Jenn's Thoughts: Cloth diapers are changing things.

Our team is settling back into the office after the excitement of the 2011 ABC Trade Show, one of the largest juvenile trade shows in the industry. This is the show where buyers from retailers worldwide go to see the latest and greatest product innovations. It's always exciting what new things are being brought to the table, we've hand selected some new fun products of all kinds and they will begin arriving at Cotton Babies over the next several months. We were personally thrilled to present the new bumGenius Freetime and Flip Training Pants to retailers as well as giving them a look at our new colors and the Genius Series prints!

The cloth diaper industry has continued to grow over the past several years because as many of you have discovered, cloth diapers are a solution for so many families for a variety of reasons. Jenn Labit has shared her thoughts on where the cloth diaper industry is headed in 2012 on her blog. Jenn's blog is an insightful look at her business, culture, life as a mother, and much more. If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, please take a look at what she's been thinking about lately!

Last week, Jenn shared her thoughts on where the cloth diaper industry is headed in the coming year.

"The cloth diaper industry has a recent history of being a ‘kitchen table business’ with a strong focus on small, home based businesses and female bread winners. At first, it was fueled by entrepreneurs with a strong focus on waste elimination and reducing our dependence on petroleum. As the cloth diaper industry has grown over the past few years, it has become clear that the population buying reusables was widely varied to include:

• the family who can’t afford disposables

• the every day family living on a budget

• the fashionable mom who wants diapers to match her baby’s wardrobe

• the green family who wants to lower their overall environmental impact

• the family who wants only the best for their new baby."

Read more of this post at JenniferLabit.com

Earlier today, Jenn posted "People who make me smile... Judge Jimmy Edwards" in which she shares about a local St. Louis organization that Cotton Babies will be working with in the future to educate young parents about the benefits of cloth diapering. Read more about Judge Edwards and the beginning stages of this project here .

Why shouldn't I buy cheap cloth diapers?

A retailer wrote me an email today asking why our cloth diaper brands weren't selling for $10, like the Chinese-made knock-offs sold on eBay. I drafted a response to her question, but after I re-read what I'd written, I decided to go ahead and share my answer with you here on our blog because it contains valuable information that you, as the consumer, deserve to know. Keep in mind that this was written to a retailer with my "manufacturer hat" solidly in place. Onward....

Dear Retailer:

Thank you for your question. While most companies move to off-shore manufacturing to increase profitability, our goal in opening an international facility was to bring our brands to the rest of the world (like Europe, India, China and Africa) in an affordable way. Due to the high cost of domestic labor, duty and international shipping, this is nearly impossible to do this using domestic manufacturing. Knowing that our customers valued products made in the United States and wanting to preserve all of our U.S. based jobs, we took the step into limited off-shore manufacturing while also maintaining a full-time manufacturing facility in North America that still produces most of the products we sell in the United States. This resulted in overall higher costs as compared to brands made exclusively off-shore.

The factory is clean, large, well-lit, safe, equipped with plenty of restrooms, safe drinking water, a cafe, and a place away from the sewing floor where workers can take their breaks. They are provided with positive leadership, on-the-job training and transportation to and from work. The management cares about each individual and ensures that they are trained with their future in mind. The factory operates based on 5-day, 40 hour work-weeks and workers are paid over-time if it becomes necessary. We meet or exceed all of the requirements of international law. I have been in other garment factories all over the world and can honestly say that our factory is the only place that I have ever seen like it. It is a place that I would like to work.

In spite of higher costs, we maintain very fair price points relative to competing brands while also being recognized by consumers as offering the best customer service in the industry. Our products are tested heavily and made with quality materials primarily sourced in the United States. Each brand is backed by a one-year warranty and maintains it's value nicely, supporting eventual resale by the purchaser. We spend a great deal on advertising and promoting the concept of cloth diapers - a project we're in the process of expanding with the goal of increasing the visibility of the product category. We invest heavily in product development and industry growth. We care about the less-fortunate and are deeply involved in giving-oriented projects to help low-income families cloth diaper their babies. We make decisions knowing that we are affecting people and businesses all over the world... while the bottom-line plays a role in our business decisions, it isn't the most important consideration.

