My First Six Months of Soft Love Australia

Months ago Soft Love Australia Toys Adoption was just a small idea. Today, it has grown into a beautiful little community built on kindness, sustainability, and the belief that every soft toy deserves to be loved again.

When I moved to Western Australia, I suddenly had more time to slow down and think about how I wanted to live. I began focusing more on sustainable choices in everyday life. I refurbished wooden indoor and outdoor furniture, started sewing again, and spent more time in op shops looking for unique clothes and household treasures. It felt wonderful to give old items a second chance.

One day, I came across a post from Blake Lively. She was sharing a beautiful UK business called Loved Before. It was all about preloved toys being rehomed instead of ending up in landfill. I instantly fell in love with the idea, and something just clicked. I knew I wanted to create something similar here in Australia.

That’s how Soft Love Australia began.

I started completely from scratch, often staying up late at night to build the online store so I could reach families all over Australia. It was a lot of work, but it felt exciting and meaningful.

From the very beginning, I knew I wanted this business to support a charity. I first learned about Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) from my good friend Graeme Souness, who has done extraordinary work in the UK for DEBRA. EB is a rare and painful skin condition, and the stories I heard stayed with me.

So I reached out to DEBRA Australia and they said yes. It felt like everything was falling into place.

Soft Love Australia allows me to use all the skills I’ve gathered over the years. My time in the cleaning business taught me attention to detail. Working in a dog grooming salon taught me gentle care and patience. Now I use those same skills to wash, repair, name and list each preloved soft toy.

Every softie that arrives goes through its own little journey:

Collected from donations

• Carefully cleaned
• Repaired if needed
• Given a name and personality
• Listed online, ready for adoption

It’s time consuming work, but it’s also incredibly satisfying. I love meeting new people while collecting donations, spreading awareness about EB, and seeing toys find new homes where they will be loved again.

The support I’ve received over these six months has been incredible. Every adoption means:

• One less toy going to landfill
• One more toy being loved by a new family
• Support for individuals living with EB

Soft Love Australia is more than just a shop. It’s a purpose, a community and a way to spread a little more softness into the world.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

With love,
Estera
Founder, Soft Love Australia