About Us
A family story, made in Geneva
Yves & Betta is a family-run textile brand created in Geneva by a husband and wife — two people from very different worlds, brought together by family, creativity and the life we built by Lake Léman.
One of us comes from the world of navigation, engineering and real journeys.
The other comes from the world of fashion design, sewing, textiles and teaching children how to create with their hands.
For years, we invented stories and characters for our daughter. Some came from boats, travels and the changing light on the lake. Others came from fabrics, tiny clothes, colours, ateliers and the quiet magic of making something by hand.
Little by little, these family stories became a world of their own.
That is how Yves & Betta was born.
Two worlds, two characters
Yves, the bear, was inspired by boats, journeys, Lake Léman and the calm courage of those who know how to navigate.
Betta, the mouse, was inspired by fabrics, fashion, creative ateliers and the joy of turning simple materials into something beautiful.
Together, they became the heart of a small handmade universe — a world of textile companions, little professions, travel bags, bedtime rituals, printed stories and creative objects for children.
The know-how behind the brand
Behind the softness of Yves & Betta there is real textile experience.
Maya, co-founder of the brand, is a professional dressmaker and fashion designer with many years of experience teaching sewing, fashion design and creative textile projects to children.
Through this work, she developed a simple and accessible approach to miniature sewing — creating small clothes, accessories and textile details for toys. This know-how became part of the Yves & Betta identity: every character is not only designed, but dressed, finished and imagined as part of a story.
Our toys are made slowly, in small quantities, with attention to fabric, proportion, colour and character.
Our philosophy
We believe that a toy can be more than a toy.
It can be a companion.
A memory.
A small door into imagination.
A way for a child to dream about who they might become.
A sailor. A designer. A gardener. A pâtissière. A traveller. An artist. Someone curious, kind, brave or inventive.
Yves & Betta is built around this idea: children do not only play with objects — they play with worlds.
Handmade objects for a faster world
The world has changed. Life is faster, more visual and more digital than ever.
But children still need stories. They still need beauty, touch, imagination and small rituals that feel real.
That is why Yves & Betta brings together handmade textile work, storytelling, illustration and printable creative products. Our physical toys and our digital universe are designed to support one another: one can be held in a child’s hands, the other can open the door to new stories, activities and adventures.
Our mission
As children, we all dream.
Then, as we grow older, many of us begin to forget that inner voice.
Our mission is to help children keep that voice alive — to inspire them to imagine, read, create, explore and look at the world with curiosity.
Yves & Betta is a small brand with a real family story behind it. It carries our professions, our experience, our love for Geneva, and the stories that once began at home.
Today, we share them with other children and families — one handmade companion at a time.