We’re pleased to welcome a new Swiss online retailer, Goose and Parrot, to our lovely collection of international retailers! We love hearing about babywearing around the world, so we asked owner Franziska about her shop and the babywearing scene in Switzerland.
CB: How did you decide to start your new business?
Fran: I had set up and run the first sling library in South West London three years ago. A year ago we moved back to Zurich and I missed the UK so much that I was looking for a way how to stay connected with it. That’s why I now sell British kids things from small suppliers that aren’t available in Switzerland. I set up a shop because I’m a stay-at-home mum who loves to work, and the shop lets me work around the kids, and they can help with sorting, packing etc which they enjoy.
CB: What do you love about babywearing?
Fran: I love babywearing because I love having my babies close to me, because both my babies (now 4 and 1) hated being in prams as babies, and it just makes my life so easy without having to push a pram… I can get up and down any stairs, the babies just do whatever they need to do (breastfeed or sleep or watch) while being carried without me having to stop what I’m doing. My three main factors are: keeping baby as happy as possible, enjoying the closeness and being lazy!
CB: How does babywearing fit in with your lifestyle in Switzerland?
Fran: Over here babywearing is quite big, everyone seems to wear their baby from time to time. In Switzerland, even in Zurich, we have a very outdoorsy lifestyle but it can get very hot in summer (up to 35-38 degrees at times), and there was no other thin carrier or wrap in the market, which is why people are very keen on the Calin Bleu wraps in the summer months. Also, everyone seems to use a stretchy for their newborns and I’m keen to introduce Calin Bleu products as a much better alternative. I learned about Calin Bleu when we traveled to Thailand with our firstborn when she was 15 months and I needed a wrap for hot climates. It was amazing!
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, Franziska! You can check out her new shop at www.gooseandparrot.ch.
