Meet the co-founder of LittleLamb

I’m Esme, co-founder and Creative Director of LittleLamb, a sustainable reusable nappy brand. Prior to LittleLamb, I ran a series of successful denim shops, however, I fell out of love with the denim industry after suffering from a miscarriage. From that point onwards I was determined to create a more sustainable lifestyle for myself and my children, which prompted the launch of LittleLamb. 

There’s always a lightbulb moment before the beginning of a new venture. What was that moment for you?

For me this lightbulb moment happened after I’d put my six children through nappies. Being a single mum when I had my first son, with little money, meant nappies were a weekly cost I just could not afford, so my mum bought me a pack of 24 flat terry nappies, three plastic wrap pants and some safety pins. Using washable nappies meant I never ran out of nappies, but I soon became aware of the sustainable benefits, as well as saving money, as so much less waste was thrown away. After that I never looked back! I was determined to make a cloth nappy brand that was high quality but affordable, and more mainstream. LittleLamb was set up in 2004 and it’s now my mission to show families that cloth nappies are a more sustainable and affordable choice. 

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

The biggest lesson I’ve learnt as an entrepreneur is how to manage family and business time effectively – especially now that one of my daughters, Alannah, has joined the LittleLamb family team! When you’re first starting out it’s so easy to not have that balance, especially when going into business for yourself, there are no set hours! However, over time I’ve learnt that in order for me to have that ‘creative spark’ when it comes to designing new collections, I need to have that downtime.

Also, another key lesson for me was making sure that LittleLamb remained  authentic as a sustainable brand. It’s such a competitive market now, compared to when I first started out when people were just getting to grips with businesses ‘going green’.  That’s why its so important to me that we continue to provide high quality and affordable sustainable nappies.

How did you conquer those moments of doubt that so often affect entrepreneurs or stop many with great ideas – what pushes you through?

I think it’s inevitable that entrepreneurs will always have those moment of doubt, but for me the lifestyle change that starting LittleLamb brought to myself and my family, was the main driving force that really pushed me through and didn’t stop me from starting the business.

Working alongside my family within the business is one of the main reasons I’m able to conquer those moments of doubt and push through. They continually support and advise me when I come up with new designs and ideas for LittleLamb. Having that listening board to provide me with honest feedback is what has gotten me through at times when I thought I couldn’t push through! 

What does your business offer its target audience?

LittleLamb is a cloth nappy brand that provides easy to use reusable cloth nappies that are convenient, high quality, and affordable. Our aim is to solve a problem we saw in the cloth nappy industry, that over time the products had become greenwashed and expensive. 

We stock a range of products including nappy kits, cloth nappies, sustainable clothing, and a post-partum range – offering sanitary pads and breast pads. LittleLamb uses sustainable fabrics such as recycled polyester, bamboo viscose and hemp/cotton blends, and we are proudly 99% plastic-free in our packaging!

We also have a firm commitment to sustainability, affordability and giving back. As a “for good” company, we have created limited edition ranges with donations going to charity partners including Woodland Trust, Make-A-Wish Foundation and, most recently, Surfer’s Against Sewage.

What’s the single most important decision that you made, that contributed to your business?

Setting up the business online, as opposed to in store, is the most important decision I’ve made that’s contributed to the business. LittleLamb was one of the first nappy companies to go online and we were amazed at the positive reaction to our nappies. 

Selling online also gave me the freedom that I would never have if working in bricks and mortar retail. This allows me for more time to come up with creative ideas for our new designs and further develop our charity and CSR initiatives.   This is something that’s really close to my heart and is so important to LittleLamb’s business - that we continue to support charities that are doing their bit towards a more sustainable future.

What plans do you have for LittleLamb over the next two years?

We can’t reveal too much at this stage, but we have a lot coming up in the pipeline this year. As well as supporting parents and the environment, we’re so pleased to be able to support others with our work too. Watch this space!...

What impact would you like to have on women around the world through your business?

I know how challenging motherhood can be, so I’m determined to make parenting easier and more affordable. On average, one baby will need 6,500 nappy changes from birth to potty, so switching to reusable nappies could save them up to £750 per child. By using cloth nappies, women can save money and really reduce their waste.

One of our favourite customer testimonials is from a lady who purchased a set of 20 cotton nappies for her baby, used them on her first and second child, then gave them to her sister who used them on her three children, and then sold them online! Those 20 initial nappies saved nearly five tonnes of disposable nappy waste from landfill and that kind of circular economy makes us so proud.

We want to ensure parents around the world have access to high quality and affordable cloth nappies, that also have huge long term cost benefits and are environmentally sustainable.

I strongly feel that washable nappies should not be an aspirational product but one that everyone can choose to use.

What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?

Remember it takes time and research – there will be a lot of ups and downs along the way, which is to be expected! 

Don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back – start before you’re ready, because let’s face it, who ever thinks they’re 100% ready to dive in and start their business?! You’ll never know how successful your idea could be if you don’t try!

Any new product launches we should know about?

Yes! We’ve recently launched a new Zodiac design collection available in our Wrap and Pocket Nappy products, working with a charity partner, Surfer’s Against Sewage to donate profits to from our new range.

Each nappy print includes the Zodiac constellation, an interpretation of the Zodiac animal for the sign, and a card showing the child’s predicted traits based on their Zodiac sign. £1 from every sale of LittleLamb’s new Zodiac collection will be donated to Surfers Against Sewage to help clean up UK waterways.

Describe your business in three words.

Sustainable, affordable, unique!