Kids / 5 May, 2022 / Ellie Thompson

Rent, Love, Return, Repeat: The Sustainable Way To Enjoy Luxury Kidswear

Meet Babu, the new premium kidswear rental business on a mission to promote feel-good, planet-friendly luxury. Babu work in direct partnership with high-end kidswear brands to bring you monthly capsule collections of carefully curated luxury pieces that will grow with your child.

Babu: kidswear for 0-4 years

Designed for children aged 0-4 years of age, Babu offers a truly ‘personal shopping for your child’ style experience. Monthly drops consist of around 10-15 pieces as curated by well-known stylists and mum influencers such as Mary Charteris, Louise Roe, Gayle Rinkoff and Laura Wills.

Babu’s pieces range from casualwear and partywear to outerwear, received directly from a whole host of sought-after brands including Balmain, Tartine et Chocolat, Roberto Cavalli, Il Gufo, Stella McCartney Kids and Tommy Hilfiger to name but a few, and can be enjoyed for four weeks before being replaced with a brand new edit.

Slow fashion, fast

“One of Babu’s mottos is ‘slow fashion, fast’, because we believe in helping our customers enjoy a wider range of high-quality garments that are made to last…” explains co-founder, Alice Horlick. “Our customers get to enjoy 10-15 impeccably presented pieces and change up their child’s wardrobe every month – with all garments sourced from exceptional luxury brands that are constantly striving to produce and operate in a more eco-friendly way.”

Kidswear rental subscriptions

Collections are comprised of current and past season pieces from Babu’s roster of brand partners, who share a commitment to quality and sustainability. Babu aims for garments to be rented an average of 12 times. Between each rental, every item is cleaned and disinfected in-house using a proprietary state-of-the-art eco-friendly cleaning system. The cleaning process is run on 100% green energy and includes wet cleaning and ozone technology that delivers a better quality clean that’s kinder to skin, clothes, and the environment.

A sustainable solution

“Rental offers a sustainable solution to fashion’s waste crisis and can reduce a family’s carbon footprint by up to 80%, which is why we are so excited to be harnessing the power of the sharing economy and circular fashion movement.” says co-founder Bella Nesselrode.

Babu are the only fashion brand working with Xetrov to 100% ensure that none of their worn-out clothes end up in landfill. Instead, all items are converted into renewable energy, no matter what fabric they are made of.

“Babu ensures that timeless designs that would usually end up in landfill will enjoy a full lifecycle and be disposed of responsibly, providing a mindful alternative to the traditional off-price and outlet models. We are delighted to be launching with so many of fashion’s forward-thinking big players on board.” adds Bella.

Sign up

Subscriptions cost £60 per week, amounting to less than £0.75 per garment per day. Thanks to Babu’s weekly billing cycles, subscriptions can be paused or ended at any time.

Babu has partnered with DHL, a pioneer in green logistics, to offer free delivery and returns, and collections are shipped in biodegradable and recyclable packaging.

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Nala's Dream by Taylan Kurtul

Nala’s Dream is a magical children’s story with an incredibly poignant story behind it. It was first imagined by five-year-old Taylan Kurtul, who dreamed up an adventure in which his real-life kitten, Nala, travels into space. Taylan sadly died in February 2024, just eight months after being diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour. His mum lovingly brought the story he created to life as a book in his memory, celebrating Taylan’s wonderful imagination while raising vital funds for Brain Tumour Research. A beautiful legacy filled with adventure, love and a little boy’s magic.

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