2025 Finalists - eatsleepdoodle
This year, eatsleepdoodle has earned a well-deserved finalist spot with their Colour-in Pyjamas – a creative, fun, and sustainable gift that perfectly blends playtime and practicality. We caught up with eatsleepdoodle CEO, Alan Mattassi and the team, to learn more about their journey, inspiration, and what this recognition means to them.
Company Name: eatsleepdoodle
Product in the Finalist: Colour-in Pyjamas
Congratulations on being a finalist! How does it feel to be recognised in this year’s Gift of the Year awards?
As a small team of five, being a finalist in this year’s Gift of the Year awards is such an incredible moment for us! From concept to sampling, manufacturing to marketing, every single member of the eatsleepdoodle team has had a hand in bringing our colour-in pyjamas to life - it’s been a real labour of love through all the ups and downs of product development. With them being such a significant addition to our range, and something we have never done before, we’ve worked so hard to make the pyjamas as fun, creative and special as possible, so to have them recognised like this means the world. We’re so proud and so grateful that the judges appreciate our eatsleepdoodle vision and love our colour-in pyjamas as much as we do!
Can you tell us a little about your brand and the inspiration behind your successful product?
At eatsleepdoodle, we’re all about fun and creativity without limits! We make fun, creative and educational gifts, from pillowcases to tablecloths, placemats to pencil cases, all to colour-in and customise with included wash-out fabric pens.
We believe creativity should never be limited, which is why all of our products are designed to be reused! When ready for the next colouring adventure, you can simply pop the gift on a warm machine wash, the ink disappears (and from everything else in the wash, too!) and they’re ready to be coloured, designed and personalised – again and again!
Our biggest inspiration for our colour-in pyjamas is probably our customers! We absolutely love meeting and talking with our customers at events and for years we’ve been asked to make colour-in pyjamas! As a team, we also wanted to bring something completely new and never seen before to our range, so we thought what better than expanding our fun, reusable concept into clothing – because why just create art when you can wear it too!
What makes your product special, and why do you think it stood out to the judges?
For us, our colour-in pyjamas are special because they bring together so many things kids (and parents!) love - creativity, fun and sustainability - all in one unique product! As with our range of products, they’re totally reusable, so kids can colour, wash and colour again and again, making them a gift that keeps on giving. Plus, they’re screen-free and mess-free, which is a big win for parents, grandparents and families looking for engaging, hands-on activities without the tech.
We think what really made them stand out to the judges is the way they combine art, customisation and colouring with clothing - something you don’t see every day! In a space where screens and digital toys are taking over, our pyjamas offer a fresh, interactive experience that sparks creativity while being practical, sustainable and completely screen free. We think that mix of fun, innovation and longevity is what we believe caught their attention!
Who is your product designed for, and what kind of reaction have you had from customers so far?
Our colour-in pyjamas are designed for kids who love to get creative and for parents looking for fun, creative and screen-free activities! Available in our bestselling dinosaur and fairytale designs, they’re perfect for little artists, designers and any child who loves to personalise their things. Plus, because they’re reusable, they make a great sustainable gift that can be enjoyed again and again!
The reaction we have had from our customers has been amazing! Parents love that they’re a fun, mess-free way to keep kids engaged and kids can’t get enough of the colour-wash-repeat fun. We’ve had so many great stories - from little ones proudly showing off their designs to families making them part of special traditions like Christmas Eve boxes. It’s been incredible to see how much joy they bring!
Our wonderful wholesale customers have also shared fantastic feedback about the matching cotton drawstring bags we designed instead of traditional packaging. Not only are they a more sustainable and eco-friendly choice, but they’re also super practical - perfect for taking pyjamas on the go or repurposing in a fun new way! Our stockists have really loved how this thoughtful addition makes our colour-in pyjamas an even more special, high-quality gift that’s ready to give straight away.
What trends or themes do you think are shaping the gifting industry right now?
For us, sustainability is a big one - we’re seeing more people looking for eco-friendly gifts and choosing quality items over quantity. We love that there’s a shift towards thoughtful, well-made gifts that last, rather than just quick, throwaway presents. It’s also great to see more focus on longevity, with gifts that can be enjoyed long after the occasion, not just on the day!
How has being shortlisted, and now being a finalist impacted your brand so far, and what do you hope to achieve from the awards?
Being shortlisted and now a finalist has been amazing for us! It’s helped introduce eatsleepdoodle to even more people and shine a spotlight on what we’re all about - fun, sustainable and educational gifts that spark creativity!
We hope that through the awards, even more families and gift buyers will discover our brand and our mission to make reusable, eco-friendly creativity accessible to everyone. It’s been such an exciting journey and we can’t wait to see what comes next!
What exciting plans do you have for the future?
After receiving such an amazing response to our colour-in pyjamas, we’re so excited to be bringing even more fun, creative products to our range! 2024 saw us introduce some incredible new designs and we’re thrilled to be expanding these onto other products. Plus, with the success of our dinosaur and fairytale pyjamas, we can’t wait to add even more of our bestselling designs to the collection down the line.
Following our very first charity product collaboration in 2024, we’re delighted to be working on another special project with a charity close to our hearts. We also have some exciting plans in the works for budding doodlers under the age of three - stay tuned for more on that soon!
Besides new products, sustainability remains at the forefront for us going forwards. As part of our continued efforts, we are very excited to have recently launched our ‘re-doodle’ program, where customers can send back their well-loved eatsleepdoodle products for repurposing or recycling, to help us on our mission to become even more eco-friendly! Lots of exciting things ahead!
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received (or given), and why?
That’s such a tough question! I’ve received so many wonderful gifts throughout my life, it’s hard to pick out one in particular! Handmade gifts are always so memorable to me - there’s something so special about a gift that’s been created especially for you with love and creativity. Anytime I’ve been gifted something handmade, it’s felt really personal and full of thought, which is what made it so perfect. I love gifts that let people add their own creative touch – you can’t go wrong!
Being a finalist in the Children’s, Educational & Pre-School category, has been an exciting milestone for eatsleepdoodle, highlighting their dedication to creativity and sustainability. With exciting plans for new designs and products on the horizon, the future looks bright for this innovative brand. We can’t wait to see what they do next and we wish them the very best in the awards.
Explore the eatsleepdoodle to find out more.
