Having four children of her own, Philippa Anderson always had an interest in creating something for kids. Already running Palmer Studio, a business specialising in bespoke rugs, it was on a trip to India to visit her mills that the idea for her ‘baby’ business, little P came about.
“Visiting India last year with my then eight-month-old in tow, I came up with the idea for little P,” explains Philippa. “Babies and kids need a soft place to play and there seemed to be very few options. Many kids rugs are machine-made or acrylic, don’t offer any cushioning, don’t use the best quality fibres and often have very tacky designs! I was keen to create something hardwearing but also soft and beautiful that could really enhance a kids’ play or bedroom space.”
Choosing 100% New Zealand wool, the softness and length of the fibres means the rugs are exceptionally durable, have a natural resistance to dirt and soiling and are soft underfoot. Providing a safe and comfortable environment for children to play on, they are also good for the environment, being 100% renewable, biodegradable and recyclable. Yet little P’s rugs don’t only do good they also look good! “I established this business most simply to create a beautiful collection of rugs for children’s interiors. While not bespoke, we produce a limited range of designs and produce on a small and manageable scale to avoid wastage. And because the little P rugs are handmade, the designs are all customisable so we can change colour or size to suit different spaces.”
Keen to keep little P on trend, Philippa will be adding some new designs and colours in 2016. “As we don’t mass produce and are not limited by order quantities, we can keep our range interesting with each collection somewhat ‘limited edition’. This means we will be adding some beautiful additions in the new year and that all of the designs in my head will eventually turn into a rug, which is exciting!”
Having launched mid this year, little P is already a proven success, recently adding Project Nursery in the USA as one of their stockists. A testament to the appeal of the collection and the value of design and quality going hand in hand for children’s products, little P gets even better thanks to Philippa’s philanthropic focus. “We are very proud of the fact that all of our products are made with very well established mills in traditional rug-making communities in Asia, all of which are certified with Care and Fair. This ensures protection against child labour being used, as well as the funds going back to these communities to help support health and educational initiatives.”