Anna-Lise Brink with daughter Daphne on the family holiday that inspired her business. Photo: Bebe Trek.
A Canberra-born mum has won international acclaim for her sun safety invention to keep our children’s sensitive skin safe from the sun.
Anna-Lise Brink first turned to a muslin wrap to keep her daughter Daphne safe from the sun on a family holiday to Far North Queensland.
But she told Region that she soon ran into problems.
She said her biggest shock was realising the cotton muslin wraps weren’t providing the coverage she thought they were.
“It’s awkward – they fly away. I was looking for something better and I couldn’t really find anything,” she said.
“But what I did discover was that muslin swaddles aren’t actually sun-safe. While they block some UV rays and they do provide shade, they don’t block enough UV rays to be considered sun protective.”
Ms Brink began developing an alternative by looking at what requirements sun-safe products met.
“Sunscreens have SPF ratings. Fabric has UPF ratings, and to be considered sun protective, fabric needs a minimum rating of UPF 15,” she said.
Ms Brink found muslin can have a UPF as low as five or six, and so began investigating other options.
What followed was 18 months of fabric testing, research, making prototypes and conducting breathability tests.
She launched her company Bebe Trek just over two years ago.
“I developed everything from my lounge room, my kitchen table, while I was on maternity leave,” she said.
The flagship product is a bamboo sun shade that features magnets and adjustable straps, and has a UPF 50+ rating.
“UV blankets do exist. They just don’t exist with magnets, apart from our product, and that took a regular item into something that becomes multifunctional, versatile.”
Ms Brink (pictured with daughter Penelope) founded Bebe Trek to make sure all parents can get out and about with their kids without “stressing about the elements”. Photo: Bebe Trek.
Ms Brink said that while they’d been building a strong customer base, she’d also received awards for her idea.
Bebe Trek recently took home four awards in the UK 2026 Organic and Sustainable Baby Awards, as well as two awards in the 2026 She-Com Women in E-Commerce Awards.
“It’s not an easy feat for a brand that’s just over two years old,” she said.
Ms Brink believes the products have been so well received for a simple reason.
“I think all parents just want to do what’s best for their babies and for the little ones,” she said.
“They always try to do the best with what they’re given … [This is a way to] make things easier for them – we’ve got the products to help them do that.”
Ms Brink said other Bebe Trek products were in development.
In recent weeks, she has launched “winter and rain” versions of the company’s main product.
“Getting outdoors with your baby isn’t always in summer. It’s not always going to be when it’s hot and it’s sunny,” she said.
“When it’s wet, when it’s cold, there are also times you want to get outdoors.”
Ms Brink thanked her family, who she said had been incredibly supportive as she balanced her company and a full-time role in the Australian Army.
“He’s now a full-time stay-at-home dad slash our warehouse manager,” she said of her husband.
“He’s the one who gets all the orders out to everyone, and then I run everything in the evenings after putting the kids to bed.”
Original Article published by Claire Sams on About Regional.
