Christmas is here in Cranleigh

Christmas has certainly arrived in the village of Cranleigh. The Christmas lights have now been switched on, courtesy of local celebrity Anthea Turner, and the impending festive season is well and truly in the air, together with the little bit of panic with our shoppers to get everything they need for their Christmas present lists. Consequently, we're extremely busy both in the shop and packing orders for our online customers, some of whom are in destinations as far away as Denmark and Switzerland. Many of the local people visiting the shop see that we share our premises with a hairdresser and ask if anyone is available to cut childrens hair. The level of demand for this is really surprising - people are asking this question every day. Sadly, at present, we don't have a children's hairdresser, but we are actively seeking to find one. So if you live in the Cranleigh or surrounding area and you know someone who cuts childrens hair, is looking for part time work with flexible hours to suit and would like to join the team here at Little Beau, then please do give us a shout. You will be making lots of people very happy indeed!

A book shelf with a difference!

Searching around the internet for a bookshelf for our daughter's bedroom became a fruitless search. We wanted something a little different from the norm, and ideally something we could personalised with her name. We couldn't find anything that remotely fitted the bill. So in true 'we liked it so much we bought the company' fashion (does anyone remember that famous advert, Gillette was it?) we commissioned something bespoke. The result is the fabulous item now on the Little Beau website. This sturdy and very robust item is available in three different sizes and colours, and is called 'Cloud' shelving, due to the cloud shaped backing that attaches to the wall. It can be personalised with any name you choose, up to 12 characters long, which is enough to cater for most popular names. Best of all, it looks fabulous up the wall and is guaranteed to be something that will be treasured for years to come. Contemporary in its design, wonderful quality and a true heirloom in the making! We would love to get your feedback, so please drop us a line on customercare@littlebeau.co.uk to let us know what you think!

New shop open in Cranleigh!

Hello everyone

Our blog has been sadly neglected over recent weeks as we've been busy working on the new Little Beau baby - a fabulous new shop in the village of Cranleigh in Surrey.

Cranleigh is a well established and pretty commuter town, just a few miles to the south of Guildford - indeed, one of its claims to fame is that it's the largest village in the UK. Little Beau are delighted to have opened the doors to our very first store right in the middle of the High Street. We're in good company, with Sainsburys just a couple of doors away, as well as other well known names such as Boots, Superdrug, M&S, Costa, Pizza Express etc. all within a few feet. The quaintness of this charming village is still upheld with well established local shops also thriving on the high street, including an independent bookshop and the fabulous 140, a very popular local department store.

Little Beau in Cranleigh launched at the beginning of October with a flourish of balloons, face-painting, cupcakes and bubbly for the grown ups. A fitting way to open our doors, we thought.

Our new shop is stocked with our favourite brands such as Mini A Ture, No Added Sugar and Olive and Moss which are already proving popular. Our aim is to uphold some fabulous levels of service for all the discerning and quality conscious customers in this picturesque corner of England, and become a destination where you can hand on heart say to your friends 'it's worth a visit - you'll find some fab stuff that's a little bit different to the norm!'

Why not pop in and have a look? And if there's something that you would like us to stock let us know!

Congrats to Michelle from Wolverhampton!

Well done to Michelle from Wolverhampton who has won a whopping £250 to spend courtesy of Little Beau and Babyworld.co.uk. Michelle will have lots to choose from, perhaps some baby clothing from the likes of Mini A Ture and Aunty Ollie or some wongerful toys from WOW, Win Green or Playgro? Or maybe some super snuggly and soft blankets from Toffee Moon? What a lucky winner!

Congratulations to Winnie from Bicester

Congratulations to Winnie Yick from Bicester! She is the winner of our competition we've been running in July with the fabulous blog www.mumknowsbest.com Winnie scoops the prize of £50 to spend on our site. There are some fabulous things Winnie can choose from, including plenty of wonderful new toys we've recently added by brands such as Orangetree toys. More about that later, but right now it's time to congratulate Winnie!

