It all starts with Ali
Meet Ali, our founder.
She started Babu in 2002, when she couldn’t find the kind of soft organic cotton bedding she wanted for her son. With her background in wound-care nursing, she cares a huge amount about what should touch a baby’s skin.
You’ll find Ali’s love of simple design and superb, multi-generational quality in every Babu Basics product. And her love of family is part of everything here too. It’s in the way we make our products, the way we pack your orders with a handwritten note, even in the way every soft toy gets a hug before we ship it to you.
It’s all about family — hers, ours and yours.
But it’s pretty simple: time, space, attention — and simple, comfy and durable clothes they can explore the world in.
our purpose
It’s that simple. We empower parents by offering the best quality basics for little ones. Our dedication to everyday essentials means parents can confidently nurture their little ones, giving them a foundation of comfort and care right from the start.
our promise
Babu is an enduring promise to make life simpler for busy parents, every single day. We focus on making practical clothing solutions for little ones that seamlessly fit into any daily routine. Organic cotton and merino basics, designed to make everyday tasks a little easier.
our core belief
Whether it's selecting sustainable materials such as organic cotton and merino or advocating for fair & responsible practices, kindness drives our actions. Through kindness we can foster a compassionate community that leaves a lasting, positive mark on both people and the planet.
The original Babu baby!
The thought of wanting to put my son Jack in sheets that were thick, soft and stretchy was the catalyst of what has been a wonderful journey.
Jack, whose nickname was Babu (later changed to Mouse when Babu got a life of its own) came everywhere with me.
From contract sewers to stores, he would “help” me fold and pack in the early days and insist on helping to carry heavy bags of “fagric” around.
Babies who grew up in our cot sheets have gone off to university with their King Single sets in tow.
My own children, grown and flown the coup.
Baby Rubie came to the office at just two days old. It was all set up as an extension of home and that small first area saw them and Babu grow. Family was critical. Without the help and support of my husband, parents and sister, Babu would not have kept evolving.
Jack and Rubie tagged along to trade shows in Europe and selling trips around NZ, Australia, America and Europe. Their life has been enriched by the wonderful people we have met along the way from our manufacturing teams, distributors and stores, to staff and individual customers. They understand the possibilities of running their own businesses and what it takes to keep going through the hard times. There has been plenty of those.
