Maternity wear isn’t just for new mothers; it’s for mothers who want to stay comfortable in their clothes years after giving birth. Abirami Kalyan, the founder of Momzcradle, talks about her journey, building her brand, and the ups and downs of it all.
In 2010, when Abirami was pregnant with her son, she realised that there were barely any maternity clothing brands that put much thought and effort into making good-quality, durable pieces. She tried several brands, but the pieces never fit right. “I found that the products were not suitable for mothers, and they weren’t ideal for nursing babies either. Mothers already go through hormonal changes and post-partum depression, and the last thing they need is uncomfortable clothes. I figured that if I was going through this, there must be millions of mothers suffering the same circumstances. Why couldn’t we have something that made our lives easier? That got me thinking, and after 9 years of research, I finally launched Momzcradle in 2019,” she explains.
It’s not as straightforward as using a good zipper or adding pleats to dresses; it’s about making mothers feel good in their own bodies. “Our customers tell us how good they feel the second they wear one of our outfits. I think that’s our biggest USP. For our dresses, the feeding ones especially, we use concealed zips, so the mother doesn’t feel conscious. It’s her personal space, and breastfeeding is a beautiful connection of love between her and the baby, and it doesn’t need to be publicly announced to the world. We make our clothes in a way that they don’t last just for maternity and feeding. The design and quality increase the longevity of the clothes, and mothers can wear them for years,” she smiles.
Six years into starting the brand, Abirami notes glowing reviews about their outfits. “Mothers tell us how they’ve washed their clothes at least 200 times over five years, and they still look the same as day one! With the first few launches, the products sold out in a week, sometimes two days, and sometimes, two hours. People were excited to have a product in the market that made them feel understood and supported in their journeys into motherhood. We understand the space that they’re in, which allows us to cater to their every need.”
The brand, from 2019 until today, has been releasing new drops every single week to keep it exciting for its customers. Going past just sales, Abirami stresses that it’s about community building and being there for mothers. Momzcradle won the KSP (Kids Stop Press) Award 2026 for the fourth year in a row in the Best Maternity Wear category. “It’s an award based on votes, and our community shows up every time. What we put out there converts into the love we get back from them. We’re hoping to expand beyond maternity wear and create clothes for everyday wear. Why stop the journey at maternity? Maternity is a phase, but motherhood lasts forever. We want to cater to more women and design a new line of apparel in the future,” she says.
When it comes to running a brand, Abirami talks about the team and inner workings of the company. “When the brand launched, it was a one-woman project; I did everything myself. Eventually, we grew. Now, we have a core team of 10, and about 20 tailors who work for us in-house, as well as the team that we outsource the stitching to. We believe in being practical and strategic about our business model. We don’t want too much of an overhead cost that could potentially stall our growth. Our primary aim is to provide maximum value to our customers.”
As for the brand name, she explains why they chose Momzcradle. “A cradle is a space for warmth and love, and that’s what we want to give mothers. When a baby is born, all the attention goes towards the baby, but the mother is the creator, a goddess in our eyes. We wanted to create a space for mothers to feel cradled and nurtured.”
COVID hit just a few months after Abirami started the brand, which led to major logistical challenges. She didn’t want to drive away mothers who needed maternity wear, so she persisted. In her own words, she had a ‘never stop at a closed door’ attitude and took everything in her stride. No courier? She used postal services. The shipments couldn’t reach her, owing to social distancing measures. She requested a man who delivers water cans to bring her the parcels! To her, each problem was a way to think differently.
In terms of fabrics and sourcing, most of the fabrics are sourced from vendors across India. The outer fabrics and lining materials are all prewashed to make them breathable and soft on the skin. Abirami explains how their brand’s cost per use is tremendously high compared to other brands. Their products last up to 200+ washes, so the calculation for cost per use is minimal. They are extremely mindful when it comes to the cloth, design, and finish, by finding the right vendors to source from, and getting the stitching done by the right artisans. They do not compromise on quality, no matter how long it takes to perfect the pieces.
She does the designing herself with assistance from a designer. Every new piece is worn and tested by Abirami before launching, to ensure that size or finishing corrections can be given to the production units. Each design is checked on every body type to ensure diversity and comfort across sizes. Their most used fabrics are handloom cottons, georgettes, silks, and satins. This provides their customer base with a myriad of comfortable options to choose from. Due to their growing popularity as a maternity wear brand, Momzcradle is currently looking for investors and is looking to position itself in the right forums. The team also wants to be in stores, either standalone or as part of established ones.
As for lessons learnt along the way, Abirami mentions a few key points. “Consistency is key; there is no off day, there is no break. Running a brand means you are always present, both for your team and your customers. I want to create a brand for generations, not with products that you buy today and throw tomorrow, but things that last years. Expansion will come when it does, but I am determined to do it as a value-based process. I want our investors and customers to be proud of the fact that they own a stake in our brand. The core of our brand is to make mothers happy. If we constantly succeed in doing that, there’s nothing that will make me more satisfied,” she smiles.
She explains how important her journey has been. “I started this brand at the age of 37 after being a stay-at-home mom for 9 years. It just goes to show that if you have a dream, there is absolutely nothing holding you back. There’s always an opportunity to go for what you want and succeed. I also genuinely feel that once a woman becomes a mother, there is a strength that comes from somewhere inside, and I believe you can handle anything. I found my purpose in life by being of service to mothers. I love creating new things, and the fact that this is making a difference in a mother’s maternity journey and helping her feel good about herself? There is no bigger motivation,” she concludes.
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