All about Soybean fibre clothes!

Little Beau is pleased to stock Babysoy, an established and popular brand in the USA and now available in the UK too. Designed by mum, Amy, and certified by her young daughter, who refers to her Babysoy clothes as the ‘comfy’ ones – the ultimate testimonial!

Babysoy is a clothing range with a difference. Simple, fresh designs that combine true eco-credentials with wearability, practicality and style – all items combine effortlessly to produce a look that owes its inspiration to nature. Best of all, these clothes have a soft and silky touch and feel that is smoother than cashmere – a sustainable and modern wardrobe for babies that sacrifices none of the style or comfort that modern parents expect for their children.

All of this is achieved by the use of Soybean Fibre – the leftover soybean pulp from tofu and soybean production. By a process known as ‘wet-spinning’, protein liquids are forced through a device that resembles a showerhead. This makes the liquid soy, which is then solidified to make the soybean fibre. The remaining pulp can even be used as a fertilizer as all the substances used in the production process are harmless to nature.

So why is soy clothing such a good choice for your baby? Simply because it’s softer, silkier and lighter than you would ever imagine and its outstanding qualities of moisture transmission make it incredibly comfortable on your babies’ skin. All of that, plus it is warmer than wool. It really has it all. Those who really know their beans (soy that is), will be reassured to know that all soy beans used in the production are non-GMO produced.

Eco-minded parents can be sure they are not placing any further burden on mother nature. All garments are made by artisans who are fairly treated in safe working environments, and the founders of this exciting and progressive company actually make the journeys to the factory at least 4 times a year to see for themselves that this is true.

These soft and friendly soy basics are loved by celebrity and designer mums and touted as ‘vegetable cashmere’. At last, living the eco life doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality or style. Check out this fabulous brand from Little Beau and see the difference for yourself!

Why buy organic?

Organic cotton has been cultivated for thousands of years, but only in the last decade have we decided to certify it organic. This is mainly due to growing concerns from the general public and environmental campaigners about the use of pesticides, insecticides and genetically modified seed used in the production and cultivation of cotton.

Growing organic cotton is not an easy task. By using chemicals, the yield of the cotton is increased by 20% and standardises quality. By growing cotton organically, natural processes are used to protect the crop. This is turn carries a higher risk and makes the supply more unpredictable, resulting in organic cotton products being more expensive, which in turn is passed onto the consumer.

Cotton is a natural fibre and so much better than horrid manmade fibres such as nylon or polyester. Did you that in order to produce the average T-shirt or pair or jeans, a whole pound of fertilizers and pesticides are used in the production of each garment? This does not compare to a garment made of pure, soft and breathable organic cotton. There are so many reasons for buying organic cotton, but one of the main reasons is that there is evidence to suggest that chemical residues left in conventional cotton clothing can be absorbed through the skin. This would be of particular concern to expectant mothers and those with babies and small children and explains why so much of the organic cotton produced goes into making clothing for babies and children. The quality of organic cotton is undoubtedly brilliant, The soft, durable and breathable fibres are excellent for little ones and there are many exceptionally well designed products on the market. For babies and children, we particularly like the brands Aravore Babies, Organics for Kids and Bamboo Baby.

What needs to be recognised is the fact that buying organic cotton is better for our planet by not leaving any toxins to pollute the soil or water or kill any wildlife.

Did you know that approximately 20,000 cotton workers are killed each year from contamination (World Health Organisation)?

We must all take responsibility for our environment and limit the damage that is being done to our planet. By buying organic cotton and food we are showing that we care.

One farmer from Benin in Africa explains “While organic farming is more difficult, it saves lives from not using pesticides, we no longer have debt problems. Income is all profit at the end of the season.” So not only do we have easy access to organic cotton clothing, at the same time we are supporting farmers growing the cotton.

We’re going organic, are you?