For Jessica Hanley, founder of Piglet in Bed, building a brand was always the goal. Inspired by the shifting ways brands were communicating with consumers, Hanley identified a gap in the homewares market: a need for products that reflected modern lifestyles—beautiful, sustainable, and effortlessly authentic. Combining creativity, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a sharp instinct for what resonates with today’s shoppers, Hanley has turned Piglet in Bed into a retail success story.
From PR to Bedding: Finding the Opportunity
Before founding Piglet in Bed, Hanley worked in PR and marketing across London and Dubai for five years. “I jumped around a fair bit with a few different brands,” she explains. “I was just keen to learn as much as I could and take a lot of that knowledge back to starting my own thing, which I always had a strong sense was what I wanted to do.”
While Hanley wasn’t tied to a particular product category, she was drawn to brand-building. “I loved the idea of building a brand and creating a really unique brand identity,” she says. The homewares sector, with its emphasis on comfort and interiors, became the ideal focus. “I’d always been interested in interiors, and it felt like there was an opportunity to create something modern and different.”
Spotting the Gap: A New Voice for Home
Hanley’s lightbulb moment came from observing other industries, such as beauty and athleisure. Brands like Glossier and Outdoor Voices were revolutionising how they spoke to female consumers—moving away from top-down, prescriptive messaging to embrace authenticity and individuality. “It felt like there was a big shift happening,” she explains. “The kinds of imagery we were used to seeing—perfectly polished, ironed sheets and starched homewares—weren’t reflective of how I lived or how my friends lived. There was a gap.”
Linen bedding became the starting point for Piglet in Bed. “It’s effortless, laid-back, and creates a more modern look in the home,” Hanley says. “It’s also sustainably sourced, so it was a dream product from both perspectives.” The name Piglet in Bed, inspired in part by Hanley’s rural upbringing in West Sussex, reflects the brand’s playful, unpretentious personality. “It doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s memorable and captures the lighthearted feel I wanted the brand to have.”
Building a Brand with Personality
Initially, linen itself was the brand’s unique selling point, as most competitors still focused on cotton. However, as the market shifted and linen grew in popularity, Hanley realised Piglet in Bed needed to evolve. “We realised that actually it’s the personality of the brand and the way we express ourselves through colour and pattern that really differentiates us,” she says.
From gingham prints to mix-and-match colour bundles, the brand empowers customers to make their own choices. “We’re about saying, ‘Here are some great products—it’s over to you to decide how you want to use them,’” Hanley explains. This customer-first ethos, allowing shoppers to mix pinks with oranges or experiment with clashing prints, has become core to Piglet in Bed’s identity.
For Hanley, the appeal is personal. “I always wanted a beautiful home, but I was never going to be someone who irons sheets or keeps everything perfectly tidy. Linen bedding lets you hack your way to a beautiful home despite being a bit scruffy.”
From E-Commerce to the High Street
Piglet in Bed began as an online-only brand, growing steadily from 2017. However, the pandemic became a turning point. “In 2020, everyone was focused on creating comfortable environments at home, and we ended up tripling the business,” Hanley recalls. Off the back of this growth, the company fundraised for the first time and invested heavily in the brand. “We redesigned the logo and website, but more importantly, we clarified our tone of voice and really leaned into being ourselves in a bolder way.”
In 2023, Piglet in Bed entered retail for the first time, opening concessions in department stores and standalone shops in Bath, Harrogate, and Tunbridge Wells. The move marked a significant shift. “I used to think e-commerce alone could take us to massive scale,” Hanley admits. “But it limits your market size. Interacting with a brand in-store is so much more tangible and meaningful.”
Retail has allowed Piglet in Bed to showcase its personality in new ways, from store design to materials and the customer experience. “Everything—from the paint colours to the style of the staff—feels authentically us,” she says.
Learning the Art of Retail
Transitioning into physical retail came with challenges. “I didn’t realise how much pitching was involved,” Hanley says, explaining how landlords needed convincing that the brand was worth backing. “It’s not just about having the right numbers—it’s about persuading them that you’re going to be a success.”
Fortunately, Hanley and her team benefitted from industry expertise. “Our chairman, Stuart Grant, one of the founders of Mint Velvet, has been instrumental,” she says. Grant’s knowledge—particularly around store performance, merchandising, and fit-outs—provided the confidence to expand. “We knew we needed to bring in the right people who knew far more than us,” Hanley reflects.
The stores have performed beyond expectations, giving the team confidence to scale further. “We’re focused on affluent market towns where we know our customer demographics align and where we can run the stores profitably,” she explains. Future growth, she adds, must be sustainable for the team. “We want to move fast, but not in a way that burns anyone out.”
Staying Ahead in a Competitive Market
With competition increasing, Hanley is aware of the need to innovate continually. “We’re seeing gingham everywhere now,” she says, referencing the brand’s signature pattern. “That’s why we have to stay ahead and focus on what’s next.”
Product diversification is key. Piglet in Bed has expanded into towels and other categories, maintaining a focus on sustainable sourcing and design. Collaborations are another avenue for growth, with a partnership with heritage brand Morris & Co on the horizon. “It’s such a perfect brand fit,” Hanley says. “We want to be seen as a British heritage brand of the future, and this collaboration taps into that.”
Understanding the Customer
For Hanley, one of the greatest lessons has been the importance of knowing her customer. In the early days, she personally responded to customer emails and Instagram messages, gaining invaluable insights. “That investment into understanding our customers has been so important,” she says.
Combined with a strong sense of the brand’s identity, this understanding continues to drive decision-making. “It’s about knowing your customer and knowing yourself,” Hanley explains. “When you have both, everything becomes clearer.”
Looking Ahead
With half of the business now coming from the US, Piglet in Bed is considering how to take its retail strategy stateside. However, Hanley is cautious about rushing in. “I’ve seen how complex retail can be, and we want to make sure we’re ready to do it really well in the US,” she says.
For now, the focus remains on fine-tuning UK stores and expanding thoughtfully. “We asked our customers on Instagram where they wanted to see us next, and we got so many responses—Edinburgh, Canada, the US,” Hanley shares. “It’s exciting to know there’s so much appetite for more.”
Lessons for Retailers
Reflecting on her journey, Hanley offers valuable advice for retail professionals: “Don’t underestimate the importance of brand personality. A great product is essential, but it’s the relationships you build with your customers and the way you express your brand that set you apart.”
She also highlights the need for agility. “We’ve grown so much, but every six months I look at the business and realise it’s completely different. You have to stay flexible and be ready to adapt quickly.”
Jessica Hanley’s journey with Piglet in Bed proves that modern retail success lies in authenticity, customer connection, and a willingness to evolve. By bridging the gap between e-commerce and the high street, while staying true to the brand’s playful, sustainable ethos, Hanley has created a homeware business that resonates deeply with today’s shoppers—and sets the stage for even greater growth.
