Meet Pluie, the changing table that’s changing the game
There are so many new baby products popping up every day, so why are we still using the same diaper changing table in public restrooms from the 80s? Enter Pluie, the world’s first (and only) self-sanitizing diaper changing station.
Addie Gundry, Pluie founder and CEO, is changing the changing table game.
Since we met Addie in 2022 - Pluie has found a home in 25 states nationwide, that’s hundreds of locations and tables!
Pluie founder and CEO, Addie Gundry, is our kind of mama. She takes risks, invests in herself, and, like so many of us - contains multitudes.
“Well, you could say I took a bit of a non-traditional career path. I was a physics major and dropped out of college to attend culinary school, which really surprised everyone because I was incredibly academic. This was a big risk to take as a 19-year-old, especially because I had to self-fund this decision, but I knew with hard work, it would pay off.”
Addie had some not-so-glamorous roles working in three Michelin-star restaurants and, after a lot of hustle, started training under Daniel Boulud and then Thomas Keller. She left fine dining to work for Martha Stewart (um, what?!), and while working for her, went back to school at NYU in the evenings to finish her bachelor’s degree.
“My entrepreneurial journey really began while working at an innovation consulting firm where I designed food and beverage products for large CPG companies. I then competed in Cutthroat Kitchen, which I won, and was a finalist on The Next Food Network Star (while pregnant).”
And pluie? It’s the French word for “rain,” an homage to Addie’s culinary school days during France’s rainy season. Just like an umbrella protects you from the rain, Addie believes every baby should feel protected.
As mothers, we seem to be hyper-aware of germs everywhere so learning about Pluie was music to our ears. Tell us more about this revolutionary changing table.
I became incredibly interested in public changing tables after I had that ah-ha moment changing my son Cooper’s blowout at a restaurant. I knew this was a big opportunity.
I literally said to my husband at that moment, “I think we can make a better one”.
I continued to work full time in the kitchen while creating Pluie on my nights and weekends. I filed a utility patent in 2019, raised capital through friends and family on maternity leave with my daughter, Claire, (yes throughout this I had another baby!) and quit my job in early 2020 to focus all my attention on Pluie!
Speaking of diaper changes, learn about how one Indiana mama sought to provide diapers to those in need.
You really put a lot of thought into the design of Pluie and making sure the features are working with parents and not against them.
It’s really just a piece of plastic that comes off the wall. So, we started to think about convenience and multipurpose handles. It’s easier to open and close Pluie with our handles because you’re juggling your stuff. There are handles for your diaper bags and backpacks and a retractable security strap.
People don’t really clip their babies in, but we have to have one to comply with safety standards for changing stations in public spaces. So why not retract it back? It keeps it clean. It has less use, fewer people handling it, and then when you do need it, it goes around the baby’s belly and then hooks on the other side.
My favorite part of the station is the soft cushion. You don’t change your baby on a counter, why would you want to change them on a piece of plastic? It’s welcoming, and then of course, it’s clean. The UVC light turns on when the table is closed.
When we hear UVC light we think, “Do I want my baby next to that?” What is the technology involved with Pluie and how safe is it?
So in 2019 when I was raising money, someone asked me, “Will Pluie tan my baby?!” and I realized there’s not a lot of education around UVC light. Pluie is certified for photobiological exposure and it was placed in the exempt category (meaning there is no photobiological risk of any kind when installing, operating, or using it).
Curious about Pluie’s safety certifications? Get the full break-down here.
There’s a magnet that triggers a switch and turns on the UVC light when the lid is closed. Within 60 seconds it sanitizes the surfaces before automatically shutting off. We have a blue LED light that shines below the table to show the sanitization cycle is in process. When you open the table, the light turns off, so even if it’s mid-sanitizing and you need to use it, there’s no exposure.
More about Pluie:
We know the importance of a clean restroom and how that experience significantly drives perception of a brand's values and overall cleanliness of a business. Pluie offers a better guest experience for parents!
Pluie is women owned and operated, WBENC certified.
Diaper changing tables are often an after-thought for many businesses. Federal legislation (BABIES Act) requires changing tables in public federal buildings, but it is left up to states and municipalities to make other public buildings safe and accommodating to caregivers. Currently, less than 10 states require changing tables to be available in public buildings. Did you see the Congressmen going viral with the lack of changing tables in the United States Capital?!
Pluie is a sustainable product - Pluie’s UV-C technology removes the need for harsh chemicals, therefore reducing the amount of chemicals potentially left behind to cause irritation to a child’s skin. It also reduces staff cleaning time.
Pluie talked to over 650 parents nationwide and found that 93% of parents say cleanliness of the changing table is overwhelmingly the top factor to use or not use the changing table available
Pluie is made in the USA and was recently named a TIME Best Invention of 2021 and Fast Company 2021 World Changing Idea. Addie Gundry was also named to Inc. Magazine’s prestigious Female Founders 100 list of trailblazing women.
Pluie is building a baby and child brand that is gaining trust and visibility. Pluie is more than a table. While our initial focus is on public restrooms, we believe there is an opportunity to redefine products that families experience both inside and outside the home and we are just getting started!
Want more Pluie? Follow them on Instagram and head to YouTube to see the game-changing table in action!
For our Indianapolis mamas: Pluie is currently available in Indianapolis at The Fashion Mall at Keystone at the Crossing (on the second level between Ann Taylor and Banana Republic), the Indianapolis Airport, and Conner Prairie in Fishers.
