Leah from Jorgen House

Tell us a little about you and your family.

I am originally from Australia but have called the UK home for about 16 years now. I now live in Somerset with my husband Freddie and our two little girls, Bertie who is five and Wallis who is two and a half.

We LOVE your brand Jorgen House. Can you tell us how you got started and what’s your inspiration behind the brand.

Thank-you! I've always worked in the sportswear industry so it's a product that I'm really passionate about, however I was never sure I'd set up my own brand. I was working for Beyonce on her sportswear brand IVY PARK when I became pregnant with my firstborn. I was on my maternity leave and was doing work outs in the park when I realised I couldn't find a decent sports bra that I could both work out in and feed my baby in. I'm aware there are products out there in the market, but they didn't seem very engineered and the plastic clips for feeding didn't seem to have evolved much since their inception which offer so little support.

I had also become increasingly aware of thew amount of throw away fashion that comes with maternity wear. During my pregnancy I really struggled to find any clothing that was designed to adapt with a changing body shape. We go through so many changes in our adult lives whether that be through maternity or purely changing body shapes, yet we expect our clothing to fit us comfortably through all these changes. I tended to made do with what I already owned and then inevitably felt uncomfortable, or you buy cheap products knowing there is a shelf life and then discard them because the quality was poor and there was no desire to continue wearing them either. I realised then that there was a significant gap in the market for a product that would work with you from pre-natal to post, through motherhood any beyond.

But it wasn't until I was made redundant on my maternity leave that gave me the push to go out and create something of my own which is when Jorgen House was born.

We are huge advocates for organic cotton & sustainable manufacturing so were so happy to find workout clothing made from organic cotton. Can you tell us more about your mission to create a sustainable brand?

I knew from the outset that if I were to establish a new brand, sustainability had to play a founding part of it. There are already so many brands out there, I didn't want to create another trend led brand that doesn't solve a specific need to shift consumer shopping habits. So for every step of the development process sustainability played a huge part.

The factory I work with was selected for their dedication to sustainability which isrun with 100% renewable energyand manufactures with sustainable fibres, such as organic cotton, recycled polyester and manmade cellulosic fibres from non-endangered certified forests.They have a dedicated sustainability team constantly developing and implementing new strategies and practices towards a greener production. I feel extremely grateful that the factory took my brand on considering its infancy and production volumes, but I hope the brand continues to grow with them.

The textile industry also uses a huge consumption of water and oil resources. So with sustainability in mind, I also work with an Italian mill who collect waste material left over from the production floor. This pre-consumption waste are materials that were unusable in any other way and would have been disposed of as external waste.

The discarded materials are recast using a regeneration process which is then integrated back into threads for knitting. Every kilo of this yarn saves 100 litres of gas oil. This is a highly ecological product which aims to reduce CO2 emissions, consumes less water and uses renewable energy. My aim is to create a brand that gives back to the planet more than it takes away.

Tips for shopping sustainably for maternity clothing

TIP ONE - Ditch the trends

For me, it's less about keeping up with seasonal fashion trends, and more about buying high quality and thoughtful design. That in itself is highly sustainable, knowing that you're investing in pieces, regardless of the cost be it high end design or high street stores, that you intend to care for and wear for time to come.

TIP TWO - Invest in staples

Make comfort your priority. If you buy a pair of £10 leggings you can't expect them to be engineered properly or to last. The product won't fit you properly and you'll inevitably feel uncomfortable and the quality won't last either past a few washes. Invest in a few pieces that you love to wear and make them work with layering from your wardrobe.

TIP THREE - Comfortable Underwear

Buy comfortable underwear and loungewear. You'll spend a lot of time in loungewear, so make sure you feel good in it. You can't beat a good soft linen pant and shirt set, incredibly forgiving and stylish. And make sure you feel good in your underwear, you're body is totally new to you so a comfortable and un-frumpy bra is a must. My go to gift for pregnant friends is the Sleep Bra - something you rarely buy yourself and the gifts you receive are almost always for the baby, it's nice to receive something so practical and comfy.

TIP FOUR - Rental Platforms

Use maternity rental platforms instead of purchasing new. For The Creators is a great option for finding maternity denim for example - pieces that are just not going to work for you in the fourth trimester and beyond so buying new is a short term investment. Rent or buy second hand on sites like Vinted.

TIP FIVE - Swimwear

Swimming is a great activity during pregnancy so finding swimwear that works for you is also key. If you can, invest in brands like Hunza G or You Swim which have products made in a one size fits all adaptive knit. They'll fit you through pregnancy and beyond and you'll still feel great wearing them afterwards.

Is there any other brands you would recommend to new mothers?

There is a brand I love from Australia called Iamibu which recently launched also, otherwise I would have definitely have worn them throughout my pregnancies. Their range is timeless and designed for ever-evolving bodies in a range of softly pleated slip dresses and wraps.

Boheme is also a lovely slow fashion brand out of Canada with softly textured linens in an earthy colour palette which I love.

The Sabi is also a new brand I adore with a range of holistic skincare and hormonal balancing products. Hormones are a superpower worth understanding, and their products and guidance really help you to understand and take charge of your wellbeing.

Whats been your favourite part of your motherhood journey so far?

Self-reflection and resilience. Motherhood is a completely self-explorative experience, you are thrown into a journey into understanding how you have been shaped and moulded through life. We're all meant to grow and evolve, and motherhood gives you that push. Sometimes a painful experience, but we're meant to change and we're meant to grow and evolve.

There's been moments when I just didn't think I could do it, or that I wasn't enough. But you do get through those moments, and you do get through those days. When I look back they're now fleeting moments and we made it through. Motherhood makes you incredibly resilient, more so than any other experience can.

If you could give a new parent one piece of advice what you would say?

Be prepared for the growth. The growth of your child will be a constant, but also allow for the growth within yourself. There is a quote by Osho I love which is:"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new"

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Meet Leah

Tell us a little about you and your family.

We LOVE your brand Jorgen House. Can you tell us how you got started and what’s your inspiration behind the brand.

Where did the name Jorgen House come from?

We are huge advocates for organic cotton & sustainable manufacturing so were so happy to find workout clothing made from organic cotton. Can you tell us more about your mission to create a sustainable brand?

Tips for shopping sustainably for maternity clothing

Is there any other brands you would recommend to new mothers?

Whats been your favourite part of your motherhood journey so far?

If you could give a new parent one piece of advice what you would say?

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