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This month we are inspired by Amie Nilsson, a mother who discovered a passion for creating safe, child friendly products. Merino Kids has quickly become a well known brand, and we went behind the scenes with Amie to find out how it all began:

B&L: How did Merino Kids get started?

Amie: My first product, the Go Go Bag™ was created for my daughter Lilybelle in 2003. Lilybelle kept waking up cold in the night and wriggling out of her blankets.

My search for natural products uncovered no natural solutions, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. Merino Kids™ was born.
 
B&L: What makes the Merino Sleeping bag so different?

Amie: Perfectly adapted to your baby the Go Go Bag™, ensures moisture is absorbed and released away from your sleeping baby because it is made from 100% merino.  In cooler conditions, it keeps your baby warm, and in the heat your baby is kept cool.  

This unique feature creates its own micro-climate around the body, regulating your baby’s temperature. In essence your child becomes perfectly adapted to their sleeping environment. Additional features include the two way seat belt pouch functionality for ease of transferring baby’s remaining in the bag when out and about.
 
B&L: What has been the hardest part about getting your product out there?

Amie: The time frame that we work within is demanding and to coordinate delivery, photo-shoots and press releases can be challenging but it also makes it a fun challenge as you have a target deadline and you know you have to meet it.

B&L: Where do you get your inspiration?

Amie: My inspiration comes from making a difference to the lives of families with young children, ensuring 'a safe and sound sleep for both baby and parents. “Design comes from everywhere,”  “There are lots of elements that create design; that is the exciting thing about design it doesn’t just come from one particular area.”
 
B&L: What is so special about merino compared to other fabrics?

Amie: Modern science still cannot duplicate the amazing natural properties of superfine merino wool fibre. Merino fibre is one-tenth the thickness of a human hair and this extraordinary fineness combined with its natural crimp produce millions of tiny air pockets which trap air to insulate your baby on the coldest nights.

Merino fibre also has the remarkable ability to absorb and release moisture, to cool or warm your baby's body, thus regulating your baby's body temperature so they don't wake up cold or overheated. Overheating is a possible SIDS contributing factor and it has been suggested in medical circles that swaddling a baby in merino can help to lower the risk of SIDS.

 
B&L: Why is it important to wrap your baby?
 
Amie:
* Helps with the transition from womb to the wide world
* Helps settle baby
* Prevents waking from startle reflex
* Helps prevent facial scratches

Our Cocooi babywrap is used safely by children with allergies, eczema and sensitive skins. Cocooi™ is soft and flexible so it allows your baby to move naturally whilst swaddled. This movement helps crucial brain development to happen.
 
B&L: Tell us about your Cocooi wraps

Amie: The Cocooi™ baby wrap allows you to adjust the size to fit snug around baby’s body, fitting perfectly across baby’s chest. In traditional swaddling blankets, babies can often squirm loose and scratch, twitch and wake themselves. Cotton swaddling fabric will often crease, causing pressure points from the folds or, worse, the fabric can gather up around their face. This is because the square corners of a traditional swaddling blanket are at right angles to the baby and do not fold naturally across their shoulders and chest.

Some swaddles consequently employ constricting arm restraints or have copious amounts of fabric to wrap around the baby multiple times - these approaches often restrict a baby's natural movement.
 
By contrast, the natural stretch and return of Merino Kids merino fabric combined with the innovative cross-over design of the Merino Kids Cocooi Baby Swaddle allows for a natural diagonal flow of fabric over a baby's shoulder and across their chest. The soft fabric wings hug your baby close so they can't wriggle free and the cross-over design ensures no fabric bunches up around their face.
 
In the Merino Kids Cocooi Baby Swaddle your baby has the freedom to sleep and move naturally as they would in the confined space of the womb. They can tuck their hands under their chin, curl up their legs, and kick and punch, without the swaddle coming undone or covering their face. The wings are sized perfectly for an easy single wrap around your baby's body, reducing the time handling your baby while swaddling, which means a more relaxed bedtime routine.
 
The handy leg pouch allows for quick diaper checks and changes in the night without unwrapping your baby's arms which might wake them. Some swaddles require that you uncover your baby's feet in hot conditions to cool them down but this is not necessary with the Merino Kids Cocooi Baby Swaddle owing to merino's remarkable body temperature-regulating capability.
 
 
B&L: What 3 items would you never leave home without?

Amie: I am not sure about this question as it is very open for interpretation. If I am with the children it is the  Go Go Bag™ and Merino Kids Sleep wear and a handbag big enough to fit all the important childrens needs in it.
 
B&L: What does being a woman mean to you?

Amie: I think the greatest thing about being a woman to me is the ability to embrace life to its fullest.
As a woman you hold life's richest gift to be able to give new life and to nourish, nurture and protect your children adding hugely to the circle of life.

Being a women designer is a gift that allows me the ability to design products that are able to help other women protect, nurture and nourish their children.