The co-creators of Little Eco Baby Ben and Stacey Ring are parents and sustainability advocates. They launched the business after using reusable cloth nappies on their son and were motivated to help other tired parents to make the environmental and cost-effective switch, too.
Designed in Nowra, NSW, Little Eco Baby’s reusable cloth nappies are made from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles, reduce exposure to over 50 chemicals used in the manufacturing process of disposable nappies and feature amazing designs by a local graphic artist.
Here’s our chat with co-founder Stacey Ring.
How did Little Eco Baby come about?
We began our parenting journey in 2014 with the birth of our daughter Eden. Quickly we found out that parenthood throws at you challenges, she was born prematurely and was a fiery little thing from the very beginning. Like many parents we were always tired. We struggled through the daily cycle and had to find our feet a few times over. We had always been eco minded but it just never occurred to us to try modern cloth nappies.
Fast forward three years when we found ourselves with a stash of cloth nappies to use on our son Henry. We were keen to try them, but unsure of their effectiveness and the extra time needed in our already busy days to clean them.
It took some motivation but finally after 10 weeks we decided to give them a try… and we never looked back! Our preconceived notions were blown out of the water. He didn’t leak or get ANY nappy rash. We were proud to be reducing our waste and protecting our little boy from nasties against his skin. We wondered what was holding others back from making the same switch, and realised (from all of our tired parent friends) that it is simply time! And that’s how Little Eco Baby began.
We set out to create a nappy service that offered all the benefits of cloth nappies without any of the hard work. Today we have grown our offerings and support hundreds of parents across the country. We want to support parents to make safer and sustainable choices and are proud to be inspiring change for a better future.
What makes Little Eco Baby unique?
Little Eco Baby takes all the challenges out of cloth nappies by empowering parents to choose safer, environmentally friendly nappies for their babies. The Lease and Laundry Service helps parents who want to use cloth nappies by taking away all the hard work. Parents can be organised with a recurring subscription so they have time for more important things. Our packages are delivered twice a week and include assembled, ready to use nappies so it’s as simple as using disposables. The whole service is solar powered and any extra emissions incurred are offset, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to really reduce your carbon footprint.
You’ve won the Excellence in Sustainability at the Shoalhaven Business Awards for the last two years, what does that mean to you?
We are really proud to be recognised at the Business Awards. To date we have diverted an exceptional number of nappies from landfill, but our business isn’t simply focused on that. We use specially developed laundry liquid that is both safe for the environment and safe to use against a precious baby’s skin.
Sustainability is at the core of everything we do, from recycled materials in manufacturing to reused mailer bags and everything in between. Little Eco Baby is really changing the nappying culture and at the forefront of small businesses converting to more sustainable practices. Aligning with your local business awards really gives you a chance to learn from others which has been really worthwhile when building professional relationships and collaborations.
What does success for Little Eco Baby look like for you?
Little Eco Baby is currently franchising, so our current target is to expand asap throughout Australia. Once we achieve this, I’ll really feel the success of the company. We are making such a difference locally but I’m really driven to see the reduction in landfill across the country. Our franchise package is well suited to working parents as it is home based, flexible and fulfilling.
Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
Definitely not! I am a primary school teacher and my husband is a firefighter. We had always dabbled with the idea of a side hustle but it wasn’t until the need for a nappy service presented itself that we thought we’d give it a go. Working on a new project throughout my second maternity leave was great timing as I was ready to be creative and be learning new skills. We participated in Wollongong Uni’s iAccelerate Program which embedded our concept and helped us to grow the company further. Entrepreneur still sounds a little weird but I’ve accepted that it’s what I have become.
What have you enjoyed most about starting your own company?
Being creative and learning new skills. Everyone says it, but there is so much involved. I’ve learnt everything on the fly through trial and error or from reaching out to friends and peers. I’m looking forward to being able to hire some expert staff in the future so I can focus on products and growing the business
Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
I look to brands such as Spell and Keep Cup. They have been at the forefront of their industry and excel in transparent sustainability.
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