About Us
Our founder, Nimi Kelloway, believes that it's possible and crucial to be advocates of the change we wish to see in our world. This personal code of ethics, social responsibility and sustainability are also extended to business. In fact, for Nimi, these are the pillars upon which her brand is built.
Her stance, that one can indulge in luxury while making an impact is deeply rooted in the belief that human beings are also energy beings. Hence, we must be responsible for the kind of energy we want to project into this world. Therefore, being mindful of what we consume is equally crucial as what we create. Nimi's focus has been on creating a product that has been a labour of love in its entirety.
"When HauteCoton started, we knew we wanted to bring the safest and purest bedding line to market. After all, we spend 1/3 of our lives in bed."
Nimi Kelloway, Founder HauteCoton
Nimi, came up with the idea of HauteCoton while sitting in a nutrition class about organic farming vs. conventional farming. That's when she made the connection between food and natural textiles. Not many people realize that the textile industry is one of the most toxic industries on our planet and is the second biggest polluter of clean water.
When she discovered that only 1% of our world's cotton is grown using organic methods, she started questioning where her clothes and sheets were coming from and how they were made.
"It got me thinking...I care about what I put into my body, so why wouldn't I care about what I put onto my body and absorb through my skin? Why would I want to lay in synthetic fabrics that are laced with formaldehyde, petroleum and microplastics every single night?"
Nimi Kelloway, Founder HauteCoton
Determined to find a safer alternative to conventional cotton bedding, Nimi travelled to India to research cotton farming and found an organic supplier with sustainable farming practices and fair working conditions. She visited manufacturers, chatted with the employees and watched as they hand-sewed upcycled coconut shell buttons onto the duvet covers.
As a business owner, Nimi recognizes the importance of fairness and equality. Her core values as a woman are also ones that inspire her as an entrepreneur. Sourcing ethically produced products are integral for Nimi as supporting workers' rights, safety standards and fair wages.
HauteCoton is a brand that is a result of her positive inquiry. For Nimi, it's crucial to have positivity, love and social responsibility in each step of the journey that goes into creating HauteCoton.
"I saw with my own eyes how our bedding is made and laughed and exchanged words in Hindi with our sewists. For us, supporting fair wages is a MUST, not a maybe."
Nimi Kelloway, Founder HauteCoton
HauteCoton literally translates to a higher-class textile fibre — an elevated version of the everyday, conventional cotton.