Fredericton's Lulujo Baby takes products to international market
When Dawn Pottier sewed her first ring sling to carry her newborn baby around she says she never expected to be selling products on the international market.
Lulujo Baby products are now being sold in France, Italy, United Kingdom and were recently launched at the world's largest toy fair in Germany.
It all began when Pottier was on maternity leave seven years ago from her position as project manager with an IT company.
"I just happened to sew a carrier, a sling for my daughter. I didn't have any background in sewing or product development but I knew how to sew enough to make some something for myself."
Pottier says a few people in her neighbourhood liked the sling and told her she should make some to sell.
"So I walked into a local store here in Fredericton, Room to Remember, and said, 'is this something you think could sell, I can't find anything like it around here' and they said, 'yes, sure, we'll take six of them'," said Pottier.
"It kind of started like that. I didn't know about the pricing or really even where to find the fabric or how to do a package or a website or anything like that. But I knew once they took it on I was going to figure it out."
Drove from store to store
Pottier says from there, one thing led to the next thing. She knew if the ring sling could sell in Fredericton then it was possible it could sell elsewhere.
"I started there. I drove in my car with my baby and my samples. I went from store to store to store to store. They all took it on."
From there, Pottier said she thought if it can sell in Atlantic Canada then it would sell all across Canada.
"Then I thought, what else can I design. That's how it kind of all went."
Pottier launched her products in Toronto and soon was selling stuff in every province across Canada. From there, she launched into the United States market in 2014.
"I thought well, if they sell in two countries then obviously they'll sell in other countries as well. I just kind of kept going."
While Pottier has the original ring sling in her office the company now sells 83 different products from blankets to towels to bedding.
Company expansion
"Any product that we think would be an everyday essential product for a mom or a baby or parents that they'll use."
Pottier says the company continues to design new products or take a product already on the market and make it better.
Pottier says in the early days of the company she had lots of mothers in her basement along with their babies and kids working away.
"I was teaching people to sew when I barely knew how to sew and use sergers."
Pottier says the key in making her business the success it is comes from her belief that she could do it even if she wasn't an expert sewer or didn't have a business background.
"You just have to keep going and if someone can do it, you can do it. That's how I felt. We'll figure it out."
Pottier says despite the obstacles she has to deal with each day, she always figured out a way around them.
On thing Pottier says she figured out was mothers all over the world were looking for the same things when it came to their babies.
"They are looking for something fashionable, they are looking for a good price, and good quality at a good price and simple," said Pottier. "That's how we create and design every one of our products."
Pottier says the products, the packaging designs and branding has helped the growth of the business.
Now with the expansion into the international market and new distributors Pottier said, "I think we'll have an incredible year."
