Retailer: Baby Duck Shop
Location: United Kingdom
Website: www.babyduckshop.co.uk
Baby Duck Shop’s Blog // Facebook // Twitter

Meet Baby Duck Shop! They are an online store located in the United Kingdom.

The awesome owner, Ellie, started the business and sources items with her son in mind.

Ellie says, “I try to choose products that I have used and that have helped me or that I would loved to have received for my son.”

Baby Duck Shop carries a great selection of small and well-known brands, with the common denominator that they are all mom-tested and super popular. It should be your go to spot for gift and gear shopping! (They even carry the Soph4Soph dresses that we are in love with– as are the people to which we have given them as gifts!)

Another super cool, and little known tidbit, is that Baby Duck Shop has our 5 one of a kind sweaters that we made/upcycled out of designer cutting floor scraps. We love the Melissa sweater, below.

They will go fast so be sure to snatch them up while you can!

If you are in the U.K., be sure to check out Baby Duck Shop as you begin to consider your holiday shopping!

Retailer: Modern Little Munchkins
Location: Australia
Website: www.modernlittlemunchkins.com.au
Modern Little Munchkins’ Facebook

We are so excited to announce our newest barley&birch retailer, Modern Little Munchkins in Australia. Modern Little Munchkins in an online store that carries some of our favorite brands, from Green to Grow to Boon!

Louisa & Garth, the store’s owners note that their passion for organic baby products began when Louisa was pregnant with their first son.

They say, “The products we offer instore are a result of our search for chemical free products for our two little ones – Harry and Charlie. They are the inspiration behind Modern Little Munchkins and we only stock products that we would be happy to use (and most probably are using) on them and carry labels that we would have them wear.”

We at barley&birch are thrilled to be working with such a thoughtful mission and wonderful store!

Retailer: Vivi Bambini
Location: Ho-ho-kus, New Jersey
Website: www.vivibambini.com
Vivi Bambini’s Blog // Facebook // Twitter

Here at barley&birch, we love Vivi Bambini. This is especially because we have loved being able to get to know the owner, Sandy and her mom Carole and to grow with them. Sandy is the same age as the whole crew at b&b and we opened b&b’s doors just shortly before Vivi Bambini opened theirs. We’ve enjoyed being able to share growing pain stories and successes. We appreciate infinitely the constant encouragement we receive from the crew at Vivi Bambini and are so thrilled to be working with them!

Mushy stuff aside, though, Vivi Bambini is such a wonderful store. Everything at Vivi is made with natural fibers. They have a mix of lines that are either organic, handmade or made with recycled fabric.

They pride themselves on seeking the most eco-friendly and cutest products for their customers. They didn’t choose to stock the typical, snoozy brands, but rather they go out of their way to learn about the brands, their suppliers, and business policies and choose the best for their customers. They stock the sweaters we love from Petits Fournier and Seven Smooches and several other great natural and organic brands.

(can you believe Sandy tiled this countertop all by herself?)

Sandy says, “As consumers, we really do have the power to change the world for the better just by choosing to support the companies that are working to do just that.”

We think they are just awesome and we love their dedication to the planet, their customers, and their community.

This weekend is Vivi’s first birthday! They are offering 15% off if you mention their anniversary so please swing in and stock up on some lovely fall pieces!

(The below photo is of the barley&birch display the night before Vivi first opened a year ago. We think its so sweet and so beautiful!)

When we launched our new website, we promised that we would introduce you all to the incredible stories behind the incredible people behind some of our incredible retailers. (Yes, they really warrant three uses of the word ‘incredible’ in one sentence!) So each week, we will be sure to introduce you to either a new or existing retail partner of ours. We work with some inspiring people and are thrilled to introduce you to them.

So first up is the very first barley&birch retailer ever: Green Genes in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. They will forever have a very special place in our heart.

Their mission really resonates with us at barley&birch. Green Genes says it recognizes “how easy it is to become overwhelmed and confused by all the information out there. We want to help people see that even small changes on a personal level can really add up to have a greater positive impact for everyone.” We totally agree!

Another cool thing about Green Genes is their choice in materials in their store. Their floors are bamboo and kirei board, a beautiful architectural element created from the leftovers stalks of the sorghum plant. They’ve also painted the walls with low VOC paints and given new life to salvaged and antique furniture as fixtures throughout the space.

Green Genes also once mentioned to us that they use Cream City Ribbon, which is an amazing producer of compostable, customizable gift/parcel ribbon. Its really amazing. We have since passed on this eco-friendly retail gem to dozens of our retailers! The willingness of Green Genes to share such tips speak volumes about the lovely owners, Heather and Christina.

We are so proud to work with Green Genes! Their selection of local and popular national and international brands is worth a detour in your Chicago vacation. We hope that you will check them out whenever you are in the Chicago area or browse their shop online!

Sometimes I think I am the only one who leads a double life as a student and then as a business owner. I toil away in law school all day and handle business in my gaps. I get pats on the back and it makes the work seem a little lighter and worthwhile.

Nicole Adenauer, co-owner of our beloved retailer Wiggle Room, puts me to shame.

Nicole co-owns a booming children’s boutique. Nicole is currently finishing her Masters in International Peace and Conflict Resolution at American University in D.C. Um, WOW, right?

But there is more! She recently completed an internship in the U.S. Department of State. While there Nicole completed research on modern slavery, specifically with the supply chains involving the U.S. food supply.

This research was so outstanding that Nicole was honored by the State Department by being named a Hometown Diplomat for the city of Miami. The Miami Herald profiled Nicole here. This article shines a great light on the amazing mind she has and work she has done.

Her accomplishments are so incredibly impressive and awe-inspiring and I can’t help but gush at the world-changing that Nicole is doing while running Wiggle Room. Truly, this blog post doesn’t even do justice to her past work, advocacy, knowledge, and successes.

I am so lucky to have Nicole as a business and personal friend and just had to do a little bragging for her, as she is the most humble person on the planet.

Congratulations, Nicole! We can’t wait to see what you will achieve next. (: