This month’s issue of Small Business, Big Impact. We enjoyed a conversation about Laura Bailey of The Crochet Crib C, A small-scale company based in Rainham, Essex. Laura’s business specializes in high-end hand-crafted crochet cribs that are designed to the customer’s specifications. The idea that began as a hobby has now become an obsession for Laura, and her story has been one of challenges, dedication, and lots of motivation.
What became of the concept that began it all?
Laura began her business when she was pregnant in February 2023. Her sister was asking her to create the crib since Laura was determined to learn how to crochet during lockdown when expecting her first child. Laura made items for herself and her children, and when she posted the crochet crib of her sister and uploaded it to the internet, she was greeted with lots of likes and comments. This led her to realize that there was an audience for her creations. Laura’s business has been slowly expanding ever since.
When she is making their cribs, Laura is working while the children are asleep or at night. Making everything work is a part of her arsenal, and she enjoys it. It’s a hobby as well as an obsession for her, and it’s good and calming, and is her time to relax. Her products are distinctive. Laura’s cribs aren’t only stunning, they’re also safe and designed for each customer.
Discovering her USP: Safe & Beautiful
One thing that differentiates Laura’s cribs is that they’ve been tested according to British standards. Some sellers do not meet the requirements. One of Laura’s distinctive features is that her cribs come with a certificate after having been evaluated by an independent lab. The certification is one that The Lullaby Trust recommends, but it was difficult to find since there was no precedent. It took lots of study, but Laura was determined to make an amazing product that was also certified to the most stringent standards. Laura searched for laboratories located in the UK and made contact with toy labs, and finally found a lab that could verify the proper certification.
It wasn’t easy and required Laura to develop numerous prototypes to ensure that the final product that was approved was reproducible as the final product. Tests included strength, stability of the product, choking hazards, the danger of entrapment, flammability, and the OEKO-TEX test for chemicals. It was a rigorous testing procedure that was performed by hand and machine.
Laura’s crochet cribs can be extremely customizable. They can be made in a double or single color in standard sizes, but they are also available with more colors for custom orders. The majority of requests are to complement the decor of homes, with 35 different available colors. The colors of the cord can change according to the seasons as well. It’s a highly personal process and involves 1-to-1 communication via email, social media, and phone calls. She’s also eager to accommodate any requests.
Obstacles and Plans for the Future
One of the biggest issues Laura has to face in marketing is getting her name out. In the moment Laura doesn’t have a website, which means social media is the best way to control order flow and other options, particularly given the many colors to pick from! So far, orders have been based on people’s recommendations.
To reach out to a wider market and also to get the chance to interact with customers in person, Laura plans to exhibit at fairs for babies and craft shows this year. Laura will return to full-time employment as a professional assistant in October; however, she’ll continue to create the products in the spare time she has and explore ways to expand the business. The goal is to become a full-time business; however, her main goal is to build the highest-quality, beautiful products.
She is a fan of making cribs as a side project, in addition to her working with her family – it’s an obsession. In the near term, she’d like to make regular orders and increase social media engagement. In the future, she will create more videos that show the behind-the-scenes in her venture.
Laura’s suggestion to other entrepreneurs is to take a risk. The reason she was determined to continue was the belief that if everyone thought, “Should I bother?” If they didn’t, there would be no businesses. In the end, if you don’t attempt to do something, you’ll never have the chance to.