After being uninspired by the range of weatherproof cushions available on the market, Penelope Hill decided to make her own and launched her brand, Into The Fold.
The name comes from the attachment Hill has to her cushions, which she says all have names and personalities. “They are like my children,” she says. “When someone purchases one of our babies, they are being welcomed into the family—Into The Fold.”
Designed to withstand daily use, pets and grubby children, the cushions can be used inside or out without sacrificing style. At the moment they are available in ‘floories’—1 metre x 1 metre floor cushions—and ‘small ones’, which are 50x50cm.
The versatile cushions are designed in Australia either by Hill or in collaboration with an artist, and produced by a boutique manufacturer in China. The inserts are sourced from a supplier in Sydney and are made of 100 per cent recycled PET bottles.
Hill says the biggest challenge while developing the business has been constantly coming up with new concepts and products to keep the brand interesting. She tries to set Into The Fold apart by sticking to a “slightly quirky monochromatic style”, and says using social media is vital.
“I don’t use any other form of advertising or promotion—Instagram is it. It is such an amazing platform to get my products seen [and] I love that I can see how my babies are styled in my customers’ homes.”
Although creating a business from scratch is a challenge, Hill loves that she can stay at home with her two young children, and says she recommends people just do it. “Honestly the only way to know is to try. Get an idea of what you want to do and then promote the hell out of yourself and your brand.
“The world is big enough for a million different homewares brands—it is the way you market yourself that will set you apart from the rest.”
Into The Fold will branch out into bedding shortly, with the release of its first quilt cover design due to launch just before Christmas.
By Ruth Cooper
