Founded by couple Vics and Clifton in 2007 Natural Baby Shower provides beautiful eco-friendly products carefully handpicked for babies and children.
Whilst living in New Zealand in 2003 the couple were inspired by the natural approach to parenting they experienced during their first pregnancy and realised there was nothing dedicated to eco baby products here in the UK. When they returned back home in 2005 they decided to set up a business that would solely cater to parents wanting a simple and natural approach.
Starting completely from scratch, whilst juggling parenting of two young children, the couple worked tirelessly to turn their dream into a reality, dropping off parcels in between nursey pick-ups and developing the website in the evenings.
Fast forward 15 years and Natural Baby Shower is an award-winning retailer selling over 125 trusted baby brands, having grown from a team of two at the kitchen table, to a team of over 75 employees at their headquarters in Bracknell.
The couple says the core values of the business are what they feel and are as parents and they have tried to take these forward into the products they choose.
As the business began to succeed and grow so did their need for space and suitable premises which led the couple to Bracknell. Clifton said, “We moved to the Maple Centre first and were there for 3 years, but we quickly outgrew the space which led us to Unit 3, West Point on Western Road. Here we have 43,000 sq. feet enabling us to store our products and deliver all around the country.
“After moving to the new premises, we were invited along to meet Bracknell BID which was brilliant. We were immediately 100% behind their mission and were excited to become part of a thriving business community. We’ve learnt a lot about Bracknell since becoming a member and soon realised we had picked a very good town to be in. I don’t think you can really be a part of a community until you engage with it.”
In addition to their head office, they have a physical store in Bagshot with exciting plans to open a second one, here in Bracknell in the next year. Visit the Natural Baby Shower store on the Berkshire/Surrey border in Bagshot and speak with a nursery specialist for expert advice at any stage of your parenting journey.
Environmental philosophy
With a string of awards under their belt including the recent Platinum awards wins for Best Online Retailer and Best Independent Retailer 2023, Vics and Clifton clearly have the knowledge, skills and determination to turn an idea into an incredibly successful business, but their vision goes way beyond simple business growth.
Alongside their eco-friendly credentials, the couple are passionate about implementing change and the communities around them and lowering their environmental impact however they can.
They understand that running a business can have an impact on the natural environment and so they ship in as few deliveries as possible, only use sustainable materials and source products with lifespans that go the distance. They reduce the use of paper with innovative technology developments in store, online and in their head office and they avoid using single use plastics.
They also implement energy saving and waste reducing practices in their warehouse and make it a huge priority to make sure all packaging is sustainable, taking big steps in ensuring it is recyclable where possible.
It’s not just their packaging that makes them environmentally friendly, it’s the materials, the manufacturing processes and ethical businesses they work with to ensure no nasty chemicals in their fabrics and absolutely no exploitation in any factories.
With ambitious plans to achieve B Corp Certification and net-zero in 2024 Natural Baby Shower are not just talking the talk, they are determined to make a difference.
So what’s the secret to their success?
Clifton says, “We invest a lot of time into finding the right staff, providing great training and employing people that are inspired to follow our values of being caring and nurturing. We don’t use robots and have real people at the end of the phone who have detailed knowledge of all our products. We’re extremely flexible and go the extra mile to help our customers, from live online demos in the comfort of their own home to video calls direct with our store allowing customers to view the products in-situ and receive live demonstrations where helpful. We want to create loyal customers through great service and give support at every stage of the parenting journey.”
Giving back
The business works closely with 3 charities: Stripey Stork, Green Fingers Charity and Shooting Star Children’s Hospice to support and shine light on the incredible life-changing work they do every day. Our charity partners inspire us to do more, be better and give back.
Vics said, “Using our platform to give back and support charities is something I am so passionate about. After listening to the inspiring stories of our charity partners and hearing the amazing work they are doing for those in need, I just knew we had to help in any way that we can.”
Future plans
‘Building traction, making change and moving forward’ is one of the couple’s mottos and they are looking forward to opening the Bracknell store, growing their annual online and in-store Natural Baby Show and ultimately becoming known as a leading high street brand.
To find out more about Natural Baby Shower’s journey and to view their impressive range of award winning products visit www.naturalbabyshower.co.uk