With 14 children and 12 grandchildren, New Zealander Jane Anne McAllister knows a few things about baby clothes. What started out as a thrifty hobby – sewing for her own children – has evolved into a booming business: Dimples by Jane Anne.

The Beginning

Almost 30 years ago Jane Anne was a new mom with lots of sewing and embroidery skills but little cash. At first Jane Anne hand cut and sewed items, like her perfect little sleeping gowns, and embroidered little rosebuds, or the tiny bumblebees that have come to symbolize Dimples. People who saw her growing brood dressed in hand-sewn gowns and knitted cardigans told her that she ought to go into business. She did. Dimples by Jane Anne took off and as the business grew, Jane Anne turned to her ever-expanding family – her husband Sam, her mother and then her sons and daughters – for help.

While she no longer does all the hand sewing and embroidering herself, Jane Anne still designs all the clothes, handpicks the fabrics and works closely with distributors to ensure quality. All the designs have been tested by her children and grandchildren for durability and comfort. It’s not enough just to make a pretty garment, Jane Anne believes; it also has to be comfortable and wear well. These teeny tops and bottoms are meant to last generations, and Jane Anne’s family is a testament to that.

The Heart

The Dimples company mirrors Jane Anne’s own heart: it’s all about babies and family. And just as she tries to involve her own family in every step of the process, she views vendors and suppliers and customers as part of a larger family, too. Dimples was born out of a love for babies, and that concern imbues all her business decisions.

Responding to parents who want to dress their children in chemical-free and natural clothing, Jane Anne launched an organic line featuring cotton and merino wool. The wool comes from New Zealand sheep and is un-dyed, unbleached and as natural as can be. If a sweater is chocolate brown, caramel or beige, you can be sure that was the color of the sheep’s fleece as it grazed in North Canterbury, South Island. Not only are the fibers – the wool and cotton – organic, but the processing of those fibers into fabric, yarn or thread is also free of chemicals. The organic line has been so popular that Jane Anne plans to launch a luxury organic velour line soon.

The Highlights

With six new grandchildren born in the last year alone, and an ever-expanding business, this super-mom shows no signs of slowing down. Despite offers, Jane Anne refuses to sell the business because she views it as a labor of love. In addition to Dimples, Jane Anne owns Baby Bliss, which sells natural and handcrafted New Zealand baby furniture, such as wooden bassinets and changing tables. And if you’re ever in New Zealand, stop by the new Dimples Boutique in Newmarket, Auckland and say hello to Jane Anne and her family.

We commend Jane Anne and the Dimples team for creating their adorable, high quality and eco-friendly organic line! We're pleased to offer their unique organic-striped gift set for this first time in the USA. We're also proud that our Dimples ensembles were featured in Ecofabulous.com's Fashion-Children Section (11-10-08.)

Gifts with style and relevance from a socially responsible small business . . .