The Moms Behind the Brand

Organic Baby Blankets by Jill and Wendy

Wendy & Jillian Wendy & Jillian

Jillian Hachlaf, Founder & Co-Owner

For Jillian, organics isn’t a new craze or the catalyst for a trendy business venture; it’s a way of life. The Hachlafs switched to organic foods almost a decade ago. And when her second son, Tyler, developed eczema at three months of age, she began to more closely examine their living environment.

“About two years ago, I read the book Gorgeously Green and it made me realize that what we put on our bodies and in our environment is just as important as what we put in our bodies,” explains the mother of two boys, Luke and Tyler. “I started to purge my house of all chemicals; replacing traditional cleaning products, dish soap, hand soap, laundry detergent and beauty products with chemical-free choices.”

Horrified to learn about all of the harmful and toxic chemicals used in the production of conventional cotton, she realized she needed to immediately find organic baby bedding. However, she was frustrated by the lack of choices.

“At the time, all I could find was natural or muted colours,” says Jillian. “I enjoy interior design and love funky things and I just couldn’t imagine creating a bedroom for my son that was so blah and boring.”

Realizing that other moms must also want organic baby products but didn’t want to compromise on style, Jillian launched Snug as a Bug Organic Baby Bedding. Now called ty and lumi organics, Jillian is designing and manufacturing one-of-a-kind organic baby bedding lines that meet both her environmental mission and creative passion.

“We create our own prints, which mean that we are personally involved in every aspect of the making of our products,” she says, with sincerity. “The first thing people notice is the colours. Nothing is blah or muted. My favourite design is Sleeping Green because it is everything that I was hoping to create – simple, fresh, modern and GREEN.”

Wendy Godfrey, Co-Owner

It was probably the worst moment in Wendy’s life; sitting there, watching helplessly, as her young daughter struggled for every breath. Both relieved and frightened by the diagnosis of asthma, the Godfreys left BC Children’s Hospital armed with a tonne of information about asthma and a determination to eliminate all triggers.

This challenge led Wendy toward organics and a holistic lifestyle.

“We purchase organic food and products for our home,” explains the mother of Scott, Micaela and Tyler. “Each new item we bring in or replace in our house we try to make sure it is either eco-friendly or organic - from the paint on the walls to the food in our fridge and cupboards.”

Wendy has seen a dramatic shift in her children’s health and swears by her organic approach. “My two youngest have asthma and eczema. As children, they are more susceptible to skin reactions and damage to their organs due to exposure to pesticides and chemicals through their skin and their food. Eliminating this contact has reduced outbreaks. It quite literally means we all breathe a lot easier.”

Wendy met Jill at their neighbourhood preschool. With kids the same age [coincidentally both also have a son named Tyler], an equal passion for organics and having many of the same social interests, the two became friends immediately. It wasn’t long before Jillian invited Wendy to join forces and help her take her business to the next level.

The duo launched ty and lumi organics [named after their children] in May 2010.