How to Raise a More Sustainable Family - The Low Down on Baby Clothing Rentals and Food Subscriptions

We had the pleasure of chatting with Eve Kekeh, founder of Bundlee, and our very own Sophie Baron all about sustainability and how we can make sustainability become second nature when it comes to family living. We know how important it is to be green and to shop mindfully, so read on as we discuss the new age of baby and toddler subscriptions! Keep scrolling as we chat, renting baby clothes and ways you can build an environmentally friendly mindset as a modern-day parent from the offset with a baby subscription box that grows with you and your family.

You both chose to start subscription-based businesses aimed at parents. Why did you feel like there was a need for this?

Sophie: I felt so under-supported as a new mum. I really wanted to create a product that would function as a support system by alleviating the mental load of motherhood. I was really conscious that a lot of things that are supposed to help actually create stress - like when people say ‘tell me how to help you’ and you’re just like, ‘no, please just help me.’ So creating a subscription delivery product that was expert-designed felt like a natural way to achieve this. This way the right meals arrive at your doorstep at the right time.

Eve: There’s a large age gap between my younger siblings, and I was always shocked at how quickly they grew and how much stuff they supposedly ‘needed’. Babies outgrow 7 clothing sizes in their first 2 years - it’s the ultimate fast fashion! With how quickly they outgrow clothes, it would really help parents to have an easy way to always have the right size clothes, right when they need them. So a baby clothes subscription service made so much sense!

With the Bundlee subscription, a set of baby clothes are delivered to your door, then you simply swap the clothes as your little one grows. And the amazing part is your outgrown clothes then get a new lease of life! We clean and sanitise them before sending them on to the next family to enjoy. It’s zero waste, baby!

Describe your business in five words...

Sophie: Support-system for the modern parent!

Eve: Zero waste premium clothes delivered.

The baby food and baby clothing industries are notorious for creating waste. What are you doing to ensure your business is as sustainable as possible?

Sophie: I couldn’t get over the amount of waste that I was generating when I first started weaning my daughter. Even if you ignore the fact that standard baby pouches on their own have terrible eco-credentials, I found my daughter would rarely finish a whole pouch - and then I was stuck trying to get her to finish it within 24 hours, which made it difficult to introduce variety. Freezing food is a great way to extend the life of a fresh product - for years, parents have been batch cooking and freezing, and the market is finally ready for this on a larger scale. We’re also committed to offering only plant-based meals and organic baby food. We’re not evangelising veganism, but rather trying to support parents to understand how to feed children more plants - and how easy it is to cut back on dairy, egg and other animal products.

Eve: I think about this all the time! We start with the clothes themselves – we only work with brands who create ethical, sustainable fashion pieces that are built to last. We’ve also created the Bundlee Originals collection with sustainability in mind from the very beginning – we designed modern classics, sourced hard-wearing (yet incredibly soft) cotton and created clothes that are designed to be loved by at least 3 families.

Our rental model itself has sustainability at its core. Renting extends the lifespan of clothing by up to 400%. We also consider how we deliver and return clothes and how they are cleaned. Our reusable packaging stops waste when clothes are going to and from families. We take great care for clothes in between rentals, and give them our ‘green clean’ which uses less energy and water, whilst sanitising clothes with our environmentally friendly Ozone method.

Because of all of this, our model reduces water consumption by 96% and carbon emissions by 86% compared to buying baby clothes new. And I’m also super proud that we send zero clothes to landfill! As when the clothes are too worn to be rented (we have strict quality checks) they are donated, and if they are worn beyond repair and re-wear, we recycle the fabric.

Sophie, you’ve tried Bundlee now for your son – what were your main concerns with renting, and how have you found it so far?

I was really worried about ruining the gorgeous clothes - we all know how mucky babies can get, especially when weaning! But the team reassured me that they can get out most stains, and even if we ruin the clothes completely they will make sure they get a new life, diverted from landfill. It’s been such a relief knowing we’ve got enough clothes for the next few months at a fraction of the price I would have paid for new, and that we can replace them again in a few months. Staying on top of his wardrobe is my worst - Bundlee is a serious life saver.

Eve, a member of your team has tried Mamamade with their kids – what did they make of it?

Yes – Fiona tried Mamamade for her kids - they were BIG fans! She said: “It was so reassuring to be able to deliver a healthy, nutritious and balanced meal within minutes to ‘hangry’ children after a busy day. There were clean plates all around. Even the snacks were secretly healthy, which let’s face it…is sometimes the only way to do it!”

You can’t escape that the environmental impact of raising a baby is high. What are your top tips for parents looking to be more sustainable and reduce their family’s carbon footprint?

Sophie: It can feel really overwhelming, but sustainability doesn’t need to be all or nothing. I thought about reusable nappies for Arthur, but I couldn’t get my head around all the options. So instead we use disposable nappies but opt for reusable swim nappies. We don’t wash every item of clothing every day - that was another big change. I used to chuck everything in the wash just to get it off the floor! My kids are mostly vegetarian - they have almost no dairy, and Arthur doesn’t drink cow’s milk.

In the scheme of things, these feel absolutely minuscule. It would be easy to wonder if it’s worth the bother. But I know that small changes add up! It’s not about being perfect. It’s about trying.

Eve: Rent whenever you can, borrow or buy second hand – and don’t forget to hand down things yourself. You can’t aim for perfection – but try to consider other options before you buy new.

Let’s share the love... Sophie, what do you love about Bundlee? And Eve, what are your favourite things about Mamamade?

Sophie: I still can’t get over the quality of brands that Bundlee stock. Also, the ease of it - one of my least favourite tasks as a parent is sorting through clothes. I hate it. In fact, Arthur’s wardrobe still has all his newborn clothing out - which he never fit in, because he was so huge when he was born! So I just love knowing I can send it all back!

Eve: I love how Mamamade is there from the very first tastes to help parents on their weaning journey as it can be so stressful and time-consuming getting started.

To have a brand that advocates healthy eating that is also convenient and supportive for parents is so great - I’m all about making parents’ lives easier! As babies grow, parents want to make sure they experience a wide array of tastes and textures, and Mamamade makes this so easy.

For the days when you’re home late, shopping didn’t arrive or you’re at your wits end and need a hand…Mamamade is your new best friend!

What’s next – any exciting new things coming up for either of you?

Sophie: New flavours and ranges coming soon... Wish I could say more, but these might be our most exciting yet!

Eve: We’ve just launched a new brand, Little Riley Studio, on our Personalised Subscription which has been so well received by our parents. We’ve also had so many families rent our Bundlee Originals in the Capsule Subscription that we are down to our last pieces. So we’ve been busy creating our new & improved Bundlee Originals collection – it’s going to be ready so soon! I think parents are going to love the new styles and colours, they’re all so easy to mix and match!

Bundlee are offering our community of Mamamates a discount code of 30 days free! With the code MAMA100 🚨

Terms: Can be redeemed against any subscription on bundlee.co.uk. Your subscription is flexible and you can be paused or cancelled at anytime. Once your free trial period is over, the card on your account will be charged if your subscription continues.

I hope you enjoyed this chat with Eve Kekeh, founder of Bundlee and Sophie Baron. Thank you so much to you both for your time 🥰

We’d love to know your thoughts and whether you’ve tried a subscription box yourself! So, please share your experience with us in the comments below or send us a DM on Instagram. If you want to read a little more about ways on being a sustainable family check out our blog on “How To Be More Green”.

Love,

Team Mamamade