Leading environmentally friendly nappy & wipe brand Mama Bamboo is seeking to raise £540,000 through an investment crowdfunding campaign on the Triodos Crowdfunding platform. Mama Bamboo is the first UK nappy & wipe company to achieve accreditation as a B Corporation and has recently been given the highest rating by Ethical Consumer magazine of any disposable nappy brand.
The crowdfunding campaign will enable Mama Bamboo to reach new markets, develop a subscription sales app and create a range of complementary products, thereby expanding the range of sustainable baby care products on the market.
Normal single use nappies and wipes are made using crude oil and petrochemicals and generate a huge amount of plastic waste. Around 3 billion plastic disposable nappies and 11 billion plastic wet wipes are thrown away each year in the UK. Mama Bamboo’s nappies are made using 100% sustainable bamboo fibre, compostable liners and chlorine free pulp and their baby wipes are made using 100% compostable bamboo fibre.
Mama Bamboo was the first UK company to sell nappies that are made from sustainably grown and harvested bamboo and compostable liners and is the only company globally to sell nappies with fully compostable linings and packaging. Ethical Consumer gave its ‘best’ rating for environmental reporting, supply chain management and non-toxic chemical usage.
Mama Bamboo wipes are registered by the Vegan Society and NatureWatch UK as animal cruelty free. The brand has won several prestigious consumer awards including the Made for Mums gold award for ‘Best Eco Nappy’ and silver award for ‘Best Baby Wipe’, and the Mother & Baby gold award for ‘Best Performance Nappy Range’; beating Pampers and all supermarket ranges on absorption, fit and comfort.
Laura Crawford, Founder of Mama Bamboo: “We are excited to launch our first funding round with Triodos Bank UK, given they only choose to work with businesses that have a positive social or environmental impact. I launched Mama Bamboo in 2018 with an ambition to disrupt the market. For 60 years disposable nappies and wet wipes have been damaging the environment and are one of the worst forms of single use plastic. In the last three years, we have grown fast and quickly established a loyal customer base. My aim is to show that you can run a profitable business and still maintain the highest sustainability standards across all aspects of your business. That ethos runs across everything that we do as an organisation.”
As well as securing B Corp accreditation at the start of 2021, Mama Bamboo has now achieved Summit status with certification company Sustainable X, meaning it has set significant targets and ambitions, as well as integrating sustainability into everything it does. In addition, Mama Bamboo runs the #nappyrevolution campaign online and is working with UCL to address waste management of compostable bio-plastics across the UK.
Since its inception in 2018, Mama Bamboo has grown significantly as consumers in the UK have become increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of their choices. Growth has been further driven this year by the brand’s launch with Ocado UK. Income for the year ending 31 July 2021 is expected to show year-on-year growth of around 127%.
Minimum investment in the crowdfunding offer is £60 and investors may be able to take advantage of Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) tax relief. Tax relief depends on individual circumstances and may change. The company will now set its sights on creating a new line of sustainable nappies for premature babies, as well as potty training night pads. It will also invest in the development of a Mama Bamboo sales app which can be used for customers using its subscription service.
Dan Hird, Head of Corporate Finance at Triodos Bank UK: “Mama Bamboo is leading the way in offering new parents a range of disposable nappies that don’t cost the earth. At Triodos, we know how passionate an increasing number of people are about making sustainable shopping choices, so we’re incredibly supportive of Mama Bamboo’s plans to give consumers more options of baby care products that are in line with their environmental values.”
Important information
This is a high-risk equity investment opportunity in the shares of an early stage company. The company has no plans to pay dividends (or returns) in the short term and although the directors aim to procure an exit for investors after the three-year EIS qualifying period, there is no guarantee of this or of the future value of the shares.
Investing in the shares of an unlisted company involves risks, including potential for loss of capital and future dilution, lack of dividends and lack of liquidity, and should only be considered as part of a diversified investment portfolio. The tax treatment of EIS schemes depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in future.
Investments are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and your capital is at risk and returns are not guaranteed. You should always read the offer document in full before deciding whether to invest as it will cover risks specific to an individual investment. You can read more about the general risks associated with making these types of investments here. If you are unsure if any of these investments are right for you, you should contact an Independent Financial Adviser.
