I think the first thing I noticed when Gia was born, and I was entering the baby product world was - omg there’s just so much stuff. Do I need all this stuff? What does it do? Why does everything look the same?

Like many families, we’re not overwhelmed with space in our house, so everything we have needs to serve a purpose or solve a problem. Big bonus points if it fits in with the overall look of our house, and lets us hold onto the fantasy that we’re still in-control grown-ups, and not actually at the mercy of a tiny little (charming) dictator.

This is the philosophy that underpins The Feeding Zoo – form and function must go hand in hand. And this isn’t restricted to what it looks like and what it does, but encompasses broader design principles around safety, sustainability, and the role of aesthetics in kids’ products.

Safety by design

I mean, you already know how much we love our stainless steel, but did you know that each of our pieces has also been designed to minimise opportunities for bacteria and nasties to hide? We use smooth, rounded edges so that there are no crevices for food or detergents to build up over time. Plates and cutlery are high-use, and sometimes even our best washing attempts can’t get every little nasty out of tight corners. Our compostable mats have also been made with food-safe dye, just in case they make their way into little mouths (which they most definitely did during our in-house testing).

Functionality first

While we did want to make products that you’ll love to see on your tables or take out and show off, we do believe that for anything kiddo-related function comes first. How many nice, bougie products have come and gone through your place because they didn’t actually do what you needed them to? I’ll admit to falling victim to this more than once – at the end of the day, I’m still just a girl who wants nice things.

The ideas for TFZ came from real challenges that Sonja and I faced and were tested with our network of parents. When we started talking about potential product ideas, we found that we were hearing the same things over and over – silicone wasn’t going the distance and the endless cleaning and wiping was really getting people down.

Sustainability as a design principle

The other thing we’ve heard again and again is the genuine concern around how much waste is being produced by baby products. I’ve personally really struggled with how many products we now use will end up in landfill. For us, sustainability isn’t just a tick-box exercise – it’s a responsibility woven into the fabric of our brand. As a core design principle, it guides everything from eco-conscious material choices to waste-reducing practices, ensuring that our product range is good for both our little ones and the planet they’ll grow up in.