SATSUMA DESIGNS

Homebase: Seattle, WA

DESIGNER/OWNER: Jennifer Porter

Sizes: NB to 12+ months; wholesale prices: $6-$75

"Satsuma Designs - Good for your baby, Good for mother earth"

With over 15 years of brand creation, and marketing and communications experience in a variety of industries, Jennifer Porter, the founder of Stylesmart who now publishes the Baby Grows Green blog, knows how to tune into the consumer zeitgeist.

In 2007, Jennifer Porter launched Satsuma Designs to "serve shoppers searching for eco-friendly, yet elegant and practical gifts for babies, kids and home. I realized that as a parent and consumer, I was responding to the increase in environmental awareness in lots of different products. I began to make daily purchasing decisions about how healthy, green and good for the environment different items were - from cleaning products, to a new mattress, to thinking about a hybrid for the next family car. I realized that this growing sensitivity was driven by keeping my family healthy and happy. I saw an opportunity to connect this growing consumer trend, one that was part of my daily life, with products not only for my own family, but every family. That's when Satsuma Designs was born."

"At Satsuma Designs we love babies," says Porter. "It's why we do what we do. Every design in our collection, every business decision, daily detail and inspiration comes from our mission to create cozy, all natural, and useful products for little ones." Porter describes the collection as appealing to a customer who looks for a "natural, eco-luxe aesthetic and practical yet affordable products and gift items."

The Satsuma Designs collection utilizes all natural fibers such as ultra-soft spun-bamboo and organic cotton that are grown in eco-friendly ways. Not only is bamboo easily replenishable, but it offers natural antibacterial and thermo-regulating qualities. Porter cites the Two-Ply Bamboo Jersey Swaddling Blanket as a customer favorite with a growing demand for her line of baby accessories: booties, hats and one-pieces. Each item possesses the luxurious hand of the fine materials and is printed with the company's signature orange logo, a motif that perfectly reflects Porter's "good for the baby, good for mother earth" credo.

The Two-Ply blanket is soft, light and warm.

The velour booties offer a cloud of softness for baby's feet.

Plush bamboo velour hat is lined in silky bamboo jersey.

"Holiday 2009 marked the introduction of our incredibly soft and luxurious bamboo velour bedding for babies and toddlers as well as our new Bambooties and Bambeanie, an ultra-plush slipper shoe and a full-coverage, all-season hat for babies NB to 12 months," says Porter. The items are designed with a minimum of detail so they coordinate to any outfit and are luxurious to the touch.

You can't get softer or more ecologically sound than Porter's velour crib sheet.

"I'm so excited about our Spring 2010 collection," says Porter. "We'll introduce our brand new Satsuma Bento Gift Box sets along with a new bath time collection of whimsical hooded towels and accessories."

You'll bring shower guests to their knees when they catch a glimpse of the adorable Panda Towel.

Porter does more than offer sustainable, high-end goods: she opens her heart - and her pocketbook to a worthy organization. Says Porter: "Five percent of every sale supports the work of the incredible team at St. Joseph's Baby Corner in Seattle, where they provide northwest babies in need with daily essentials and more. As they say, they're 'changing the world one diaper at a time…' "

Tel: 206-604-6465

E-mail: Satsuma@Satsumadesigns.com

www.Satsumadesigns.com

Originally published January 17, 2010