THE HOME OF BESPOKE & SUSTAINABLE CHILDREN’S PRODUCTS
Made for real parents, by a real parent
I use my experience as a parent of two busy children to create products that nurture kids’ independence and creativity. I have a real passion for making products that will ease some of the stress on your journey through parenthood, so you can focus on making memories and enjoying the key moments.
Handmade Hippo products are designed and made by me. By combining my love of patterned fabrics and my determination to help protect the environment, I create products that are as individual and unique as your little one. When you shop with Handmade Hippo you are being kind to the planet as well as supporting your kids’ individuality.
You can always get in touch with me if you have any questions at all about Handmade Hippo. I will always respond to messages as soon as I can but please be patient if you don’t have a reply immediately.
Featuring a range of fun and interactive products, from decorate-your-own crown kits to Wonderland apron activity boxes, this collection encourages hands-on play that keeps little ones entertained and learning. Designed to foster independence and promote imaginative roleplay, each item in the collection is crafted with care, ensuring that kids can explore their creativity while parents enjoy a little peace of mind. Perfect for rainy days or sunny afternoons, my Keeping Kids Busy collection transforms idle time into memorable adventures!
Keeping Kids Busy!
Keeping Kids Busy!
Testimonials
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"My youngest has started wearing his brother's first Handmade Hippo apron and Kurt is in his new one. I'm feeling a bit left out! They are lovely and Kurt wants me to pass on that they are beautiful and he thinks you are very clever."
Katie
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"We are forever using our muslin swaddle. As well as being handy as a muslin, we use ours as a light blanket and sun shade all the time."
Annie
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"My three boys absolutely love the 'special cushions' that Father Christmas brought them a few years ago. Each year since then he has left them a book in the pocket for the children to find on Christmas morning! However, they are much more than a seasonal thing in our home, the boys sleep with them every night and ALWAYS take them away with us when we go on holiday to keep a little bit of home close, at bedtime. Thank you for creating such a lovely thing and being so helpful when I was choosing the fabric!"
Susie (not a customer pic)
Help at bedtime
As a parent, I know that bedtimes can be tricky! These products are designed to make bedtime smoother, cosier and more enjoyable for both parents and children.
FAQs
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It depends on the order.
All zip pouches, wooden pins, tea towels and muslin swaddles are ready to post so in most cases are posted within 2 working days.
All other products are made to order. It is always my goal to post products made to order within 2 weeks and they will often go out sooner. If you need an item for a certain date then please get in touch before ordering to discuss your requirements.
Memory blankets will take a minimum of 6-8 weeks.
Please note that in the lead up to busy periods such as Christmas, production times may take slightly longer but I will keep you up to date with any potential delays to your order.
Please keep in mind that timescales of when you can expect your order reflect that I design, make, package and post all orders myself around being a full time parent. -
Of course! I keep a wide range of fabrics in stock in various sizes so if you let me know your requirements I will try to find something from my existing fabrics and send you options.
If I don’t have a fabric that meets your specifications in stock, I may be able to order some especially for you. Please get in contact BEFORE placing your order if you require a specific fabric not shown on the website.
Once a fabric has been agreed you can order using the custom fabric option on the listing which will add an additional £5 per custom item to your order.
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Yes! Add their address as the delivery address at checkout and your sustainable handmade gift will be sent directly to them. There is also an option for you to add a gift message at checkout, I will hand write your message and include it in your order 🙂
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All orders are wrapped in acid free pink tissue paper and sealed with a branded sticker made from recycled paper as standard, because sustainability is important to us.
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Yes! All orders are sent out in FSC certified postal boxes. My business and note cards are recyclable and printed on recycled cardstock. The postal address is printed onto a label using a thermal printer, these labels are not currently compostable but I am working on finding an affordable alternative. All product packaging such as swing tags and belly bands are also printed on recycled card.
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All orders are sent using Royal Mail. All parcels will be sent using the Royal Mail standard 1st class service and a flat rate for postage and packaging will be applied to your basket. Spend over £30 to qualify for free postage and select this option before you checkout 🙂
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My products are free from single use plastic. As a micro business it can be difficult to ensure that all my suppliers share my sustainability views. Sustainability is about so much more than plastic but all efforts are made to ensure that no single use plastic is used within my business.
Some suppliers will send materials using plastic to protect the fabric or other materials and I will always endeavour to reuse packaging or recycle what can’t be repurposed. My postage labels are printed using a thermal printer, although this option uses significantly fewer resources and less energy than ink printers, it does mean the labels themselves are not currently 100% plastic free.
This is something that I am constantly working on and improving at Handmade Hippo. But you can rest assured that I do the best I can as a micro business and will continue to eliminate plastic from my business at every available opportunity.
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Sustainable handmade Memory blankets can be made with any fabrics, as long as I can use the fabric to create squares of equal size, it can be upcycled into a memory blanket that will be treasured for years. All fabrics are backed with interfacing which helps to minimise stretch and distortion whilst I am constructing your blanket.
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Memory blankets can be made to a bespoke size which incorporates however many items you have. To make things slightly easier, when you shop I have created a listing with 4 suggested sizes.
This listing outlines the suggested sizes and how many items are required for each size. Depending on the size of the clothing item or piece of fabric provided, I may be able to construct multiple squares from each piece of fabric or clothing which is why there isn’t a specific number of items needed.
For instance, a mini blanket measures approx 60x60cm and requires 15-20 items, a large memory blanket measures 120x150cm and requires 55-70 items. Any items not used will be returned with the finished blanket.
If you have any key clothing items that you feel have to be included in your blanket to make it extra special, please indicate which items those are when packaging up your clothing items.
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I source my fabrics from a range of UK based online wholesalers and retailers.
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Yes of course! Drop me a message before ordering and I’ll send you a discount code to add a third, fourth or however many additional aprons you need to your basket at a special bundle price!
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When Handmade Hippo began, fabrics for bibs were bought in very small quantities to ensure that your child would have a truly unique bib. This desire for expressing a child’s individuality has stayed with me as the product range and business have grown. I now buy larger quantities of fabric in the prints I personally select but change the selection offered frequently.
Many fabrics are limited stock, so once they are gone it is not always possible to reorder. This means that you don’t have to worry that all your friends will buy the same print as you. My full range of available fabrics can be found on my instagram highlights.
I have designed a few Handmade Hippo exclusive fabrics which I am always able to offer and can replenish stock as needed. The tooth fairy print on my tooth fairy pockets, the rainbow dinosaur print from my handmade children’s aprons and the pastel boob print on my breastfeeding milestone banners are all patterns I have personally designed and will not be found anywhere else!