Tommy & Lottie is an independent kids concept brand focusing on non-seasonal, unisex capsule organic cotton clothing, backpacks and wall prints – all made sustainably and with a wildlife theme. 

1. Tell us about the story behind Tommy & Lottie and how it all started?

When I had my two children, Tommy and Lottie, I didn't want to go back into a career working for someone else as I wanted a more flexible job that worked around my life as a busy mum, so I created Tommy & Lottie once they were in school full time.

2. Why did you choose a wildlife theme for your collection?

Firstly I love animals and the natural world. I appreciate its crucial connection to our health and happiness as wildlife needs to be respected, protected and looked after as it has an important role to play in biodiversity and keeping our ecosystem productive and balanced. So I wanted to be able to educate, raise awareness and help save species through my brand and designs. 

It is so important to me to only produce good quality products from start to finish that come from an honest place where people who make them are treated fairly whether this is in the UK or in other parts of the world. Wild animal designs are particularly my passion as they are so important for us to protect now and for the future, and through my brand I have been able to make a difference by helping to save species, raising awareness and educating people about critically endangered species such as orangutans in Sumatra.

3. What is the sustainability story behind your brand and what inspired your standpoint? 

I've always appreciated quality over quantity. This may have been influenced by my early years in my career at Harrods where I learnt so much about quality products and if something lasts longer it’s generally more sustainable.  

To me, sustainability is not just about the end product. Let’s take organic cotton as an example. What journey has the cotton gone on to end up as a t-shirt? What is its carbon footprint? How and where was the cotton grown? How much water was used to grow it? Where was it cut, spun, dyed, woven? Just because the final product is made from more sustainable materials doesn't always mean it's more sustainable. It’s about the whole journey from start to finish, from crop to customer and beyond.

4. What are your brand values?

Sustainability is at the core of our brand values and always has been, long before it became such a hot topic in the mainstream media. Sustainability is constantly evolving and improving which can only be a good thing and has to happen especially in a harmful industry such as fashion.

The majority of our clothing is made to order, this reduces the waste of stock and offers our customer more choice. They may have to wait a bit longer but this encourages less impulse buying so hopefully less waste. Our design printing methods are not only plastic-free, but they wash and last better. They are unisex so customers can easily hand it down to someone else, all this is part of it being more sustainable as well as the fabric and how it’s made too. 

4.What’s your creating process?

I hand draw all the designs and my father (a retired graphic designer, thanks Dad!) helps to finalise them before they go to print. We then either screen print or embroider the designs onto the clothing in the UK. These design printing methods are more environmentally friendly, give a more quality finish and last longer through wash and wear, they also don't contain plastic, like transfer printing does.

5. What can your customers expect from your products?

Quality, sustainable, honest, well-made products, plastic-free designs that help to save wildlife.

6. How do you define a capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe to me is making sure we have the basics and a number of core pieces available that are good quality so that they last but are versatile so can be mixed up to make different looks. Our t-shirts and sweatshirts for example make great additions to a child’s or adult’s capsule wardrobe and can be worn all year round plus they will last as they are of excellent quality.

7. As a mum, which items from your kids collection can you not live without and why?

The sweatshirts and t-shirts are great items of clothing to have for kids and they are seasonless. They wash and wear really well plus they are made from soft, sustainable organic cotton and as they are unisex they can be handed down to a younger sibling once outgrown which reduces your textile waste.

Good to know: Every time you buy a bee or orangutan product, Tommy & Lottie donates money to the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and the Sumatran Orangutan Society.

By Michelle Randall