Award-winning, sustainable childrenswear brand Kite Clothing has partnered with Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s Neonatal Unit to design and produce a unique range of garments specially developed for premature babies receiving neonatal care. It also recently donated a year’s supply of specialist garments to the unit.
The Kite Premature Baby Collection is the result of close collaboration with neonatal nurses, specialists and local families. Designs meet the complex medical and developmental needs of babies born too soon or with additional medical needs, while also bringing a sense of colour, comfort and normality to families during what can be an emotional time.
Every feature thoughtfully considered
Listening to feedback from families, Kite discovered there has long been a shortage of suitable clothing options for premature babies. Many existing designs don’t have input from medical professionals, meaning they don’t always work well in real-life neonatal settings.
Much of what’s available is also plain white. Families involved in the project shared how meaningful it felt to finally be able to dress their babies in bright, colourful clothes, just as they would if their babies were born full term.
Megan Styles, a NICU parent who helped test the garments, says, “As a NICU mum, I know how stressful it can be trying to find suitable clothes for your baby. Knowing these outfits are there – soft, colourful and made to fit perfectly around the medical equipment – will make such a difference to future families.”
Kite’s range includes garments with popper openings for easy access to feeding tubes, respiratory support and IV lines, helping reduce both handling and stress for babies. Made from its signature soft organic cotton in bright, uplifting prints, the garments combine practical design with the brand’s familiar sense of joy.
The project was cost-free to the NHS, with Kite and its long-standing factory partners in Turkey producing the garments on a charitable basis.
In November, members of the Kite team joined hospital staff, families and babies who had supported the range’s development at a special event at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital Neonatal Unit. The group celebrated the official handover of 1,200 garments – enough for every baby passing through the unit in the next year to receive their own set of a vest, sleepsuit, hat and bonding squares.
“This has been one of the most meaningful projects we’ve ever worked on,” says Jo Spragg, Kite’s founder and creative director. “To create something that supports babies, parents and hospital staff in such a practical and heartfelt way has been incredibly special. Seeing everyone together at the hospital – the nurses, families and our team – made it all feel very real and emotional. We’re so proud of what’s been achieved together.”
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Karly Brand, adds, “Working with Kite has been a wonderful experience and an absolute pleasure. Their team took the time to truly understand the needs of our babies and families, and the resulting designs are both beautifully crafted and highly functional. These garments will make a real difference for our little patients and their families, and we’re so grateful for Kite’s care and collaboration.”
Following the success of the Bournemouth partnership, which Kite intends to continue year-on-year, the brand is now exploring ways to expand the initiative to other NHS trusts across the UK on a non-profit basis. The aim is to enable more hospitals to access the same purpose-designed clothing for their neonatal units. All products are also available to purchase on Kite’s website for families not local to Bournemouth.