Today we have Anne Ferris, founder of Nalakai on The Mag. Read more about how Anne started her company, what it’s like raising children in Costa Rica and the benefits of baby wearing.
Tell us your story! We’d love to hear a little bit about yourself, your family and your brand.
My name is Anne Ferris. I'm a mom of two beautiful babies and we live in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. My son Kai is 4 years old and my baby girl Nala is 2.5 years old. Before moving to Costa Rica I was living in London and working as a corporate lawyer at a huge law firm. I moved to Costa Rica in 2013 and started my family here. I started Nalakai, which we originally called Pura Vida Slings, when I was 6 months pregnant with my daughter Nala. I was always home with son and I did not like any of our baby carriers. It is HOT here in Tamarindo all year and the Ergo Baby and Baby K'Tan carriers were just too hot for me and my son. I knew that with 2 babies under 2 years old, I was going to have to babywear a lot! I discovered ring slings and fell in love with how easy and comfortable they are to use. What I really love is that you can put them on yourself, I don't need someone to buckle me in the back. I found 100% linen to be too thick and scratchy. Bamboo clothing is very popular here in Costa Rica because it is so soft, lightweight and sustainable. Bamboo grows very quickly and easily, so it doesn't need to be sprayed with fertilizer or pesticides, which damage our waterways. Long story short, I found a suppler that works with eco-textiles and they developed a bamboo and linen fabric blend with me. When I first touched it, I just knew it was perfect. They weave our fabric for the slings just for us when we make an order. I love how lightweight the fabric is, we can go for walks in 90 degree heat on the beach and not overheat!
What is it like raising them in Costa Rica?
I absolutely love raising my kids in Costa Rica. We live at the beach in a small town. They are able to be outside all the time and we know all of our neighbors. The pace of life here is slow. Sometimes I miss movie theaters and shopping malls. But this place reminds us to slow down and appreciate the small things in life. We watch the sunset every night and my kids always say goodbye and thank you to the sun for a beautiful day :)
What is some valuable info you can share about baby wearing?
Babywearing is amazing! It is so much more than just putting your baby in a carrier. Babywearing is a central part of attachment parenting. The idea is to keep your babies close to you as much as you can when they are young (especially during the first year). Babies have a strong instinct to be near their mother. When they aren't touching mom, they feel stress. So the idea is that the more you wear your babies, the more safe and secure they feel. And from that place of safety and security, they develop confidence and independence. You can wear your little one in a sling everywhere. Because they are so light, they are great to wear at home, getting things done around the house. I literally built my company with Nala in the sling while I worked on my laptop at the kitchen counter!
What is something that makes your brand so memorable?
At Nalakai, we really care about our customers. I listen to you. I personally do all the customer service because I love to connect with my customers. We adjusted our fabric blend to add more linen to make the fabric stick better in the rings. We have 20 amazing colors, many requested by our customers. We made 85 inch longer length slings to support our taller and beautiful plus size moms and babywearing daddies. Our ring slings are eco-friendly and vegan. My kids and I are vegetarian, so it was important to me not to use a leather label (we use vegan leather). We also have a youtube channel with several video tutorials to help you get started if you're new to slings.
What is the first website you visit every morning?
The first thing I do when I get online in the morning is check my emails. Then I look at Instagram. There are so many inspiring women, mothers and entrepreneurs to follow. I get a lot of inspiration on Insta, and I only follow accounts that are supportive and positive.
Describe motherhood in one sentence.
Motherhood in a sentence: Motherhood is the absolute best, most challenging thing you will ever do.
Anything else you want to add?
Since I started this business, I have found that my passion lies with supporting and empowering women. There are so many mixed messages online. So many sites telling us we are too fat, we aren't doing it right, we need to spend more money. I try to keep our social media really positive. Motherhood is hard, and we are all doing amazing.
And finally, where can we find you?
My website is www.nalakai.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/nalakaico
Instagram: @nalakai_co
Youtube www.youtube.com/c/nalakai
