Headed up by founders Tamzin van Staden and Jackie Lowe, the T- Shirt Bed Co has grown from strength to strength, now with a solid base of over 30 members. Here a dynamic team is changing the landscape of locally produced quality bed linen. From management level to a team of quality controllers, cutters and of course talented seamstresses, the T- Shirt Bed Co is going places!
LEFT: Jackie Lowe and RIGHT Tamzin van Staden
Let’s hear from the founders themselves…
How did it all begin?
When we look back now it really is quite crazy to think how we started…Two friends with a great idea but mostly, an amazing energy between us that we believe has been the foundation of our business.
We started in Tamzin’s spare bedroom and did absolutely everything ourselves…on an almost non-existent budget to boot! From conceptualising products, branding, marketing and in the beginning even packing, labelling and shipping, we really started in the trenches but it gave us such a hands-on understanding of the needs and complexities of our business.
It took us 6 manufacturers before we got the bed linen manufactured to our high-quality standards and even then, there was always another complexity that popped up out of nowhere and had to be solved, fixed, and hustled!
We continued operating for a few years from Knysna until we decided to move the operation to CT, take our factory in-house and expand our staff contingent and that is when the business really took off.
We currently have a beautiful in-house manufacturing facility, full quality control and cutting teams as well as our wonderful management team that keep it all together.
We have grown from a tiny start-up to a well-known SA lifestyle brand and have expanded into 20 @home stores around the country.
We still credit our success to the amazing energy we have as best friends and the happiness of all the members of our team.
How are your products manufactured?
Our full range is manufactured in our CT factory where it goes through strict quality control procedures before moving to pack and dispatch directly to our customer. From fabric to manufacture, our full range is 100% locally made in South Africa.
What’s new in your collection?
We are expanding into the home furnishing sector so keep your eyes peeled for some very exciting developments. The first addition to this new venture is our Hungarian goose-down duvet inners and pillows. This gives our customers the opportunity to buy the full bedroom complement from bed linen to inners in one shop and have them delivered to their door without any hassle. So many customers ask us how to get the voluminous, oversized luxe look that we are known for and we have carefully selected the duvet range to get this specific look and feel!
Watch this space for some exciting new products coming soon. We make sure all the additions are carefully curated and only manufactured with the highest quality spec and luxuriousness that our customers know us for!
What makes your products different and what are some of the benefits?
Aside from being 100% non-iron and non-crease, it is gloriously comfortable to sleep in. Most people say that once they have slept on our bedding they can’t go back to regular bedding ever again. We also have moms reporting that their little ones sleep better and longer than before. For us personally, the non-crease element is huge, there is nothing worse than waking up on creased, slept-in-looking sheets even when they have just been put on the bed.
Our bedding looks perfect after a night’s sleep and really gives the room that ‘just changed linen’ feeling every day. And, of course, comfort is next level! I can truly say there is nothing as satisfying as getting into fresh Strong after a hot bath and climbing into matching T-Shirt Bedding!
It is all our OCD dreams come true!
Where do you seek inspiration?
Inspiration comes from so many places…we often take a feeling and run with it. I know this sounds odd but let me elaborate!
For example, leading into 2023 I think most South Africans in general are in for a little calm, slow-living after the last few high-intensity years.
This feeling leads us to seek out softer tones, gentle lines and the need for a soft, calm home sanctuary. The colours we seek out, and the garments we design will all reflect this need for extra comfort, simplicity of living and quality over quantity. On the less philosophical side, we sometimes just see a colour that just stands out-usually quite an unusual and unexpected one and we just know it’s right!
We also seek inspiration from daily living…what are our needs? What will make our life more luxurious, more comfortable, more beautiful?
We try to fill the needs that we have as busy humans….quality products, garments that are comfortable and can be worn day to night, and bedding that turns our sleep experience into the best one possible! And colours that bring us joy!
What drives the passion behind your children and adult ranges?
Again, seeking out our needs as busy, modern humans…we design our range with comfort and multi-application at its core.
The majority of our Strong range can be worn as easy day wear paired with sneakers, dressed up for a night out or as luxurious sleepwear!
Our ultimate harems are the perfect example of this… we wear them on school runs with sneakers and literally get stopped daily, pop on a pair of heels and a linen blouse for a sophisticated night look or just wear them to sleep in!
Our focus is quality, not quantity and mostly, garments that take you through all the aspects of a busy lifestyle in comfort and style.
How do you stay ahead in a very competitive market?
We listen to our customers! We follow the trend patterns of our purchasing customers to see what their purchasing behaviour is and we tend to focus on the colours and garment types that our market is seeking out. Most importantly, we both feel that if we can focus on a high-quality, beautiful product above all else, we will always remain ahead of the competition.
We never compromise on our high-quality standards and aim to fill needs rather than just keep up with trends. This translates into a range of luxury products, capsule wardrobe pieces and garments that are timeless and suit all ages and body types.
Any collaboration you are currently involved in?
Yes, check out our designer scatter cushion collection…designed in conjunction with Amanda Du Plessis, one of SA’s top print designers and trendsetters.
What’s in store for your Winter Collections?
We can’t say too much, you will just have to keep your eyes peeled but we have some very exciting new additions to the STRONG range!
Discover the latest ranges now available from The T-Shirt Bed Co and decide for yourself!
The post Spotlight: Meet The Makers of The T-Shirt Bed Co appeared first on SA Decor & Design.
