Life beyond the lines: A lesson in how tough situations allow us to find solutions

Tiny Teas Trust founder and Inventor Caitlin Shorricks has created a garment explicitly designed for babies and children with a central line called The Choob Toob.

The comfy Choob Toob keeps the central line clean, securely in place and away from little hands – giving parents peace of mind and reducing the risk of infection. Caitlin experienced concerns first hand with her own baby and saw the need for a solution that could make life easier; not just for her, but also family and friends interacting with her daughter.

Choob Toob enabled her daughter to live as normal a life as possible, despite being fitted and having to grow up with a semi-permanent central line. From the start of 2021, Tiny Teas began working with other children fitted with central lines, obtaining feedback from their families and further improving the overall design of Choob Toob. With these families’ support, Tiny Teas Trust now cover the whole of the UK, empowering the children we work with to be children, without the worry a central line causes, and to live life beyond the lines.

Earlier this year, Tiny Tees Trust took part in the Innovation Observatory’s Industry Sprint which saw a group of national Health and Life Science businesses undertake various sessions with our team over the course of a week. We guided them through how to use our data and resources to aid a detailed market assessment, competitive market & gap analysis and by bringing in funding experts from the wider ecosystem they were able to utilise this evidence in their grant applications and investor pitches. 

After this,  Tiny Teas Trust produced a competitive market analysis, a report and a finalised study achieved by horizon scanning. The reports contained in-depth competitor information, signposting Tiny Teas Trust to other successful adaptive clothing brands and to professionals from the department of Business and Trade for advice around working globally. The horizon scanning that was carried out resulted in additional intelligence around sustainability within the clothing industry and registering as a charity as well as lists of potential funding sources.

“What the innovation Observatory is doing is truly incredible and immensely helpful. I can’t stress enough how privileged Tiny Teas Trust is to join forces.”

Caitlin Shorricks Founder and Inventor at Tiny Teas Trust

If you are a health and life sciences business, then find out more about you can utilise NIHR Innovation Observatory’s data and insights as well as conducting your own horizon scans!

Take a look at our industry page here