When Georgia and Jacob Faull first became parents 25 years ago, their daughter Eliza was not the only new addition to the family. That year saw the arrival of another “baby” – their business Nature Baby. The pair, who went on to have two more children – Nat, 22, and Thea, 16 – joke that the company, which makes babywear, is their fourth child. “And the most demanding,” laughs Georgia.
The Auckland couple can’t quite believe it has been a quarter of a century since they decided, in their mid-twenties, to launch their business a few months after Eliza was born.
“Having a baby and starting a business at the same time does seem a bit crazy,” admits Georgia, 50. “I look back now and wonder how we did it.” Adds Jacob, also 50, “It was like having two babies at once.”
Just as they have done with their children, they’ve lovingly nurtured Nature Baby, guiding it through ups and downs, and proudly watching it grow. The company now employs 55 people, and has three shops in New Zealand and one in Sydney. Its products are stocked in stores around the world.
Nature Baby was born because the couple wanted to provide the most natural products they could for their child. When they saw a gap in the market for baby clothes made from organic cotton, they decided to make garments themselves.
Neither Georgia nor Jacob had experience in design, manufacturing or retail, but they both possessed an entrepreneurial spirit and artistic flair, as well as a determination to live life in the most environmentally friendly way possible.
The couple met at university, where Jacob completed a fine-arts degree and Georgia studied art history, philosophy, and psychology. After graduating, they traveled and eventually ended up in London, where they sold cushions crafted from secondhand saris at Spitalfields market. There, they drew inspiration from the stalls selling natural products.
When the pair found out they were expecting Eliza, they moved back to Auckland with the idea of making baby bodysuits. They imported organic cotton and outsourced the sewing. To start with, they operated as a mail-order business from their home. The internet was in its early days, so they advertised in parenting magazines and people paid for their orders by cheque.
“It was small-scale,’ Georgia says. ‘We just had a pamphlet with a few products. The baby kept me awake at night, and I worried about whether we would get any orders. But failure never crossed our minds. We made it our goal to make it work.”
Within a year, they had opened a shop and over time the business grew until they had a bigger range of clothing. Including items made from organic merino wool, along with homewares, toys and skincare.
About 10 years ago, things really took off when Nature Baby was stocked by US clothing chain J. Crew. “We were selling hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of products in the US. And we weren’t even there doing anything,” recalls Jacob.
“Pink, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Halle Berry were putting their kids in Nature Baby. Jennifer Garner was in a movie where her baby wore Nature Baby. We were among the 10 best baby brands in the world.”
Then, however, the retail market changed. J. Crew went through financial difficulties and sales slowed.
“We probably should have pushed things more. But we had young children and we didn’t want to have to spend lots of time in New York,” says Jacob. “We could have been a bit braver. But it would have been a lot and I don’t think we would still be married!”
The couple – who have a rule not to talk about the business when they’re at home – say they work well together because they divide up duties. Georgia’s the creative one, coming up with ideas and designs, while Jacob deals with the business and marketing side. “I make our products and Jacob sells them,” explains Georgia.
The couple has recently launched a pilot initiative called Worn Again. People can return used Nature Baby clothing and receive a store credit on their next purchase. They either sell the pre-loved garments as secondhand or give them to families in need. If they’re no longer wearable, they recycle them, avoiding landfill.
“Our products are very durable because they are made from organic cotton. So they can be used for up to eight different babies,” explains Jacob. “In New Zealand, we have the equivalent of a small carful of clothing going into landfill every 10 minutes. We are really keen to do our bit to help reduce that.”
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