Moony joins Alibaba’s smart nursery initiative

Japanese premium nappy brand Moony is teaming up with Tmall, Alibaba’s B2C shopping site, to offer mothers at a mall in Hangzhou a co-branded, hassle-free and high-tech space where they can nurse their babies.

A room at the West Intime Shopping Mall in Hangzhou City will undergo renovation this month, and by the end of February, will open to the public. Tmall's 'smart nursery' initiative has seen it work with various international brands to upgrade lactation rooms with its latest New Retail technology. The facilities are equipped with voice-assistant smart speaker, Tmall Genie, to control the curtains, music and lighting, as well as other connected devices, like baby-formula mixers, humidifiers and air purifiers. Other features include the Cloud Shelf, a digital screen that allows customers to browse and buy products, and vending machines offering small packets of products, such as infant milk powder, nappies and wet tissues.

Moony is the first nappy brand to join the initiative, lining up alongside Wyeth, Mead Johnson, Frisco, Danone and Abbott. “Babies need different-sized diapers as they grow. So, in our smart nursery, consumers can find diapers that best meet their needs for all stages of growth. Through this, we want to express that we put babies first. It’s not just about the products. We want to offer useful information about raising children,” says Yasuaki Aoyama, cross-border business manager at Moony.