My 1st Years, a leading personalised baby and child gifting company, has demonstrated consistent growth over the years by prioritising high-quality, bespoke products and first-rate customer experience across both digital and physical retail channels. By placing emphasis on the emotional significance of customisation, the company has broadened its product offerings and expanded its market reach. As My 1st Years celebrates its 15th anniversary, CWB speaks with Jonny Sitton, founder and CEO, to gain further insight into the company’s journey and future aspirations.

 

My 1st Years was established 15 years ago by Jonny Sitton and a friend, after they identified a gap in the market for high-quality personalisation within the baby gifting sector. Recognising that existing offerings lacked a premium touch, they introduced a model focused on same-day dispatch, complimentary luxury gift boxes with every order, and exceptional product standards. Over the years, My 1st Years has remained true to these founding principles, and while the core values have endured, the business has significantly expanded its range of gifts, packaging and gifting options, as well as successfully evolving from a purely online presence to include physical retail locations.

 

 

Placing personalisation expertise at the centre of its operations, My 1st Years offers a wide range of methods including embroidery, printing, engraving and laser techniques. In fact, the company prides itself on the ability to personalise virtually any item – “If it can be personalised, we can do it!” says Sitton. The company takes the approach that bespoke details add significant value to each purchase, and by ensuring gifts are tailored specifically for the recipient, it can deliver an emotional and memorable experience through each uniquely meaningful gift.

In terms of product, My 1st Years focuses on newborn to four years and covers everything with a baby focus, including clothing, footwear, wooden and plush toys, and nursery items. In some categories, it has broadened its product range to cater to children up to eight years, introducing items such as backpacks tailored for older age groups.

My 1st Years’ ongoing commitment to growth and its pursuit of new opportunities beyond its established online presence saw the business recently open its first international store. Driven by a desire to showcase the quality and breadth of its product range to new markets through physical, in-person retail experiences, it has partnered with Leinenweberei Bern AG to open a new, dedicated boutique space in the heart of Switzerland’s capital.

 

 

In the UK, it has concessions in Selfridges and Harrods. The recently opened Harrods concession transports customers into the magic of a vintage sweet shop, inviting customers to explore the brand’s products while adding a personal touch on the spot. Much like picking sweets from glass jars, visitors can choose their gift’s font, embroidery thread colour and finishing touches, before watching it come to life through the concession’s state-of-the-art personalisation machines. Sitton is looking at opening the company’s own UK store in time, and B2B services are also a possibility.

“We have considered offering products on a wholesale basis,” he confirms. “ We currently do some bespoke items, for example, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, but this is something that we are going to look at exploring further with our sister brand, Made Yours.”

My 1st Years is firmly committed to sustainability across its operations.

All wooden toys and products offered by the company are FSC certified, and efforts are underway to integrate the Better Cotton Initiative into its textile product sourcing. In addition to its focus on responsible materials, it places significant emphasis on charitable contributions; any items that do not meet personalisation standards are donated to partner organisations such as Goods For Good, a charity that supports people facing hardship in the UK and around the world. As well as donating thousands of pounds worth of clothing and toys, My 1st Years provides Goods For Good with invaluable warehousing and logistics support.

 

 

“With every order, we clothe a child; that’s our mission,” confirms Sitton. “We ship 600,000 orders per year, and as a result, support the logistics of supplying the goods to clothe 600,000 children per year. Our aim is to get this to one million children clothed every year.”

As My 1st Years continues to grow, establishing meaningful connections with customers remains a top priority, ensuring that every purchase – whether made in-store or online – carries the hallmark of thoughtfulness and individual care that defines the business.

So, what’s the long-term vision for My 1st Years? “To be the number one personalised baby and child gifting brand worldwide with the most unique theatre in-store experiences, and providing a fantastic online service for families and loved ones,” concludes Sitton.