Eco Baby Box was opened in Broad Street in September 2021 by Nicci Simpson – a new mother herself at the time – selling eco-friendly, natural, ethical products for babies and young children. The shop also offered a baby changing table, a feeding zone and plenty of space for children to roam around.
In its first year of trading it won three business awards and was short-listed for five others. The shop’s income tripled during that year and it attracted orders from all over the world including from Hong Kong, America, Australia, Malta, Spain and Canada.
In November last year Nicci rebranded the shop as Devon Eco Boutique and moved into larger premises just down the street. She expanded the product range to include more gifts for adults, furniture and home accessories.
Nicci said: “We pride ourselves on having a new name but same values. The new name enables us to grow beyond baby and toddler and our plans for the future.
“We are proud to support small, with 95 per cent of our collection coming from British-based independent brands, and collaborating with makers from near (Devon) and far (all UK based) to bring a diverse range in-store who are equally as passionate about providing eco-friendly items and reducing waste as a business.”
Not just an ethical seller…..
As well as selling ethical, eco-friendly products, Nicci is supporting wider environmental projects. The business has signed up to Ecologi, which collects subscriptions from individuals and companies, and uses the money to plant trees and fund other initiatives fighting climate change. So far the shop has enabled Ecologi to plant more than 750 trees.
It has also donated items worth more than £1,500 to charities and other local causes, and has plans in place to build upon this.
Devon Eco Boutique has just heard that it is a finalist in two categories of this year’s Exeter Living Awards: New Business and Retailer of the Year – and Nicci is waiting to find out whether it has made any further shortlists. Last year Eco Baby Box won the Exeter Living Magazine Retailer of the Year award and the East Devon Boutique of the Year prize in the SME Business Awards. It was also among the finalists for three sustainable business awards and two others for small businesses.
