Listening and understanding are two of the most important aspects in any relationship, whether they’re personal or professional. A brand that deeply understands the importance of these qualities is Bebe Organic. The brand’s founder, Birgit, never intended to start a kidswear label. But when she set out to start a webshop and found a gap in the market, that’s exactly what she did. From there, the brand has grown and evolved organically to become the well-known romantic label, Bebe Organic.

We spoke with Birgit to take a turn listening and learn the story behind this beautiful brand. Join us as we unravel the journey Brigit has been on, how it’s intertwined with Playtime, and even get a little hint at their Spring-Summer 2026 collection you’ll be able to discover this summer in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles.

Birgit, Founder of Bebe Organic, and her children

Born in Estonia, Birgit Kadak studied fashion in London before working at several different luxury womenswear brands. Following the birth of her first child, she became more interested in the kidswear market. She fell in love with classical styles with a modern touch, always dressing her little one in romantic looks. Then, her child was diagnosed with dermatitis and having reactions to the synthetic materials in these clothes.

Birgit spoke with her pediatrician who recommended dressing her child in organic cotton or natural clothing. She also started doing her own research into how she could make it better for her child. In her research, she came across an article by Greenpeace called A Little Story About the Monsters In Your Closet. It talked about the chemicals and synthetic fibers being used by a lot of luxury brands and how damaging it is, especially for children.

Following her doctor’s recommendation and her research, Birgit started checking the compositions of products when shopping for her own child. But the brands she was finding weren’t really in the style she liked. They were either very basic or they were very bright and covered in prints, neither of which spoke to her aesthetic. After identifying this gap in the market, she decided she would launch her own webshop. She wanted to sell only organic baby clothes from different brands, and decided on the name Bebe Organic. As she started to search for brands, she realized she still wasn’t finding what she wanted in the kidswear market. So, Birgit decided to make her own mini collection with eight pieces under the name Bebe Organic.

For this first collection, Birgit worked with an Estonian photographer who had connections with brands in New York and Italy. Following the photoshoot, she had stores in New York reaching out asking who this interesting new brand was. At the same time, the stylist Birgit worked with for the photoshoot had her own sleepwear brand and had exhibited at Playtime Paris the year before. She encouraged Birgit to apply for the trade show as well. Somehow, everything linked together perfectly. Birgit did the mini collection, had interest from potential stores, and, after her first trade show, Bebe Organic had its first clients. The ball has been rolling and the brand has been organically growing ever since.

Without having had the intention to launch a big brand, everything came together and the style Birgit loved and presented with Bebe Organic really resonated with clients.

Bebe Organic’s SS25 Collection

At the start, it was challenging to source organic fabrics. This was before sustainability and organic materials really became a priority. Birgit turned largely to fabrics made in Germany or handknit products in her native Estonia. As the brand has grown, their sourcing has changed and more opportunities have opened up to them. Today, Bebe Organic works closely with their producers in Portugal and India. Birgit has observed that the factories themselves have changed a lot as well. Even family run factories with long histories have completely changed their ways to be more sustainable.

As the brand has grown, they’ve been able to create their own fabrics. Working closely with certified family-owned factories in Portugal, they develop a few of their own exclusive fabrics each season. This adds something even more special and unique to the brand.

Bebe Organic production facility

As part of their organic growth, Bebe Organic has also experimented with natural dyes. They sell in several different markets who want different things, so they occasionally do separate collections with natural dyes that are a bit less commercial. For the rest of their collections, their fabrics are GOTS certified organic thanks to the certified factories they work with.

In addition to their sustainable materials, Bebe Organic has also been working with the retailer Manymoons for several years. Manymoons is a circular retailer that offers new organic clothing, pre-loved items, and end-of-life solutions for products. About a year ago, Bebe Organic launched their own Circular Shop on their website in collaboration with Manymoons. Through this section of their site, customers can purchase rescued items that are overstock from past seasons or pre-loved items that have been washed and repaired. When little customers outgrow products, they can be give them back to continue the virtuous cycle. Customers will then also receive a credit to purchase new items.

