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We caught up with Liz Rawlinson, the founder of gus + beau, who launched her baby playmat business whilst on maternity leave.
After the birth of her second son, Gus, in 2017 Liz Rawlinson found herself looking for ways to create safe playing areas for him in their living spaces at home. To find out a little more about her inspiration and the story behind the brand, we caught up with Liz to chat all things gus + beau.
“I struggled to find beautiful playmats which would blend in with our interiors,” she explains. “As I watched Gus grow, toddle and play, I spotted a gap in the market; a premium playmat that was not only functional and safe, but complemented our home’s style and aesthetic.”
While on maternity leave from her job in luxury fashion e-commerce, Liz decided to design and manufacture her own baby playmats.
“After working in retail for 13 years (and spending a lot of time on Instagram), I could see that parents wanted simple designs in muted tones and clean patterns when it came to playtime for their babies,” Liz reveals.
Her brand, gus + beau, launched in March 2019 and its been a whirlwind ever since…
What was the inspiration behind first starting the brand?
My biggest motivation to launch my own brand are my three sons, Beau, Gus and Jerry. My first son Beau was very sadly stillborn in 2016 when I was 38 weeks pregnant – he is my biggest inspiration and always will be.
My first two designs, Triangle and Circle, were made to blend in to the living area, nursery, kitchen, or wherever you want to create a safe play space for your little ones.
What is your career background?
I have worked in e-commerce for 13 years at some incredible companies including Liberty, L’Oréal, notonthehighstreet.com and Anya Hindmarch.
Tell us more about the gus + beau playmats. Are they safe?
Yes, our EVA foam playmats are BPA, lead and phthalate-free. We’re also EU and US safety-certified, giving you peace of mind as your little ones play.
Can we order the playmats in different sizes?
Yes! The gus + beau playmat tiles fit together like a jigsaw. You can order any of the designs in sets of 6, 9, 12 or 15 tiles. You can also purchase single tiles if you want to extend your play area at a later date.
Are any new gus + beau designs launching soon?
We have just launched our brand new Stars playmat in a grey and a white multicolour version. We have so many new ideas and always love listening to our customers to find out what designs they would like to see next.
For more information and to shop the gus + beau collection visit gusandbeau.com.
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