Buying for Baby? Head to Nature's Purest in Balham

Love London

Now, I know this may be a slight departure from my usual content but bear with me, it's worth reading. With my sister about to pop her first any day now, I've been finding myself buying an inordinate amount of baby clothes recently. While it may be all to easy to fall for the rainbow-hued, cartoon-wielding, purse-friendly offerings of the likes of Primark, H&M and even the big supermarkets, I've been finding myself drawn towards a more ethical way of buying. A whole new baby wardrobe for under £30 might be tempting, but the thought of what that could be doing to the world long-term does seem to play on the mind somewhat.

Which is what lead me south of the river (though admittedly only two stops from my house...) to Balham, and one of the newest additions to the ever-increasing independent offering of its charming high street. Nature's Purest is a brand new boutique which opened at the end of June, part of a UK franchise offering baby clothes, toys, bedding and accessories all created from beautiful, natural, organic cotton.

Run from south Leicestershire, the company was founded in 2006 by Jane Albon with a range of just five pieces; it's since expanded to 14 ranges with over 240 products on offer and a presence in 46 countries worldwide. The concept was simple; to create beautiful, quality baby products that are good for both baby and the environment. The company now has its own factory in Sri Lanka; every product is made to the highest quality and safety standard and products now carry the Oeko-Tex 100 (an independent testing and certification system for textiles) and the Garments Without Guilt certification. Franchise stores in the UK launched in 2012 giving the brand a greater high street presence and the company continues to grow from strength to strength, with the Balham opening marking its fourth UK outlet.

Nature's Purest pride themselves on using naturally coloured cotton - as well they should - meaning the fibre hasn't been dyed or bleached in any way. Growing in shades of green and brown, it's also 100% free from pollution-causing fertilisers, harmful pesticides and chemicals. Sounds almost too good to be true.

The range of products is absolutely beautiful. From the Sleepy Safari range peppered with zoo animals to the Spots & Stripes with its adorable snails, the Sleepy Time bedding and the World Family dolls, the offering is well-thought out and exceptional quality. There are a few pieces not in cotton; the super-soft bamboo blankets are a dream, I was almost tempted to buy one for myself, let alone the baby! With clothing, toys and nursery essentials it's tricky to choose, but luckily the wonderful owner Elizabeth is there to lend a helping hand. Clearly passionate about her own 'baby', she animatedly took the time to not only talk me through the shop, the company and its concepts, but very thoughtfully suggested some pieces for my sister than were then made up into a beautiful gift hamper. Pre-made hampers are available, or Elizabeth will help you choose products which can then be wrapped up with either non-alcoholic fizz or a bottle of (in my sister's case, much-craved...) Prosecco - a really lovely touch!

Even the front porch of the shop looks inviting, with a little faux-turf ramp and flower-filled window boxes on the porch, one can't help but be enticed through the door. If you're in the area and have little ones to buy for, get it on your radar and make a pit-stop; with last year's glut of weddings now starting to result in babies I most certainly will be making more than one more visit to Nature's Purest in the not so distant future!

Nature's Purest, 78 Balham High Road, London SW12 9AG
Tel: 020 8673 2672
www.naturespurest.co.uk

Love Laurel x

Posted Date
Jul 22, 2014 in Love London by Laurel