Australian baby apparel brand Tiny Twig, launches it’s finest quality premium baby wear in the Indian market through their flagship store in Hyderabad & online store www.tinytwig.in
Cotton has been the go-to fabric in India, especially for infants. It is a common sight to find newborns swaddled in their grandmothers’ years-old cotton sarees. From the beautiful city of Adelaide in Australia, Tiny Twig wanted to translate the super-soft touch of granny’s pure cotton fabric to a boutique brand of baby clothing designed for the baby today and their future tomorrow.
Launched in 2009, Tiny Twig’s baby clothing made from organic cotton has been celebrated for years in various parts of the world. “Tiny Twig’s commitment to using organic cotton, fair trade practices, and functional design to support parents and infants alike is the driving force behind our work. We’re very excited that our beautiful, organic cotton range, designed in Australia and already sold in Japan, The USA, Canada, and of course Australia, is coming ‘home’ to India’. Designed in Australia and made in India, we bring you the best of both worlds,” says Dr. Madhu Siva, the brain and passion behind the brand.
Tiny Twig is the culmination of many experiences of Dr Madhu Siva, which started with her personal experience of looking for fabrics that were most comfortable for her son when he was an infant. “I looked everywhere and researched extensively to find the safest, softest garments for my son and ended up using my mother’s old saree to sew my son’s first attire,” recalls Madhu. A discussion with some friends about the causes of eczema in babies led Madhu to found Tiny Twig eventually.
Baby-Friendly, Earth Friendly
With a PhD in Chemistry, Madhu was always aware of the effects of harmful chemicals on humans and the environment. “As I researched more about the impacts of these chemicals on human skin, I understood the value of organic cotton fabric for infants,” says Madhu. “Did you know that a baby’s skin is seven times thinner than adult skin?” she asks while explaining how residual pesticide in non-organic fabric could seep into an infant’s skin, putting them at higher risk of several physical and developmental disorders.
Tiny Twig‘s clothing is GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)-certified. GOTS certified the clothing’s organic standards and insists on maintaining a sustainable supply chain and fair processes from farm to finish. While the clothes are gentle on the infants themselves, they are equally kind to the environment too. “The GOTS certification on our label is a testament that our textiles meet the highest requirements from field to factory. Thus, our customers can rely on buying a completely ‘clean’ product – from the raw material through to finishing,” Madhu clarifies.
This hard-earned reputation involves sourcing the best organic cotton that is soft, breathable, strong and durable, colours from certified organic dyes and nature-sourced accessories meeting the highest safety standards, making organic clothing fun to wear. The team has taken it a step further by introducing coconut shell buttons and lead-free and nickel-free snap buttons on the clothes, avoiding all plastic or synthetic accessories. “You just have to touch the fabric once to understand the value of clothing made from organic cotton,” insists Madhu.
However, the team is aware that they can only meet their sustainability goals if they are ably supported by fair and safe work practices. Tiny Twig also strives to maximize its social and economic impact at every stage of production. A source of employment with a flexible work environment for women and value-based partnerships, resulting in a sustainable future, underpins the social purpose of the Tiny Twig business.
Functionality in Styling
While the fabric used in Tiny Twig‘s clothing is incredibly soft and highly durable, the team has put a lot of thought into comfort, styling and innovation. Their proprietary design of the two-way zipper growsuit with a zip runner ending on the shoulder keeps babies from getting hurt at the neck or the chin while dressing them. “We also keep reviewing our designs at regular intervals to ensure good quality in tailoring and finish”, says Madhu.
Another trademark of Tiny Twig clothing are suits with fold back mittens and foot cuffs to keep infants warm at night and free during the day for playtime. The clothes do not gather at the belly like baby clothes usually do. Tiny Twig has also paid attention to minute details such as the number of buttons on a baby shirt. “The detailing in these clothes is impeccable,” said a visitor at a clothing expo.
Madhu also talks about the logic behind the colours and the designs of the clothes. “We believe that babies are precious and very individual, and we strongly feel that our clothes need to reflect this uniqueness and rare value,” she adds.
Ready for Indian Markets
For a country well on its way to challenge developed countries’ economies soon, India’s baby clothing market-size has also seen an astounding growth in the past year. The kidswear segment, growing at a rate of 14% YoY, accounts for about 20% of the apparel market, which is worth $15 billion in 2021. The steady increase in smartphone users and a digital boom contributed to the quick expansion of consumers looking to switch to digital-first brands.
The thought process behind Tiny Twig has a deep cultural connection to India, so Madhu felt strongly about making this internationally acclaimed clothing brand available in India. While the clothing line is currently being sold from their website (https://www.tinytwig.in) & their Amazon Store, the clothes will soon be available for sale via all the popular e-commerce platforms such as Flipkart, First Cry and Ajio. Since their soft launch in the latter part of 2020, Tiny Twig has already built a steady, loyal customer base in India. The team is excited and justifiably proud of the incredibly positive feedback from its online customers. The customers are raving about the fabric, the classic designs, timeless patterns and super softness of Tiny Twig’s garments. The team is also in conversation with retailers all over India to make their beautiful clothing available at brick and mortar stores.
“Every Indian baby deserves Tiny Twig”, says Madhu, “and we want to touch as many families as we can with our lovely clothes.”
