The Grobag story

Once upon a time there were two ordinary people called Rob and Ouvrielle and they decided it was time to start a family, as you do. It was an exciting 9 months, but like most new parents-to-be, they didn’t have a clue what was coming.

“How hard can parenting be?” 

As it turns out, quite hard actually. Sam was born a month early in December 1996. He was fit and healthy but there was a snag... he just would not sleep at night! The trouble was he was put to bed under his blankets, only to kick his covers off and wake up cold, screaming his head off.

“There has to be a better way?”

This is where their Austrian sister-in-law came in to the picture. She said that in Austria and many other European countries, most babies slept in special baby sleeping bags, not under blankets and sheets. So Rob and Ouvrielle tracked down a baby sleeping bag, nicknamed it a ‘Grobag’, zipped Sam in to it and he slept 12 hours a night.

“Good-bye blankets, hello Grobag!”

So that’s how it all began, in some spare offices in Devon, back in September 2000. We really had no idea that the Grobags would take off like they have – but we’re proud to say Grobags have changed the way that babies are put to bed in the UK. 

“We’ve got to spread the word to other sleep-deprived parents”

Not only are parents and families getting more sleep, but Grobags are proven to be safer than traditional bedding. We have worked closely with the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) since early 2000 to design safe products and promote safe sleep practices, as well as funding FSID safe sleep research to the tune of £500,000.

From day one Rob and Ouvreille were passionate about getting children and their families better, safer sleep, as well as clever innovations, gorgeous design, and delivering brilliant customer service.

That all still stands true today, and although we might have grown a bit since 2000, Grobags are still the original and the best, and we’re still in Devon – it is rather lovely after all!