What is Leleki?
Leleki is a marketplace and resource for conscious parents. They provide evidence-based information and curate products backed by science and certifications. Founded by a scientist, Leleki's mission is to inform, educate, and make shopping easier for conscious moms and dads who want the best for themselves, their kids, and the world.
The current industry landscape
The US baby/maternity market and marketing speak used by companies in this space can be very frustrating. The market as a whole is not as regulated as in Europe, which leaves a lot of room for using suboptimal ingredients and misinformation. Words such as “organic”, “sustainable”, “eco-friendly”, “non-toxic” are used very freely and often without any basis to support such designations.
Currently, other US baby/maternity marketplaces do not do the diligence on products they carry and consumers spend weeks researching things themselves. There is a lack of educational aspect among the current marketplaces and information is very dispersed among different sources. It’s hard for parents to find info sources they can trust. Every new parent has to redo all the research and “reinvent the wheel.”
The birth of the company
After getting her PhD, Ania, founder of Leleki, spent four years at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) first as a consultant and then as a project leader working on various R&D and manufacturing projects with major pharmaceutical companies in the US. It was during her time at BCG when many of her coworkers and friends started having kids and they seemed to have endless questions for her — a chemist, such as: what does this ingredient in baby lotion mean? What is the difference between various types of fabrics in onesies? And so on. As Ania wanted to help her friends, and was also planning to start a family soon, she began digging into baby and maternity products and quickly got lost trying to decipher the marketing speak and reality. Which ones were truly needed? Which ones were healthy and safe? What companies could she really trust? And what did all those acronyms mean?
Using her scientific research skills, Ania began to dig deep into the baby industry. Realizing she wouldn’t be the only first-time parent hungry for this knowledge, she created Leleki to inform other conscious moms and dads who wantthe best for themselves, their kids, and the world.
The Leleki mission
Leleki is strictly and uncompromisingly science-backed and no nonsense. At Leleki, they do the research into ingredients, curate only the highest quality products, and educate parents on why they selected these particular products. Leleki explain how they assign conscious values to products (e.g. if something is labeled “organic” on Leleki, consumers can rest assured that the item is certified-organic by a respected certification agency). Leleki help parents cut through the noise. Their solution includes three components:
1. Only the "gotta-have" gear Conscious shopping starts with only buying the stuff you really need. Leleki demystifies the world of baby products so it’s easy to see what’s crucial and what isn’t. 2. Products from companies that care Leleki only recommends products with a proven commitment to any or all of their core conscious values, and that meet Leleki's standards for safety, practicality, and design. 3. Evidence-backed info and education, reviewed by experts Leleki created the Leleki Guide for each product category to help customers learn more about each product and how to choose the right one for you. Each guide is written and reviewed by experts, explains key safety and practicality features Leleki considered when selecting products, and cuts to the chase of what the customer needs to know as a first-time parent.
Everything on the site has been researched and reviewed by the Leleki team of scientists and doctors, so customers can feel confident they're learning from the pros and buying the best of the best.
Quote from the founder
"There is a growing population of millennial and Gen Z consumers (parents) who are increasingly mistrusting of marketing speak, and for whom products being pretty is just not enough. They do hours and hours of research to make sure the products they get for their kids are safe. They are also willing to pay more for products that match their values - eg, organic, sustainable, women-owned, BIPOC-owned, small businesses. I am building Leleki to help make the lives of these parents just a bit easier."
Check them out: https://www.leleki.com/
Follow them on social:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lelekifamily/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest..com/lelekifamily/