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Boopalina & Bebe is a playful, independent children’s eco-lifestyle brand with an offbeat, alternative design edge. Their green collection incorporates organic cotton and bamboo fabrics into lively patterns, pairing the essence of free-spirited youth with an eco-friendly outlook. Today we’d like to share our interview with Boopalina & Bebe founder Kristen Angelo. This interview is the first of our ‘Meet the Maker’ series where Inhabitots writers go behind the scenes to chat with designers about what inspired them to ‘go green’ and push forward on the frontier of sustainable design for families.

Name: Kristen Angelo Website: BoopalinaandBebe Location: Seattle, WA

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you make. My name is Kristen Angelo. I live in Seattle, Washington with my husband, Richard, and our two daughters, Micaela (9) and Hope Reilly (1). In 2007 I started Boopalina & Bebe, an independent company that manufactures quality handmade bedding and accessory items for children.

How did you learn textile design? I had an upbringing completely saturated with the hum of sewing machines. My mother is a seasoned seamstress, as are both my maternal and paternal grandmothers. I have a vivid memory of visiting my maternal grandmother when she worked in a textile mill. Though I was quite young, perhaps 5 or so, I can recall being in absolute awe observing the seemingly endless line of sewing machines and the craftspeople maneuvering them. As a teenager, I did my share of reconstructing garments from my closet, and I once created a couture gown by draping and hand pinning the fabric…all while wearing it! Today, most of what I learn is through trial and error, and I also consume a lot of written material on design and sewing. I’ve even watched sewing techniques demonstrated on YouTube! Seriously, who knew?

Who or what inspires your craft? Much of my inspiration is fueled by youth. High energy, limitlessness, vibrancy, diversity, curiosity, boldness, confidence – these are the things that I want my line to reflect. These things, to me, encompass what childhood is- what childhood should be. Everything has its place in this world, but I think the mainstream market is doing a disservice to the spirit of childhood by representing it with mild color palettes and muted characters. “A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit,” (Francois Rabelais), that’s what it’s all about.

I must admit that it was the cute little neckerchiefs that made me click through to your site. Were these an afterthought that simply worked? The neckerchief design arose from circumstance while visiting family away from our home. Come mealtime, I realized I’d forgotten to pack along a bib. My dad nonchalantly fashioned one by folding a receiving blanket diagonally into the shape of a triangle. He coined the look the “outlaw bib”. It was a simple, quick fix; but an innovative idea. I drafted a pattern for the concept that very week and began selling them on Etsy. Since then, the response for the bibs has been incredible. Today, the design is our most popular item, selling to customers across the globe as far as Australia and Hong Kong.

Would you rather see your designs embellished with food stains or grass stains? Both! What better affirmation that the items are well loved?!

With a majority of products today never touching human hands until the user opens the packaging, how ‘handmade’ are your textiles? All Boopalina & Bebe items are hand cut, pieced, and sewn together in my home studio. Our fabrics are acquired from well-respected textile designers, though I’ve recently added a new collection featuring fabric designs that I’ve hand block-printed myself (available through our website). Long term, I hope to be able to convert to all of my own original textile designs.

How do you think you could make your pieces more eco-friendly? I’m currently working to further implement the use of organic textiles. We’ll be replacing the chenille and microfiber fabrics that we’ve been using with a bamboo/organic cotton blend fabric similar in texture and comfort, but which ultimately offers better sustainability. Ultimately, there’s no satisfaction in creating a favorable line of children’s goods if I’ve compromised the future environment and ignored my social responsibility in the process.

Santa, the Shoe Maker, Keebler Foods … These guys all have their elves. Who helps you? Design, manufacturing, photography, digital editing, web design, marketing and public relations…I’m my own one-man band, though none of what I do would be possible without my phenomenally supportive husband and family. My nine-year-old takes an avid interest in the business and often volunteers her assistance. She’s accompanied me to several craft shows, and has developed a niche for giving customers the 411 on our products. She knows everything from product dimensions to fabric content. Her future position as a brand rep is looking quite promising. She’s most recently designated herself as the official “de-linter”.

So you have your own tiny focus group running circles around your legs as you work? Almost always! Since I work from my home studio, I’m able to easily migrate to and from business tasks throughout the day. I try to keep a flexible schedule conducive to the needs of my family. I manage the majority of emails, sales, and packaging during nap time and I sew in the evenings after everyone else has gone to bed.

Last, but not least, who will you pass on your craft to? As many people as possible!

Kristen can be found plying her wares at craft markets in and around the Seattle area. If you are not a local, you can purchase her designs – including the snazzy “outlaw bib” – at BoopalinaandBebe or at Etsy.

+ BoopalinaandBebe + Etsy