Local Mumpreneur Grows International Baby Business

A Charlton Musgrove mum never expected her dribbly babies to inspire international business success. But that's exactly what happened when Helen Bristol designed Skibz, a funky bandana-style dribble bib, and formed her company of the same name.

"The children's skin was always sore and chaffed from all the dribbling and I was so fed up with the stained clothing," Helen says. "Ordinary bibs just weren't absorbent enough and they looked awful." So, armed with her background in textiles and soft furnishings, she set about designing her own dribble bibs.

Careful research of fabrics produced a unique, double-layered backing that was highly absorbent, and Helen's natural flair ensured the dribble bibs became an essential designer fashion accessory.

Helen, whose family has been dairy farmers in Charlton Musgrove for many years, started the business at her kitchen table. "It was the most incredible feeling when Skibz started selling well. Suddenly I was employing people, sourcing manufacturers in China and taking Skibz to trade and consumer shows around the U.K. and Europe."

The free business help and support available from Business Link was invaluable in those early days. They gave Helen lots of advice and provided access to an International Trade Advisor who helped her understand the ins and outs of exporting her product overseas.

Helen's team in the U.K. grew as well, and she now employs five local people to help her run Skibz, as well as outsourcing other essential work to local businesses around Wincanton.

Skibz' dribble bibs are now sold in over three hundred retail outlets in the U.K., including John Lewis and ASOS, and are distributed in many countries around the world.

Skibz' acclaim comes not only from the public who buy them. The Independent numbered Skibz in its Top 10 "Must Have" Baby Accessories in 2009 and awards nominations have come thick and fast too: Practical Pre-School awarded Skibz a Gold Award in their Childcare Category; Practical Parenting & Pregnancy placed Skibz amongst the finalists for their 2009/10 awards, as did the prestigious Baby and Child Recognition Awards in 2008 and the Kind and Jugend Innovation Awards at the leading global fair held in Germany each year.

Personal recognition followed: In June 2009, Helen was awarded a special Recognition of Achievement Award for Innovation in Business by the British Female Inventors and Innovators Network.

"2009 was an incredible year," Helen admits. "Dribbly babies used to be the bane of my life. Now I see babies and toddlers everywhere wearing Skibz and I must admit to feeling a little glow of pride."

Not content to rest on her laurels, Helen has plenty of ideas for the future of the Skibz brand. Organic Skibz are already in production and other baby-related Skibz products are also in the pipeline.

You can buy Skibz online from their web site, www.skibz.co.uk or view their list of retail outlets to find a stockist in your area.

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