As babies grow, so does the pile of ‘too small’ clothes. But what if there was a simple way to extend the life of that super-cute and much-loved bodysuit?
Local ‘mumpreneur’ and founder of Bellelis, Olga Imbriano, has created Snap & Extend, a baby bodysuit extender to suit most common brands.
A finalist in the Handmade Business Award category at the 2019 AusMumpreneur Awards and the national 40under40 Young Entrepreneurs Award, Olga says Snap & Extend came about as a way to reduce clothing waste.
“It is reducing the amount of clothes you need to use and buy. There is an issue in general with fast fashion but especially with babies as they grow out of things so quickly,” Olga says.
“I had seen a similar concept in my home country, Czech Republic, but after migrating to Australia and having my second daughter, I could not find any similar solution Down Under.”
Olga came to Australia after falling in love with an Aussie and, while she had a background in finance, she says her first year in the country was difficult as her qualifications weren’t recognised here.
“I saw it as an opportunity to do something new,” she says. “I’ve finally found what I want to do and when you find it, you don’t want to go back to finance. I want it to succeed.
“If I could start (the business) again it would be so much quicker without making mistakes but that’s a process – if you make a mistake, you learn.”
Olga also says the support she has received from family and friends is part of the reason for her success.
“The friends I made here after moving to Australia have been very supportive. I don’t think I would have got that in the Czech Republic,” she explains, due to cultural differences.
In addition to Snap & Extend, Olga offers a range of products for mum and bub including nursing pads, change mats, make-up removal pads and a four-in-one nursing blanket – “replacing things that are one use only”. Olga will be at Handmade Canberra at EPIC this weekend, 7-8 September.
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