The interest to support a business like Enlightened Baby probably did not exist 20 years ago, but then again there were fewer reasons to be so vigilant when shopping for baby products, said Whitney LeBlanc, who owns the Austin retail company.




Enlightened Baby Enlightened Baby’s inventory features about 10,000 items, all of which meet the company’s ethical standards.[/caption]

Enlightened Baby’s website vows to “make your life easier, not more difficult,” and even as the company launched a Cedar Park store on Feb. 11, LeBlanc said the company will stay true to its high environmental, safety and ethical standards.


“We’re going to hold fast to those [beliefs] and see where it takes us,” she said. “So far it’s been good for us, so I can trust that it will continue to be good for us especially as we see customers that can appreciate that.”


Opened in June 2013, Enlightened Baby is a one-stop shop whose inventory runs the gamut from clothing and baby food to car seats and strollers.


The business also manages a growing online store. Although Enlightened Baby sells to its online clientele anywhere in the world, the retail store has a local focus. Ten of the brands the store carries are local companies. The store also has about 20-25 consignors in the area.


LeBlanc said her store’s high standards and range of products fill a niche in the region.


“You could get your mattress, your crib, your car seat, your stroller and your diapers and your bottles—all of those things in one place; we are definitely unique to that,” LeBlanc said.