, so it was no wonder he was having difficulty regulating his little body temperature.
He was also, as many babies are, a very mouthy baby. Everything he handled went straight in his mouth for a chew and a chomp. The fluffy polyester comforters we had been given were literally leaving plastic fur balls in his mouth and across his face, so I knew we needed something plastic-free.
As I couldn’t find these products available on the market at the time, I set about making them, thinking that if I was searching for these products then others might be too.
As soon as the first samples arrived, my baby started sleeping better and I felt less anxious about his constant chewing on his soft toys, as his were now all organic and natural.
The business has grown from there, launching 25 products over the last 6 years, and, largely led by customer demand and requests, branching now into the children’s market as well as just babies.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
We launched with just two products in 2018: Our bamboo, all-season, baby sleeping bags and our organic cotton bunny comforters.
We opened with pre-orders in June and then once the products arrived, we held a launch party followed by a week-long pop-up shop on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill. It was great launching ‘in real life’ in a shop, as I was able to hear the enthusiasm from other parents who were genuinely delighted to find such natural and non-toxic products for their babies.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
We are constantly testing the limits of natural fabrics and developing new processes to ensure the end products are predictable, durable and machine washable. One of the reasons why polyester is so overused in children’s products is because it behaves in a very stable way, meaning it’s easy to use from production through to end use. Natural fabrics require a lot more thought, and more considered manufacturing, like our rigorous pre-shrinking process for the wadding to ensure the sleeping bags do not shrink during use.
We are always testing new fabrics and working out how best to use them with any given product to ensure the customer has a perfect experience.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
It’s so important to me to be available and present for my kids. That’s why I love the flexibility of working from home and being able to be there for them when they need me. My days are a crazy rush from getting the three kids up, feeding the baby, feeding the kids, the school run, etc., to getting to my desk with a cup of tea (which feels like a mini spa break in comparison most days!), then rushing to get through all my work before collecting them, kids’ supper, bedtime and all the evening madness!
I think when you have your own business, you never really switch ‘off’. I’m constantly planning and brainstorming when I’m driving, having a shower or on a dog walk. Sometimes some of my best ideas come to me when I’m not actually at my desk.
