Bambi - a Central Coast success story

Just over forty-years ago, little did Peter Witney realise what the unwanted lambswool off-cuts he purchased from a car seat cover manufacturer would bring. From humble beginnings, working on his children’s ping pong table in the garage of his Tascott home, was the birth of Australian quality bedding. Bedding that not only transforms the way people sleep but improves their life from a better night’s slumber.

14 February 2024

ALAN HAYES

 

LIKE many Australians, Peter Witney had an idea – a dream that has become the success story that it is today. But Peter had three important assets  – he dared to dream of what could be possible; he believed in himself; and he had the support of his wife Jan, sharing his vision of success.

 

A family business, Bambi understand that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work when it comes to sleep quality. No two people are the same, and neither are their sleep requirements. Bambi have not only introduced natural and renewable fibres such as botanic ingeo and bamboo to the industry, but have been the leaders in developing and perfecting a range of sustainable products made from machine washable Australian wool, Australian alpaca fleece, down, cotton, natural origin tencel fibre and temperature regulating natural oils. Bambi are constantly researching and developing new materials to aid Australians to sleep better naturally, benefiting hot sleepers, children and babies, pregnant and nursing mothers as well as allergy sufferers and sleepers with sensitive skin.

 

Yet there was more to Peter Witney’s success story – he didn’t just dream and believe in himself, he listened. Not only listening to the needs of his customers, but becoming inspired by them. He has listened to them from the beginning of Bambi’s birth - every step of the process, from a fledgling idea to the research, development, innovation and manufacturing of their products is customer-focused.

 

Nowadays, Bambi is synonymous with quality bedding, and who doesn’t love to slip between soft bed linen made from natural fibres, and in winter to be kept warm with a quality quilt, to ensure a restful night’s sleep? – waking up in the morning refreshed and ready to take on the day. The Bambi dream is your dream – to rise and to shine.

 

Bambi are proud to have been awarded the prestigious Gold Woolmark Label License, The Australian Furniture Excellence Award and the Central Coast Manufacturers Award for Innovation in Design and Manufacture. They wholesale to most of the big sleep retailers and have been awarded ‘supplier of the year’ from these retailer’s multiple times. Even Prime Ministers are attracted to Bambi, and Malcolm Turnbull, when Prime Minister, visited the Bambi factory in November 2017 for the grand tour of the manufacturing process and to inspect the excellence and quality of the products that are produced.

 

Bambi manufacture bedding solutions for a better sleep, naturally and can be purchased on the Central Coast from bedding outlets such as Harvey Norman, Domayne, Forty Winks, Lifestyle Mattress & Bedding, Original Mattress Factory, Sleepy’s and Snooze, to name a few. Go to their website to view their complete product range, including ‘Baby Bambi’.

 

Today, all of Bambi’s wool is sourced from the best growing regions in Australia; their Alpaca comes from the Southern Highlands of NSW and their carefully crafted products are proudly manufactured locally in West Gosford - employing local people.

 

But like many Australian success stories, the business truly started from humble beginnings, something most people don’t understand or have little concept of. In those early years, Peter Witney was everything - salesman, manufacturer, designer and general go-to-person. Although wife Jan remained steadfast by his side to pitch in and keep him motivated.

 

Jan Witney said “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved. It’s been hard work but it has paid off.”

 

Son Greg is now the General Manager of Bambi and an integral part of their story.

 

“We manufacture in our West Gosford factory and we support Australian businesses and we support Australian suppliers and Australian families at Bambi,” Greg Witney said.

 

“We’re a family business who love to help people sleep naturally.”

 

Bambi Founder Peter Witney said “The company that I was working for made lambswool car seat covers and they had a lot of off-cuts.

 

“I’d buy these off-cuts and turn them into child’s car seats.”

 

So, in a home garage in Tascot, on his children’s ping pong table, a young Peter Witney dared to dream of a better future for his family and create a legacy that is now shared with thousands of people who have, unknowingly, embraced one man’s dream - Bambi.