Inspiring small businesses: Nightire
In our ‘Inspiring small businesses’ series, we share and celebrate great stories from fellow small business owners who started and run their own business. By bringing you closer to these inspiring businesses we hope that you find motivation, tips and ideas for building yours.
Next up we share the inspiring story told by Nina Clark, founder of Nightire, a sustainable and luxurious pyjama company.
What is it that you do?
I am the founder of Nightire Sleepwear. I run everything on the day to day of the brand, from fulfillment and finance to customer service and marketing. I also create all the patterns and designs, liaise with suppliers, clear shipments and plan the ranges, growth of the business and brand collaborations.
What's the story behind your business?
Nightire is a range of 100% organic bamboo PJs and sleep accessories - think scrunchies, eye masks and pillowcases - perfect for urban living. The nightwear is especially loved by women who struggle with night sweats, are going through menopause (again, the night sweats), nursing mums (the buttons mean super easy access) and as gifts (because it’s all beautifully packaged and personalized). There is also now a small men’s range, so partners can twin in the bedroom.
The sleepwear industry is tired. And I was tired of it. I wanted to create a sleepwear brand that could bring some passion back to bed-time fashion and appealing to customers with pure character, stand-out prints and a relatable tone of voice. I also aimed to create a brand that had a bit more substance to it than just nice prints and a comfy cut (although Nightire definitely ticks those boxes too)!
In all communication, sleep is the hero: across social platforms, blog posts and newsletters, I share information on how to sleep better, every night. So there is a big lean towards health and wellness, and the difference a good sleep can make for your overall wellbeing. Hopefully, through it all, I can help others who are struggling to get quality shut-eye. And not just by wearing Nightire PJs of course!
What inspired you to start your own business?
Nightire was born out of a personal quest to understand sleep, and all that it entails, a bit better… Like many folks I know, I have this thing called can’t-always-shut-my-brain-off-to-go-to-sleep syndrome. I overthink everything and am that person who constantly makes lists in my head and who worries about things that I can’t change; all while lying in bed at night waiting for sleep to set in. This led to a few years of having a rather patchy sleep routine.
I began doing research into what could help a person sleep better and tried to apply it in my nightly routine: using black-out blinds, taking a relaxing bath, using no screens in the room (i.e. goodbye to Insta-sessions right before bed), and trying anything I could to keep my body temperature on an even keel. That included buying the right sleepwear, which, in turn, got me to focus on an industry that seemed like it had some room for innovation (and a bit more personality), which is how the idea for Nightire came about. To create sleepwear that was functional, beautiful and affordable.
Not many people care what they wear to bed, which is a shame as you spend about a third of the day in your PJs. We’re happy to shell out for fancy suits and pencil skirts, but when it comes to our home-wear, a grubby pair of last year’s shorts and a freebie t-shirt from that 5km run we did once upon a time, will do.
What is the most difficult aspect of running your own business?
Wearing all the hats, and knowing how much time to spend on all the different to-dos. It’s sometimes hard to see the wood from the trees when you’re in the trenches, getting things done. I also struggle to switch off when there is always more to do, more to think of and more to fret about. I’ve had to learn to be less emotional about Nightire so I can sleep well and stay sane:)
What is the best thing about running your own business?
Having a flexible schedule (love a mid-morning yoga class or brunch with friends during the week). And of course, the hard work, time and money that go into launching a brand all feels worth it when you get amazing feedback from customers about how much they LOVE the pyjamas and keep coming back for more.
To find out more about Nightire, visit their website or follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.