I’m delighted to share an interview with Karen Edwards, founder and designer of Australian organic kids bedding brand Moonlit Sleep. Her positivity, motivation and courage make this a moving and inspiring read!
Tell us a little bit about yourself – a typical day, your daily must-haves, a mantra you live by…
My day starts with a double green tea! I don’t really have a typical day as I juggle my two magnificent mini’s and their commitments, as well as my husbands ever changing work schedule and Moonlit Sleep, so every day is different and I’ve become a huge list writer!
I have a monthly planner as well as a more detailed list for each day.
The mantra I live by is to treat people the way you would like to be treated. It was drummed into us as kids and I think it’s the cornerstone of being a lovely and fabulous person. I’m drumming it into my kids too!
Most start-ups have a lot of hurdles when they launch, what challenges did you face?
Oh goodness, so many! The biggest one was finding the right factory to work with. I’d been working at Seafolly for 8.5 years doing product development and sourcing before I started Moonlit Sleep, so I was actually very experienced in sourcing fabulous suppliers! But, what was hard was finding one who was GOTS certified, could do the fabric quality I wanted and also manage the fine line-work and details in my girls print designs.
It took me 18 months to find the perfect factory and I’m so pleased to have found them as they’re truly amazing, not only in their quality, but also in their social and ethical values, donating part of their profits to a local charity that provides shelter, food and education to orphans and street kids.
Can you describe any times when you thought, this is CRAZY, what am I doing?
I had just found my perfect factory and my whole collection was literally ready to go. We’d just placed our first sample order to check quality etc., when my youngest daughter was born with a huge bang!
A couple of nurses said afterwards that her birth would have been the best “One Born Every Minute” episode ever, it was so dramatic! We’re talking high-risk pregnancy, code blue, 17 people in the room and not even in the delivery suite as I’d just been told I wasn’t dilated when she was born!
She spent 6 weeks in the NICU, and during that time I was still replying to the occasional factory email on my iPhone in between expressing every 3 hours and learning to care for her. It was a very, very CRAZY time for a while there! But, a few months later mini was much healthier and our first Moonlit Sleep samples arrived and she was one of my first wear and quality testers!
What empowered you to continue?
I knew that it was now or never and I had such a strong belief in what I was doing. Plus, I needed some organic sheets for my newborn so I had no choice but to push on!!
Your background is in fashion design, which lends itself to the design of your own product range – but why choose organic cotton?
I grew up with a big vege patch in the back yard. Back then, I had no idea that my family was growing organic food, it was just normal.
When I left home and those pure foods were missing from my diet I found myself getting colds and not feeling as fab as I had. After a few years I got back to cooking from scratch, sourcing fresh and spray-free produce and eating better. The difference in how I felt was amazing. From there the journey continued and being from a fashion and textile background, I started to look into how different fibers were manufactured.
I already wore mostly cotton, but what shocked me was finding out that cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed crops and that it’s sprayed with chemicals considered amongst the most toxic. This was when I started seeking out organic cotton.
When my first daughter was due, I could only find beige organic cot sheets and that just wasn’t me! So, the idea for Moonlit Sleep was born and I couldn’t stop thinking about it!
What other true organic brands do you love for children?
I love that organic is slowly becoming more mainstream as awareness increases. There is so much more on offer now than even just 5 years ago.
For my mini’s I LOVE Milk & Masuki, Phoenix and the Fox, Sapling Child, Gaia Organic Cotton, Purebaby and for all the Scandinavian organic/eco brands Baby Goes Retro is my go-to. I LOVE the nighties and Pj’s from Nightie Night Lane; we’re slowly growing our collection!
Your bed linen is amazing quality, does that mean it has a super high thread count?
Thread count is important yes, but it’s only one part of what makes our fabric quality feel and perform so beautifully.
Thread count can actually be very misleading as some thread counts account for the whole thread, which I believe is the correct and ethical way to state a thread count. However, some account for the fibers within the thread (or plies within the thread) – so if two plies are twisted together to form the thread, and are then woven together into a 200 thread count fabric, this fabric might be stated as a 400 thread count fabric!
Additionally, thread count is only one part of what makes a great fabric quality. The weight or thickness of the treads, the length and quality of the cotton fibres the yarn is made from, the amount of twist in the yarns and finally the construction of the fabric itself!
I put a lot of effort into getting our Moonlit Sleep fabric just perfect and am so proud of how it feels and performs. It’s so soft to touch and softens even further with washing and use. Plus the weight of it is substantial without being too heavy, so it’s great for both summer and winter!
As a busy Mum, how do you maintain the balance between work and family life?
The balance is precarious! I rely on nap times, night times and activities like Lego and painting to snatch enough time to get the smaller tasks done! For the bigger tasks I have a couple of child-free days a week where I focus on those.
That said, I LOVE that I can work around my kids schedules. I’m able to help with the literacy program at my daughter’s school one morning a week, I get to walk her to and from school most days, take them to ballet classes etc., it’s great!
When my little one is home with me we walk to the post office to post orders, (thank goodness for my big pram that can store parcels underneath) and run other business errands together! She LOVES it and I LOVE that I get to spend that extra time with her while she’s still little.
What décor brands feature in your kids rooms / what are some of your favorite stores?
I LOVE our Zoe Loves Ava weaves. We have two now as one just wasn’t enough! She creates such beautiful colour and texture combinations. We have a few Arlo & Co pieces, which I adore, and they are handmade in sustainable bamboo! I’m also a Bek Halliday fan and we have a few prints and a couple of her sleepy eyes banners adorning the walls. I’m as in LOVE with the Pax and Hart Bowie print as I was the day I bought it, so gorgeous! I also recently bought a Beautiful Sewl unicorn cushion, which is completely adorable and also made from organic cotton!
What’s the best part about the next thing you’re doing?
It has to be picking colours and sketching up new prints. Then the anticipation and excitement of watching them come to life as they are developed onto fabric and then into sheet and quilt cover sets.
I’m also looking at adding a new item to the range so stay tuned for that!
Thanks so much to Karen for opening her heart and I can’t wait to see her next collection!
Interview and images by Catherine, TUBU Kids @tubucollective
A big thank you to Love By Five and Darling X Two for loaning beautiful styling props.
Like what you see and are a small business? Find styling & photography case studies and contact details on my TUBU site.
Thank you for such a lovely interview Catherine, and HUGE thanks for all your beautiful styling and images! xxx