A newborn child who is softest and purest is so vulnerable in the face of infections. Thus, mothers turn into brave warriors fighting the army of microbes and viruses.

With a desire to curb the infections transmitted during operative procedures, while ensuring safe delivery and healthy start for a newborn, Namita Saxena started Baby Essentials Private Limited.

The products that she offers for the newborn and their mothers are made from scientifically developed, disposable and degradable materials namely ‘Néonatale Tissu Fabric.’ Wondering how it is different from other fabrics?

Well, “Néonatale Tissu” fabric is an engineered fabric, having all the safe and healthy properties of cloth such as stretchability and thermal insulation. For the first time ever, Baby Essentials offers a unique and innovative range of neonatal (newborn) clothing, made from medically accepted, disposable and degradable fabric.

To know more about Namita’s entrepreneurial journey topped with her motherly experience, we called her up.

 How did you conceive the idea of baby essentials?

When my daughter was born, I was looking for healthy and safe baby products. Though we were using cotton and hosiery clothes, we did not have anything available that was sterile. Every shop I used to go to had the same products to offer.

When I was young, my father opened a baby brand but it went in losses and we had to shut it down. With Baby Essentials, I decided to revive my father’s enterprise as well.

Thus, through my brand that caters to newborn babies, we make products that are sterile, economical and convenient to use.

You mentioned that your entrepreneurial journey began after you became a mother. What went into the research and study of the neonatal material?

Four Indian states contribute to the maximum number of newborn mortality cases. Several kids die due to neonatal infections that result due to unhygienic delivery practices and unsuitable healthcare facilities.

I researched and learned about some fabrics that are beneficial to kids when in their neonatal state. After sending them for laboratory tests, I was sure of their authenticity. Then I left my corporate job and launched Baby essentials in 2016.

Often people want their newborns to wear old clothes. How do you intend to change this practice?

Most people either use flannel, hosiery or cotton when it comes to newborn babies clothing. But this traditional practice of making babies wear used clothes is not healthy. When we are reusing a cloth after multiple washes, the lint collects lots of bacterias, which become the main source of infections.

Will you be expanding to a clothing range too? And, will you add color to it?

We might expand to clothing range for kids soon. But, talking about your color concern and dyes used in the products, that will never happen. We only make white products. We don’t even use our logo because that again is a foreign involvement in our clothes.

Then how do you differentiate all white clothes? *curious*

Haha! So we use the blue thread for boys and pink thread for girls in stitching our products.

Share with us your most favorite ‘new mommy’ feedback story?

Well, newly turned mommies have really liked our innovative ideas of providing them with such interesting, disposable, and biodegradable products. Moreover, I have had so many moms who have come and told me how they wished Baby Essentials would have existed when their babies were born. Such feedback is extremely motivational.

Where do you source the fabric from?

All our fabric is imported from abroad.

What’s the starting range of your products?

The idea behind Baby Essentials is to reach to the masses. Our products start from as low as Rs8 and go up to Rs2500 approximately.

And, how are you reaching out to your audience?

Well, confronting the typical mindset is difficult as people refrain from buying a use-and-throw product. Moreover, most people, especially in rural areas, don’t understand the concept of sterilization. Thus we request the government to help us reach the masses through government hospitals.

How much time does a Baby essential product take to be created?

A product, for instance, a diaper would get stitched in 15-20 minutes but the sterilization takes the maximum time.

And what happens in the sterilization?

So, to put it simply, sterilization happens through EtO (Ethanol Oxide). It is the process wherein we expose the products to EtO in a vacuum sealed chamber and sterilize them.

What products did you use when you became a mother?

Back then I was using normal traditional materials like hosiery and cotton clothes. As a mother, I was against the philosophy of diapers. I tried to set a pattern with my daughter fixing her pee and poop time. I would only use diapers when they were just not avoidable. After having started Baby Essentials, I see a huge difference.

Tell us about the daily care of your products?

They are disposable and biodegradable. That’s all the care!

To learn more about Baby Essentials, visit here.

This article was first published on August 12, 2017.