Can you tell us a little about yourself as a person?
I live in Glasgow with my partner Martin and little boy Joshua who’s 5. Josh was actually the inspiration for my business as when he was a baby he suffered with eczema. Research into how to help soothe his skin led me to discover the benefits of organic cotton which is extra gentle on little ones’ delicate skin as it’s grown with much less chemicals than conventional cotton so less likely to irritate and trigger skin conditions. To be honest, I’d never come across organic clothing before but there are so many fantastic ranges out there I was so glad I discovered it! Not only is it lovely and gentle on skin but the fabric breaks down much slower than ordinary cotton so it’s exceptionally hard wearing and washing brilliantly too making it perfect for children!
How did you first set up the business?
When Josh was a year old I was made redundant from my full time josh as a Service Delivery Manager with Hewlett Packard where I had worked for years. Martin is a submariner in the Royal Navy and spends a lot of time away from home and I was lucky enough to be in the position to be a stay-at-home mum for a few years until Josh started school. As Josh got older I started thinking about setting up my own business selling the fab organic clothing which I’d discovered. Working from home would make it much easier to juggle Josh’s childcare needs with work, especially with Martin being away a lot. My sister thought it was a great idea and decided to invest and help me set up the business so the idea for Little Buttons Boutique was born! After well over a year and a half of loads of research and working with designers and suppliers the website was launched in June 2012. Since launching I’ve built up and amazing customer base and have got to know lots of our customers really well. Part of the business idea was to provide a personal service rather than just be another faceless website and it’s worked out wonderfully as we’ve got to know so many fantastic people, including customers, designers, suppliers and fellow businesses too. At the moment we’re purely online and ship both UK and worldwide, with lots of customers in Europe and America especially.
What is the most popular product sales wise?
We have two best sellers at the moment, one of them being Frugi as they have just launched their new Spring/Summer 2015 collection and it’s proving incredibly popular. All of Frugi’s clothes are made from organic cotton so are beautifully gentle on skin as well as washing and wearing brilliantly too. They’re ethically made and Frugi also donate to a percentage of their sales to various charities so I love the ethics behind the brand too. The other most popular range is Blade & Rose leggings. Our customers love these fantastic quality leggings for both boys and girls which feature unique designs on the bottom and are lovely and comfy for little ones to wear as well as being super cute too!
Everyone has a favourite product - what is yours?
It’s so hard to choose! I absolutely love the softness of the Frugi clothes and I’m also loving one of our newest ranges Maxomorra which is a fab Swedish label featuring fun, unisex prints on organic cotton clothing. Josh is a big fan of the new Ghost and Tractor print this season and is like a little walking Maxomorra advert!
What is your newest item / product?
We’ve recently added Cuddledry Baby and Toddler Towels to the website. This fantastic award winning range was created by two mums back in 2006 to make bath time easier, safer and stress free. The products have just won the Mumsnet Award for No1 baby gift for the 8th year running and we find lots of our customers buy them to take to baby showers as a unique, fun and most of all useful gift for new parents. The innovative Baby Apron style towel keeps adults dry from bath time splashes whilst leaving both hands free to safely bath and lift slippery babies, while the Toddler Dress Up Towels are amazing quality and a big hit in my house! They’re super soft, luxuriously thick and highly absorbent too.
What is the one thing people must know about your business?
The one think I’d like people to know is that when they’re buying from Little Buttons Boutique they’re buying top quality items and I only stock ranges I use for my own little boy. I also try to provide a personal service and am always on hand via social media or email to supply advice regarding sizing, styles or just have a chat!
What is your proudest business achievement?
There are loads but two of the main achievements are 1. Winning the Jacqueline Gold #WOW award as it’s amazing to be recognised but such a successful lady as a woman in business and 2. Having designers get in touch as me to stock their ranges as it means I’ve built a successful website and business which designers and brands whom I admire wish to be a part of.
What do you do when you aren’t working on the business?
At the moment, between work and family life all my time is taken up! My little boy is in school now so I’m lucky to be able to work during the day and the majority of my spare time is spent with family or catching up with friends.
What five words describe your business?
Ethical, organic, quality clothing, friendly
Any big plans for 2015 you can share?
This year is all about expansion and the plan for this year is just to continue adding top quality brands. I’m looking at adding a Nursery section to the website which will hopefully include organic bedding, toys and accessories, as well as being in talks with some fab European designers with a view to bringing their collections to Little Buttons Boutique later in the year so watch this space!
How can we find out more about you:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LittleButtonsBoutique
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LittleButtonsUK
Website: www.littlebuttonsboutique.co.uk
Email: info@littlebuttonsboutique.co.uk
Blog: www.littlebuttonsboutique.co.uk
Telephone: 07828 057 960
Such a fab idea - especially if your little one has Skin Issues! Wendy has arranged a fabulous 10% discount code to use on her website how lovely is that? Use code BLUELIGHTS Please let us know what you buy!
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