Meet the Maker: Bramley

Founder of Bramley’s Little B range, Chloë Luxton talks to us about creating a naturally inspired, eco-conscious range for children…

When Chloë was a little girl, her days were spent catching slowworms or newts, building rafts and making ‘flower perfumes’, which she created by mixing rose petals with her mother’s favourite scents. She then found herself a comfortable spot on the garden wall and sold her perfumes to passing walkers. “It was when I was at my happiest and, looking back, I realise how lucky I was and how simple life was then,” she told Luxury Family Hotels.

Brought up on the coast in Cornwall, Chloë described her whole childhood as being “immersed in nature”, and it is clear this love of the beautiful, natural world continued throughout her life and into her role as founder of Bramley, whose products are a hymn to the restorative power of nature. “I wanted to bottle that feeling you get when you’ve had the most amazing weekend away, soothed by the quiet beauty of the countryside.”

Bramley’s Little B range

Guests can purchase products to take home with them, meaning that soothing feeling can be recreated every time they use a body wash, hand cream or room spray. “It transports you back to that weekend away, where you felt truly relaxed and happy,” says Chloë.

Started just ten years ago, Bramley has gone from strength to strength and is now stocked in shops such as Fortnum & Mason, as well as over 500 hotels, pubs and restaurants. From body wash and handwash to shampoo and bath oils, the brand has evolved and now makes candles, room fragrances, a Little B range for children, and a Digby Dog range for dogs. Bramley also does collaborations with printmakers and potters to create a selection of beautiful accessories.

Chloë started the brand because there was no-one currently offering the natural, refillable, beautiful products that she wanted for her own pub in Wiltshire. Being conscious of single-use plastic, sustainable ingredient-sourcing and being as eco-minded as possible, Chloë wasn’t prepared to compromise when it came to products.

And so, Bramley was born. “Right from the beginning we set out to change the crazy overuse of plastics. We were one of the first brands to pioneer refillables in hotel bedrooms, and now all of our packaging is recycled, recyclable or reusable; and we have a strict sustainability policy in-house to ensure that we are always thinking about the planet and ways in which we can reduce waste.” Even the brand’s marketing materials are printed using natural ink and products are wrapped in ‘mindful tissue paper’, which can be coloured in by children or adults alike.

The provenance of Bramley’s ingredients is also paramount. The brand not only uses natural bases – derived from crops like coconut or sugar – and pure essential oils, for their therapeutic effects, but also because they have the most beautiful fragrances. All its ingredients are biodegradable and are safe to be washed into rivers and oceans, and it does not use any sulphates, silicones, parabens, PEGS or artificial colours or scents. “This means that we know we are only selling the best products and we haven’t compromised on anything,” explains Chloë.

With children of her own, and the brand evolving, Chloë naturally turned her inspiration to create products for babies and little ones, ensuring they were delicate enough for their young skin. “Children’s skin is very sensitive, as it is not fully developed, so it is really important to be aware of what you put onto it,” she explains. “We use extra simple bases and specific essential oils, such as chamomile and clementine, that are known to be gentle on young skin but also have lovely calming benefits too (perfect for bedtime).” Little B is stocked in every family-sized room in all of Luxury Family Hotel's five properties, meaning children get their own moment of countryside calm to relax them. “Little B helps calm and soothe just before bed – which is exactly what we need in our house!” says Chloë. “All little guests at Luxury Family Hotels will find our Little B Hair & Body Wash and our Little B Bubble Bath in their rooms, so they can wash and bathe away a day of play with the soothing scents of citrus and lavender.”

Bramley’s Little B range

Little B has been such a success that Chloë and her team were thrilled to be approached by The Duchess of Cambridge recently to support an initiative that she was taking part in during the pandemic: tackling childhood poverty, alongside charities such as Baby Basics. “We were delighted to be able to help and definitely had a ‘pinch me’ moment,” says Chloë.

From her childhood garden to a royal seal of approval, it’s clear that Chloë's love of nature and her dedication to all things natural and eco-conscious has created a brand that truly soothes and rejuvenates, reminding us all of the peaceful beauty of the countryside.

Words | Emma Johnson