Gifting to new mums and bubs? You might love the local-themed teethers, nursing necklaces, swaddles from homegrown Little Bearnie which are reminiscent of childhood memories and reflective of our Singapore culture.
The attractive accessories and baby gifts are adorable and functional at the same time. We speak to Little Bearnie founder Valencia Chen to find out about her inspirations.
Interview with Valencia Chen, founder of Little Bearnie
What inspired you to go into designing local-themed teethers?
A few years back, it was the marriage season among my friends, and I often shopped for baby gifts for them. Since there were a lot of friends to give baby gifts to, I wanted to bless them with something unique and memorable that wouldn’t be forgotten quickly that both the parent and baby would like.
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I did some research and imported some brands of teethers into the Singapore market. Customers loved it, and many of them shared constructive feedback, suggesting we bring in more local-themed teethers, as they would help educate the babies about parts of our culture that are uniquely Singaporean. I loved the idea, and I wanted to do this right, so I spent countless nights thinking and researching on designs until we finally created our first local-themed teether, inspired by one of Singapore’s favourite childhood snacks – gem biscuits.
Scroll to the bottom to participate in our Giveaway!
We like the teething necklace, boba love swaddles, swaddles – tell us more!
We source materials from different countries around the world and make sure they all go through stringent tests in certified labs to ensure that they are safe for the little ones. After acquiring the materials, Little Bearnie assembles the parts. This is the process we follow to create our teething clips and necklaces.
As for our teething products, they are all free of toxins, made of food-grade silicone and are BPA-free. As for our original design gem biscuit teethers, we had them manufactured in a reputable company overseas and conducted more tests to conform to safety standards for baby toys, in accordance with Singapore law. As for the other teethers we distribute, we curated them from reputable brands that test their teethers and ensure they conform to health standards of the United States of America and/or the European Union.
As for our swaddles, they are made of 70% bamboo rayon and 30% muslin cotton blend. We chose that material as it is breathable and cooling, which is essential considering our humid and hot weather.
Regarding the designs, they were inspired by our local culture, as I really wanted to see more Singaporean inspired products out there for babies. Shouldn’t our children be exposed to more local influences?
I also try to be unique with our designs, which is why I created the boba swaddle. There were no other bubble tea printed swaddles in Singapore, and given how many people love bubble tea, I knew we had to make this design.
In general, many of the designs you see on Little Bearnie are inspired by our customers and friends. I hope that in the future, Little Bearnie helps bring a piece of Singapore to the rest of the world.
How has Little Bearnie coped with the COVID-19 outbreak?
COVID-19 put a halt to our outreach and sales through physical craft markets and baby fairs. The pandemic influenced the retail market heavily and caught us off guard.
However, I believe that when God closes a door, he opens another. We saw new opportunities despite the setbacks. For instance, this was a great time to establish our presence on online marketplaces, which helps drive more sales, as compared to using our website alone.
Through this online expansion, via platforms like Mothercare and Lazada, we extended our reach and exposure to many new and different audiences.
GIVEAWAY: Little Bearnie Mum and Bub Merchandise!
This is the giveaway perfect for expectant mums, mums with bubs. The set of Little Bearnie baby and mum gifts are exclusively designed by Little Bearnie, and both the Gem Biscuit teethers and Boba swaddles are highly popular items designed and manufactured in-house.
You will stand a chance to win:
1x Gem Biscuit Teething Clip Set (in the colour of the winner’s choice)
1x Necklace for mums (In the design of the winner’s choice)
1x Boba Swaddle (In colour of the winner’s choice)
For a chance to win this gift set, ensure that you follow ALL of these steps:
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- Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/littledayout.sg/)
- Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/littledayout/)
- Like Little Bearnie on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/littlebearnie)
- Follow Little Bearnie on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/littlebearnie/)
- Subscribe to our Online Newsletter (bit.ly/LDOeNews)
- Share the Relevant Social Media Posts on your Facebook / Instagram Feed
- Answer the question in the form below:
Submit your answers and tag your friends by Sunday, 27 September 2020 to participate in this giveaway.
As always, you can increase your chances of winning by doing one or all of the following:
* Subscribe to our Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/littledayoutsg/)
* Share the Relevant Social Media Posts on your story
* Tag 3 or more friends
All the best!
