Side Hustle of the Year 2018

Start-up name: Mama Bamboo
Founder: Laura Crawford
Started in: 2018
Based in: Brookmans Park, Hatfield
Business description: Designs and sells biodegradable bamboo baby products

Full-time mum Laura Crawford had her epiphany while serving up her childrens’ dinner on ugly plastic plates. There must be kids’ tableware out there that’s better for the environment, she thought – not to mention better looking.

Beyond just plates and cups, Crawford started searching for sustainable products her little ones could use… but, sadly, every great alternative to plastic came with a hefty price tag. Something had to change.

So, alongside caring for her two children, Crawford has built Mama Bamboo – a brand of eco-friendly and attractive bamboo products for the under-fives market. A sustainable material, bamboo is grown in forests that self-seed and don’t require pesticides or fertilisers.

Retailing everything from nappies and wipes to baby socks, blankets, toothbrushes, and, yes, tableware, Mama Bamboo’s key principles are “best for baby, best for you, best for Mama Earth”.

With this, the business refers to its products’ natural, harsh chemical-free materials; its low prices, which aim to compete with cheap non-sustainable brands; and its “kinder to the environment” production and business practices.

And Mama Bamboo has also set its sights on preserving animal life. Each of its tableware sets features a different endangered animal, and comes with an informative leaflet designed to raise awareness among young children.

Not to mention that the brand donates a portion of its profits to WWF and NSPCC.

Having started trading in August this year, Mama Bamboo is already shaking up the baby products market. Its success – as well as its universally beneficial principles and practices – won over judges to win Side Hustle of Year, an award sponsored by domain name registry GoDaddy.

In a competition filled with fantastic side hustlers, premium fashion brand Bowtees took home the Highly Commended trophy, while driving instruction innovator GoRoadie won the Commended title.