Soft, simple things for the first two years
Little Fern makes organic baby essentials in Bristol: sleepwear, muslins, gentle skincare and feeding basics.
We started in 2017 at a kitchen table in Bedminster. Ruth Okafor had spent ten years as a neonatal nurse and knew exactly what new skin needs, which is very little: soft fabric, no scratchy labels, no added fragrance. When she couldn’t find a sleepsuit that ticked all three boxes for her own son, she had twenty made from organic cotton and gave them to friends.
Our range has grown slowly. Every garment is knitted or woven from GOTS-certified organic cotton, finished without optical brighteners and dyed with low-impact dyes. Our wash and barrier balm are made for us in Somerset with no added fragrance or essential oils, and each formula is patch-tested on sensitive skin under the supervision of a consultant dermatologist before it goes on sale.
We don’t sell subscriptions and we never will. Babies change too quickly for a fixed delivery schedule, and nobody needs another thing arriving that they forgot to cancel. Instead, if you ask us to, we’ll send a single friendly email when you are likely to be running low - and leave the rest to you.
- First sleepsuits sold
- 2017First sleepsuits sold
- Certified organic cotton
- 100%Certified organic cotton
- Families on our test panel
- 4,800Families on our test panel
A short history
2017
Twenty sleepsuits
The first run, knitted from organic cotton, is given to friends in Bedminster.
2019
Fragrance-free wash
Our first skincare formula launches after a year of testing on sensitive skin.
2022
The new-baby box
Gift boxes arrive, with size-exchange cards and no prices inside.
2025
Test panel of 4,800
Families across the UK now try every new fabric and formula before it goes on sale.
What we hold to
GOTS organic cotton
Every garment and muslin is knitted or woven from certified organic cotton, with no optical brighteners and low-impact dyes.
Fragrance-free, skin-tested
Our wash and balm contain no added fragrance or essential oils, and each formula is patch-tested on sensitive skin before it reaches us.
Free size swaps
Babies grow at their own pace. Swap any garment for the next size up within 60 days, even after the first wash.
What customers say
“Our daughter has eczema and this is the only wash that hasn’t made her cheeks flare. The pump is one-handed, which matters more than I expected at 3am.”
“I sent the gift box to my sister. She rang to say it was the only present that didn’t have a price sticker hiding somewhere, and the sleepsuit actually fitted.”
“The two-way zip is genius. Nappy changes without undressing his whole top half, and the fold-over mitts stopped him scratching his face.”
Gentle notes, once a month
Size-up reminders, newborn tips from our midwife, and first word of new colours. No countdowns, no pressure, unsubscribe in one tap.