Business spotlight: Little Bear Keepsakes
Clare Wood, founder of Little Bear Keepsakes creates handcrafted memory bears and keepsakes from cherished clothing, transforming sentimental fabrics into meaningful, lasting treasures.
Clare's love of sewing began in school, where she studied textiles at GCSE, and it has remained a part of her life ever since in different ways, but it was after the birth of her two children that Little Bear truly began. Wanting to preserve their most precious outfits, Clare created her first memory bears - beautiful keepsakes filled with love and memories.
Before launching Little Bear, Clare successfully ran an award winning small business, gaining valuable experience in both business and customer care. That journey gave her the confidence to follow her passion and create something even more personal.
Little Bear Keepsakes was awarded a £2,000 Build Your Business grant, funded by North Northamptonshire Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which meant Clare was able to invest in her vision and officially bring Little Bear to life.
Every keepsake Clare creates is made with the utmost care and attention to detail, because she knows just how precious these items are. She loves hearing the stories behind each piece of clothing, from a baby’s first outfit to a loved one’s cherished shirt, and says it’s an honour to help preserve those memories in a meaningful way. Little Bear Keepsakes' goal is to provide something you can treasure forever, something that brings comfort, joy, and a tangible, lasting connection to the people and moments you hold dear.
How BIPC Northamptonshire helped
Clare says that BIPC Northamptonshire has been instrumental in the launch of her business:
"The workshops, webinars and one-to-ones gave me the information, advice, and tools I needed to give me a successful start. The access to the research tools was invaluable when writing my business plan.
The Build Your Business grant allowed me to upgrade and invest in new machines to allow me to work more productively and professionally. It also enabled me to buy tools to help with the running of the business such as a laptop, printer, insurance and a website.
The community the BIPC has built for small business owners in the area through their events is amazing, and I have been so fortunate to have made new friends and connections through this. Finally, all the continued support and friendly encouragement from all the BIPC team has been so valuable to me, and knowing there is always help and guidance close by is very comforting."
Best advice received
One of the most valuable pieces of business advice Clare has received is:
“To always compete on value and not price.”
Follow Little Bear Keepsakes
You can find out more about Little Bear Keepsakes on their website, and you can follow them on social media:
You can view some of Clare's creations in one of our BIPC Northamptonshire case study cabinets at Kettering Library and read about Little Bear Keepsakes' journey, as well as other businesses we've supported, on our website.
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