I’ve been asked countless times: why-oh-why did I start my kids line in the first place? The only honest answer is that I wasn’t satisfied with what most stores were offering and I had to take matters into my own hands. Thus, Blue Bird was born that later became Breden. This is our story!
THE BEGINNING
It was a regular #momlife day. I had some friends over for our children’s playdate and among other things we started to discuss the lack of functional hats and scarves. We longed for products that would protect our kids in kindergarten and keep their ears, necks and chests safe from cold and wind but finding these seemed impossible. I had recently quit my office job and started sewing and selling kids hats on Facebook, so I joked: “Maybe I should sew a hat and a scarf together then?” Little did I know, this was exactly what I did and what we’ve all been doing for the past 6 years. Among other things…
Of course, sewing a hat and a scarf together was easier said than done. Making a fully functional kids balaclava took thousands of hours of product development, hundreds of failed attempts and me testing my first prototypes on every kid possible. But once my first perfected “hat-scarf” was finally ready, the feeling was unmistakable – I knew that this was the beginning of an amazing journey that became a shared mission among all people in Breden: to make your life as a parent easier!
WHEN BLUE BIRD BECAME BREDEN…
…was the beginning of a beautiful era. A tiny family enterprise that me and my husband Erko literally set up in our sauna, evolved into a company that gave purpose to many people who shared our vision. Our old name was left behind since it turned out to be already taken and we brainstormed through hundreds of names and Breden stuck with us right from the start. It had a really nice ring to it and it also stands for different meaningful things in different languages such as “wide”, “vast” and “seashore”.
When product development came onboard and started enlarging our product selection, an unbelievable phenomenon occurred as Breden’s super fans. I still can’t quite believe the existence of this unique community of more than 22 500 moms connected through the love for Breden’s products. They discuss designs and prints, share tip and tricks on care instructions, buy and sell preloved Breden’s products and post pictures and videos of their kids wearing our hats, scarves, hat-scarves and merino wool clothes. And they’re doing it every single day, completely on their own accord. Maybe you’ll be the one to start this mom-movement in your country?
PRICE VS QUALITY
The first impression of Breden should always be kind and playful, yet responsible and caring. Saying “yes” to something today that will determine how your baby feels tomorrow, demands trust. And since the price vs quality conundrum is one the main things new parents are puzzled with, it certainly deserves an explanation.
First of all, Breden’s products are not made by machines. Each product is sewn individually and the time and effort put in precise detailing is intimidating. Designing for both toddlers and babies is one of the most difficult jobs, because every kid is different. Fabrics must also sustain their integrity after heavy staining, washing and friction. Hats, neck warmers, merino clothes and balaclavas need to feel comfortable, yet stay in place at the same time. If you add organic skin-friendly materials in the mix, the cost of making the best hats in the world becomes very high. But we’re going strong, determined to offer you the best quality at the best price.
Furthermore, we’d like your Breden’s products to last as long as possible and even be passed on to other kids, instead of having you buy new items all the time. Living according to Breden’s values is so much more than just doing a job and we strive for sustainability in both our professional and private lives, try to pollute the environment as little as possible, use only quality materials, say “no” to toxic chemicals and outsourcing jobs from third countries.
THE BREDEN EXPERIENCE: 6 WINS
I bet you’ll never forget what your newborn’s first hat looked like. Since first impressions are also stored in our minds, we’d like your best memories to be connected with Breden. There’s definitely no shortage of baby items in the world but we’d like to think that Breden does more than just make hats. And only you can decide which features and functions to cherish. Breden’s goal is to save your money and time with a set of 6 wins we call “the Breden experience”:
- Double size. All Breden’s products grow with your baby, their wearing period is doubled and you can spend less money, less often.
- Organic materials. Whether it’s organic GOTS cotton or non-toxic polyamide, skin irritation is always completely out of the question.
- Smart design. Innovative and clever solutions to parent’s everyday problems like regulating your baby’s body temperature, prevent sweating, protecting against harsh weather and teaching children to dress themselves etc.
- Original prints. All Breden prints are made and overseen by our masterminds-designers-unicorn Kristiina Jeromans.
- Sustainable, clean production. We produce less to pollute less and value the hard work of local people not anonymous workforces in the Kingdom of Far Far Away.
- World’s best customer service. Last but not least, our happy customer expert Laura will solve literally every imaginable and unimaginable problem in the world.
Thank you for reading. If you have additional questions, you can always share your thoughts at info@mybreden.com.
Let’s grow together!
Merle | the founder of Breden
