Launched in January 2023 and newly certified as a B Corporation, The Baby Gifting Company caters to the gifting needs of new parents and their little ones with a focus on practicality, sentiment and sustainability. CWB speaks to founder, Shiba Babamiri, to learn more.

 

Laura Turner? What inspired you to start a company specialising in baby gifts?

Shiba Babamiri: It was really an idea that started brewing after I had my first baby, and I noticed how many of the gifts we were kindly sent either weren’t used or we ended up with too many of the same thing. I also couldn’t help but notice the sheer amount of packaging that comes with baby gifting hampers and felt there must be a more sentimental, sustainable and meaningful way of gifting to new parents. I noticed the same pattern after my second and third baby and decided I better do this, or no one will. So, I set about creating a really thoughtful and beautifully curated range of gift sets, from a parent to a parent, with products that I know will be used, loved and treasured.

LT: What are the company’s key values?

SB: We are on a mission to combine the joy of baby gifting with our passion for sustainability. Our values are entirely based on creating high-quality items that are designed to last and form part of a baby’s keepsake treasures. This is why we use the very best of cashmere and GOTS certified organic cotton for our products. We’ve kept our packaging to a minimum but really beautifully designed, so every gift is a precious sentiment for the gift receiver but also the gift-giver.

 

 

LT: What does your offer cover?

SB: We’ve curated a range of gift sets that encompass various themes and occasions throughout those early precious days from 0-12 months, from our bestselling ‘welcome baby gift set’ to our ‘playtime music set,’ there’s a box for everyone. Our products take inspiration from the most loved items I had for my children but made even better. So, our cashmere blanket and beanie set was inspired by a set I received for my daughter, which I loved using, but I wished it was softer, better quality and that the blanket was slightly larger. So, I designed a blanket with the perfect weighting and size and sourced 100% Mongolian cashmere for that extra softness. I really struggled to find hooded towels for my babies that were extra thick and hotel-standard quality, so I designed towels with 600GSM thickness for that extra cosiness. We also provide personalisation on our products and find this to be an extra feature that our customers love for truly sentimental gifting. We offer corporate gifts too, so companies and brands that wish to gift their clients and employees come to us for those.

LT: How does the wholesale side of the business work?

SB: We work with retailers that are keen to showcase our gift boxes on their websites or in-store. Once they take an order, either personalised or not, we fulfil these directly from our North London offices. We have a very fast turnaround of one to three working days, so customers receive their orders promptly. It’s a great way for us to be in multiple retailers and independent boutiques with minimal risk for the retailer, since they don’t need to hold or buy stock from us in bulk. It’s just a case of displaying our gift set samples online or in-store.

LT: Congratulations on The Baby Gifting Company’s recent B Corp certification. What inspired you to apply?

SB: Thank you so much. It’s been such a journey and I’m so proud of our certification. Since its conception, The Baby Gifting Company has always been an eco-conscious and purpose-led brand and that was very important to me, as I have to ensure I do what I can to leave a healthy planet behind for my children. What inspired me to apply for certification was the recognition of the importance of validating our commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. Achieving certification not only affirms our dedication to these principles but also builds trust with our customers, partners and the community. It serves as a testament to our efforts in creating a positive environmental and social impact. Now we’re certified, my aspirations for the business include expanding our range of eco-friendly products, enhancing our sustainability initiatives, and continuing to innovate in ways that reduce our ecological footprint. We aim to strengthen our partnerships with like-minded suppliers and organisations to amplify our collective impact. Ultimately, I hope to inspire other businesses in our industry to prioritise sustainability, proving that it is possible to be both successful and environmentally responsible.

 

 

LT: What are the company’s current sustainability initiatives and targets?

SB: We have measures in place to track our carbon footprint so that we can find ways to reduce it over time without impacting our stellar service promise. We are a member of 1% for the Planet, which is a collective of businesses that formally commit to giving back at least one per cent of their revenue to help our planet and society thrive. Through this initiative we support the Women’s Environment Network (WEN) Trust in the UK, helping families live a healthier and more sustainable life. We actively promote recycling and waste reduction practices within our organisation and encourage our customers to recycle packaging materials and provide guidelines for responsible product disposal. Our commitment goes beyond a one-off exercise. We have goals and metrics to ensure we continue to reduce our environmental impact and create more positive social and environmental impacts as a business. Our future sustainability goals include several key initiatives aimed at deepening our environmental commitment and expanding our positive impact. By setting and striving towards these goals, we aim to not only minimise our environmental impact but also inspire and lead by example within our industry.

LT: What is your Refresh & Repair programme?

SB: As part of our commitment to sustainability and waste reduction, we offer the ‘refresh & repair’ programme for all our cashmere, cotton and wooden toys. Rather than replacing the current items, we encourage our customers to check these into our workshop where they will be given an ultimate makeover. This includes the pilling of cashmere items, repair of wooden toys, and deep cleaning and repairs of our knitted pieces to give all our items a new life.

LT: What’s next for The Baby Gifting Company?

SB: We have some very exciting things in the pipeline, including fun product range developments, more pop-ups, and exhibitions in the UK and beyond. The future is also looking really exciting with our global expansion plans in key markets, as well as strategic partnerships with retailers and brands. By pursuing these short and long-term plans, we aim to solidify our position as a purpose-driven, eco-conscious brand that not only provides high-quality products but also contributes positively to the planet and society. I am very excited and cannot wait for the amazing journey.

To visit The Baby Gifting Company’s website, please click here.