Webshop of the week Hugs and Things

Last month you could already read that my little girl got her first tooth. As you probably know, babies’ll find it very nice to bite on something then. I had already given mommy a teething toy but I was looking for something more original. I came across the webshop Hugs and Things. A super original webshop in silicone chew toys, necklaces and beads.

I ordered a cool set and I'm super excited so I really had to share this with you guys.

Bblogt loves webshops; Hugs and Things

Hugs and Things is a cheerful and original webshop with various products made from silicone beads. From these beads you can make anything. Marit will love to put together a unique chew toy, necklace or wrap-snap for you or you can do it yourself with needle and thread. I did and made a pink wrap-snap from an example. A wrap-snap is a bite chain that you can easily attach to something.

This was exactly what I was looking for because I wanted a teething toy that madam can't throw on the floor all the time. Since I was so excited I asked Marit if she would answer some questions so I could share her lovely shop with you. And she did.

Hugs and Things

Tell us something about the origin of your webshop.
“Hugs and Things started with the idea (that arose at the Ouders Natuurlijk Beurs) that we would really like to sell something. Something handmade, something natural, something that would appeal to many mothers and babies. What that would be, it took some brainstorming to figure out.

We ended up making crochet necklaces, teething rings and play cords, and knitted leg warmers. A completely different assortment than now!

When it was no longer feasible to meet the high demand, simply because handwork takes a lot of time, we started to expand (at the guess) with silicone beads. I liked that very much, and when I had to continue the web shop on my own in early 2015, the choice for a silicone-only assortment was quickly made. Since then the webshop has grown enormously, and I still get new kinds of beads and pendants very regularly.

The number of orders is also still growing monthly, so that it has now turned from a hobby into a full-time job (which fortunately still feels like a hobby!).”

Where does the name Hugs and Things come from?
“From the beginning we made breastfeeding necklaces, play cords for a sling, and all kinds of other items for babies’s. That's where the first part of the name comes from: closeness and cuddles for your baby. Because we thought in the beginning that the crocheted beads would only be a small part of the assortment, and we did not know exactly what else we would like to sell, we added the second part of the name. Also because it sounded nice together.”

What fun things can we all shop for from you?
“You can come to me for all kinds of items made from silicone beads. I have a ready-made assortment, but it is also possible to choose other colors or compositions yourself (without extra costs). Since a few months I also sell loose materials.

So you can buy all kinds of shapes of beads, colors of wire, clasps and pendants, and put together your own necklace.
The silicone ones are perfect for children who are teething and want to bite on something. The material is firm, but at the same time soft, very easy to clean and 100% free of harmful substances.
Teething materials for older children also proved to be in high demand. Because not everything turned out to be suitable (read: sturdy enough) for them, I now have a page on the site with pendants especially suitable for the very stoutest biters.”

Where do you get your inspiration from?
“The rainbow has been at the heart of Hugs and Things since the beginning. You will see them a lot in my products. Also because babies’s and children obviously really like bright colors.

Furthermore I try out a lot. I have so many materials at home, that the number of possible combinations is endless. Lovely to puzzle with that on a quiet moment!”

Do you have a personal favorite? Something not to be missed?
“I myself am very excited about the ‘wrap-snap’. Originally intended to clip onto a sling or baby carrier (hence the name), many more possibilities and variations of the wrap-snap have emerged over time. On the shoulder straps of a baby carriage or car seat, on a high chair, on a bicycle seat, on a cargo bike, on a bra strap… wrap-snaps are attached to everything!

I now sell the wrap-snaps standard in 3 sizes, but on order ‘anything’. Lately, for example, I have made some long cords with interchangeable ends: that way you can vary between a large pendant, a pacifier cord or, for example, a teething ring at the bottom. And of course you can also just clip on all three!”

What is your ultimate dream in terms of Hugs and Things?
“My ultimate dream is that I can continue for a few more years, make many more people happy, and continue to have the same’nice contact with my customers as I have had so far. I really enjoy it, when I get enthusiastic emails from mothers and babies’who are happy with what I made for them, or when I interact with my ‘fans’ on facebook. I also always find fairs and festivals super fun to do! Just ‘behind the scenes’ making live contacts.

Lovely!

To grow even further would be cool, but part of the concept of Hugs and Things is that I do everything on my own. Contact with customers, making the products, sending orders, buying materials, making the photos’and the website, the administration: I do everything myself. So I am optimally involved with the web store, my products and my customers, but at the same time I will reach the point where I can no longer grow because of this way of working. As I have started working more and more efficiently, I am happy to say that I have not reached that point yet, because it is so cool to see a simple idea grow into such a great company within a few years!”

Are you curious?

I can imagine that you are now very curious about the products of Hugs and Things. Take a quick look in the webshop and find something beautiful. You do not have a baby or small children anymore?

A gem from Hugs and Things is also hugely cute as a maternity gift.

Did you already know Hugs and Things? Does your little one like to bite on a toy?

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