All About True - A Pioneering Babycare Brand

Founded by Tina Lobo at the end of 2019, True is a family run and purpose led brand based in Sri Lanka. What started as a passion project to create eco-friendly baby accessories and products that were not available, soon turned into a brand focusing on quality baby care that would be a part of your baby’s life through every milestone. Fast forward to now, True has a flagship store in the heart of Colombo and is expanding their product line with several new designs. We sat down with Tina Lobo to discuss all things True, check out what she had to say.

Tell us about True, how did it come to life?

True was a passion project I started after becoming a new mom in 2019. It was an idea that spurred from hours spent on researching baby products online. I started handcrafting teethers and eco-friendly personalized baby accessories for my little one and close friends, and then started an Instagram page showcasing my creations, products that weren’t easily available at a store. I loved making things and having a creative outlet to offer something unique and baby safe which parents can preserve and treasure even when their baby outgrows them.

Like myself, I found most new generation parents and caregivers had high expectations of what they were buying for their children. The focus was shifting to quality over quantity. I had the idea of creating a meaningful and sustainable baby care brand inspired by our little island country of Sri Lanka, with products that hit the milestones from birth, toddlerhood and beyond. I went on to do a pop up market which received an overwhelming response. This motivated me to grow the brand to a range of product lines, from teethers and baby accessories, to an eco-feeding range, baby grooming kits, nursery décor and newborn essentials.

What was the moment you realized that there was a gap in the baby product market that needed to be filled?

Motherhood was a life changing experience and I found myself engrossed in the idea of sustainable baby products for my own baby girl. Products that were safe and with very tailored design aesthetics for the modern-day home. Products that were meaningful and that could be treasured for the years to come. There was a gap in finding baby care brands that were building a sense of community too; inspiring, educating and motivating their audience through their products and services; and unfortunately there was also a big gap in finding unique, high quality baby products that were wholly eco-friendly in Sri Lanka. Simultaneously I found a lot of available resources + talented local artisanal groups with the potential to produce yet who lacked a platform and funding. That’s how True was born, trying to build on a combination of all the elements above.

Why is it important for you as a founder and a brand to give back to your community?

The vision of True right from its inception was to be a purpose led brand with impact. As a founder I believe in leading through example, and in caring for people and the planet. As a brand, we not only produce a sustainable range of products but also work closely under fair trade practices to design & source our artisanal range of toys which are a source of income to many low income groups. We are also proudly redistributing a part of our profit proceeds to children in need in Sri Lanka and as well as increasingly trying to focus more on conservation projections in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is a beautiful island country with a developing and growing economy. We are dedicated to being a conscious business with a focus on building and giving back to the community.

Walk us through the process of creating a new product - how do you select the materials you use?

We have a growing range of product lines, the common elements for all when creating a new product is that it must be eco-friendly and have a unique element in its design. Most of our product range is inspired by nature and wildlife elements in Sri Lanka. We also have a strong focus on slow fashion for our new baby range. We work with cotton and premium organic cotton and bamboo offcuts for our newborn essential range; as well as materials like food grade silicone, untreated hardwood, stainless steel for our feeding range, teethers and accessories.

What measures do you take to make sure that your products are safe for both babies and the environment?

Our baby essentials range are all made of natural and organic cotton /  bamboo fabrics that are grown without toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and are free from microplastics, so they are the safest choice for babies. Our food grade silicone and hardwood raw materials all have factory certifications that comply with FDA, CPSC standards and we have independently certified these as well with the ITI in Sri Lanka to ensure safety and peace of mind to our customer base. 

Can you share a moment or milestone that made you feel particularly proud of the brand?

A proud moment for our brand is when we opened our second outlet last April of 2024. We’ve come a long way from being a home based business that took off a little before COVID, to facing a number of challenges including the pandemic, and economic crises in Sri Lanka. We remained resilient through the support of our customer base and collaboration with so many amazing local vendors to now having a growing online and brick and mortar presence, spreading our wings internationally as well.   

How has your personal experience as a parent influenced the brand and products?

I have tried and tested numerous materials and designs before launching our first collection. Designing products that had to fit the needs of my own household and for my own child. This dedication stems from my role as a parent in wanting to create value, and to help other parents achieve more from products available in terms of safety, design and innovation. Functionality is most important too as is right the pricing all without sacrificing on quality & style.

Do you have any advice for new parents who are navigating the world of baby products for the first time?

Becoming a new parent is one of the most exciting and challenging times. The baby care market can be extremely overwhelming. My advice would be, less is more. Streamline all the essentials that offer you convenience and that suit your unique needs. According to your affordability then look at purchasing all the other ‘Nice-to-haves’ too. Talk to other parents on what items they found useful, read some blogs and top picks online, and all the while bear in mind that what might work for others might not necessarily work nor be required by you. 

What’s next for True? Are there any exciting upcoming projects or product launches that you can share with us?

We have a line of new baby essentials we are excited to launch in a range of fun designs and colors, as well as a whole new range of toys, teethers and rattles.

We are looking forward to expanding our brand internationally over the next year.