Bebe Organic is a powerful example of a brand that is nostalgic and familiar, while still creating something refreshing each season. For their collections, everything starts with the fabrics. Birgit and the Bebe Organic design team will visit the archives of the family factories and look at past designs. With some of these factories having been around for hundreds of years, it’s a logical source of inspiration for the vintage-inspired brand.

They also draw inspiration from old wallpapers, traditional Estonian embroidery, Portuguese tiles, and other things that they love to surround themselves with like lace, flowers, and embroidery. Each season they add elements of a theme that they find emerges as the design team pitches one another the archival fabrics and inspirations they’ve found. Throughout every collection there are silhouettes, prints, and crochet pieces that add an element of consistency. For example, the Spring-Summer 2026 collection they’ll present in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles has a sea theme, but will also feature classic silhouettes, colors, and florals true to the Bebe Organic DNA.

It’s important for them to not fully reinvent the brand’s identity each season. They prefer to maintain their core collection that is refreshed by new prints, colors, or silhouettes.

Since that first photoshoot that led to their first participation at Playtime Paris, Bebe Organic has had a close relationship with our events. Birgit says that each edition offers an opportunity to learn. She and her team work largely with appointments in Paris and New York, but they’ve never had a show where they didn’t meet new clients.

This season, Bebe Organic will also be exhibiting at the first edition of The Tiny Show on Tour Los Angeles. Birgit is particularly excited for this opportunity. They have two agents in the United States, but it’s been hard to expand their reach throughout the American market. This new experience by Playtime offers an opportunity to see the market for themselves and get feedback from clients there. It will also, hopefully, help them establish new ones in the region.

Bebe Organic’s booth at Playtime & Kid’s Hub New York, W25

Trade shows provide a great opportunity for Birgit to connect with clients and get their feedback, something that has been crucial to Bebe Organic since the beginning. She says it’s what makes them better every season.

The brand started with an eight piece mini collection. Today, they have collections for newborns all the way up to 16 year olds. This growth has come about naturally based on clients asking for bigger sizes. Bebe Organic has also grown its product categories, and continues to expand them each season. For example, their Spring-Summer 2026 collection will feature more swimwear than ever before. They also have a designer who draws their prints, adding to the exclusivity of their products.

Birgit says it’s important to always listen and understand the feedback clients give. She also says to remember that just because something doesn’t work one season, it doesn’t mean it’s not right for a brand. Bebe Organic has been able to expand their categories with confidence thanks largely to feedback from their clients. She’s observed that often you need to try a product category for a few seasons before you can determine if it’s right for the brand and your clients.

By continuing to experiment while maintaining the classic silhouettes they’re known for, Bebe Organic has been able to adapt and grow for over ten years. Birgit knows, for example, that the Chinese market is always looking for something new, while others will love the same silhouette with subtle differences season after season. The advice she’d give new brands just starting out is that it’s important to understand your clients and what they want, while still maintaining the brand’s identity and vision. If your product is unique and special, you’ll find clients, and you’ll be able to keep them and find more if you’re able to listen and understand the feedback they give you and how to adapt it to your DNA.

As for their own goals, Birgit would like to one day open their own shops. Bebe Organic does have a shop in Shanghai that is run by their Chinese distributor, but she would like to see their own stand alone stores come to life in the next few years.

Bebe Organic’s SS25 Collection

Thank you to Birgit for sharing the beautiful story behind Bebe Organic with us! It’s empowering to see that, even after ten years of being in business, it’s so important to listen to feedback, and to go along with life’s journey, even when it’s not what you expected or even set out to do.

We can’t wait to discover the new collection this summer at Playtime Paris (June 28-30), Playtime & Kid’s Hub New York (July 27-29), and The Tiny Show on Tour Los Angeles (August 3-5). Buyers can get their pass here to discover it too and meet the wonderful team behind Bebe Organic.

To learn the stories behind more brands, check out our articles on AO76, The Bonniemob, Bobo Choses, and more here.

Header and all images from Bebe Organic