Our Company Story: How We Got Here
Our journey so far has been an adventure. Since 2016, Annie Lywood, the founder of Sooothe, has been dedicated to exploring the value of sensory textiles and creative technologies for wellbeing. It’s wonderful to reflect on how far we’ve come.
Let’s start at the beginning…
During an MA in Design at UWE, Annie discovered the newly emerging world of e-textiles. She explored the integration of textiles and electronics and saw the potential for new human-centred applications in the home and for social care products.
Did you know we used to be called Bonnie Binary?
In 2016, Annie joined Pervasive Media Studio, a diverse community of artists exploring creative technologies. Under the name Bonnie Binary, she collaborated in several multi-disciplinary projects with the university and industry partners. Through these collaborations, they were able to explore the untapped potential of e-textiles to create therapeutic products for people with a variety of sensory needs.
“I was so grateful for this time to experiment and collaborate with a wonderful array of engineers, tinkerers, designers, and thinkers.” - Annie
Inspired by Bonnie Binary’s research, Annie and a team of artisan makers developed a collection of prototypes with a similar purpose - to comfort and entertain, enabling playful engagement for wellbeing.
Then Came Sooothe
The name Bonnie Binary served us well through the research stage, but we soon realised it didn’t communicate our values and focus on wellbeing to our customers.
So, we decide to rebrand!
After several years of exploring and learning as Bonnie Binary, we wanted a new name and aesthetic that represented the inclusive design and social purpose at the heart of our growing collection of wellbeing products.
With the help of David at Flow Design and our wonderful Illustrator Amelia we have developed a brand that better reflects our ambition to become the go-to experts in pioneering sensory experiences for wellbeing.
The Future of Sooothe
Sooothe has big ambitions. We have lots of exciting projects that are currently in the works, so sign up to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram to keep up to date with new developments.
Thank you to everyone that helped get us here - we couldn't have done it without you. We look forward to seeing who else becomes a part of this journey in the future.
See our online shop for products that are currently available.
Our Jollie Heart Cushion makes a wonderful gift for warming hearts and hands.