We've reflected our values as we've grown our brand portfolio. Knowing that bumGenius was an option that wasn't reachable for many low-income families, we also created Flip & Econobum two years ago with the goal of bringing more affordable, quality diapering solutions to the marketplace. We felt like low and middle-income families deserved options that were consistently well-made, backed by a recognizable company, a warranty and good customer service. I wasn't willing to accomplish that goal by compromising quality or customer service.... so we created a concept and a product set to meet that consumer segment's needs while being consistent in our commitments to all consumers. We were successful in our efforts. Using data from a recent LCA study conducted in Europe, we recently made some interesting calculations. If a family has a stash of 24 total bumGenius Stay-Dry one-size diapers and assuming use from birth, each cloth diaper is likely to be used approximately 138 times putting the cost per use before laundry at approximately $0.12. With a stash of 24 Flip Stay-Dry Cloth Diapers, the cost per use before laundry is approximately $0.06. With a stash of 24 Econobum Cloth Diapers, the cost per use before laundry is approximately $0.03.

As frustrating as off-brands can be to retailers, it is important to recognize that, they do serve a purpose within the expanding cloth diaper market. Unlike other product categories where off-brands are typically consumed and disposed of, consumers are investing in cloth diapers as a way of saving money and because they want to provide better care for their baby. Unlike most other garments, cloth diapers are subjected to rigorous, continual use and cleaning practices. Off-brands are usually poor quality and can fail quickly with little follow-up support available from the retailer or the importer of record (IOR). Even though U.S. law requires the IOR to have proof of component testing at the batch level, these diapers are being imported and sold primarily by very small, home-based businesses who may be unaware of or simply unable to complete the required testing. The IOR is likely to have a very limited understanding of component ingredients and manufacturing practices. While this may seem of little initial relevance, it can become extremely important when a child develops a latex allergy and the consumer discovers that their off-brand diapers were made using elastomeric components containing natural rubber (our products are latex-free) or when low-volume consolidated international shipments are fumigated during import (we only ship full containers to avoid fumigation). Additionally, off-brand cloth diapers are unlikely to have a resale value beyond "free for shipping". We've repeatedly seen that consumers who learn this the "hard way" are more likely to make a second investment later in a good quality cloth diapering product with maintainable resale value knowing that this will save their family additional money. Additionally, parents have expressed their desire to purchase good quality, safe, baby-care products that meet the requirements of US and international product safety laws.

As the economy has taken steps towards improvement over the last six months, we've seen an overall corresponding trend up both in sales growth and consumer reports of satisfaction with their purchases. Our customers are clearly demonstrating their commitment to their baby's overall well-being and a clear understanding of how their investment in cloth diapers will affect their family's bottom line, both now and when their baby potty trains.

I hope this information is informative and helps you educate your customers towards better product choices.

Kindest regards,

Jenn

Cloth Diapers 101: Washing In a Laundromat

Did you know on CottonBabies.com we have an entire category of "How-To's" many of which were written by Jenn Labit? They cover a wide variety of topics including cloth diapers, baby wearing, swaddling and more. You'll find the How-To category in the left hand column on every Cotton Babies page, in the information section, near the bottom.

One of the How-To topics that is frequently requested by customers is How to Wash in a Laundromat. It's practical advice from Jenn, who began her cloth diapering experience with prefolds and covers washing in a laundromat. So today, we're reposting it here, on the blog, to make it easy for you to find, bookmark or share with someone else:

Cloth Diapers: Washing In a Laundromat

When we started cloth diapering, we lived in an apartment and did not have our own washer and dryer. We were cautious about diving into cloth diapering so we started with a diaper service for three months and then decided that we were ready to venture out on our own. We've discovered that cloth diapering is very doable -- even when you're washing in a laundromat!

The system that we found that worked for us was simple:

• Wash everything together.
• Wash the load one entire cycle on cold using just a little detergent or none at all.
• Wash the load again one entire cycle on hot using 1/4 - 1/2 the regular amount of detergent.
• Sort the pocket diapers and the covers out of the load and dry everything else.

A few extra things to note:
It was important to have enough diapers to wash once or twice a week (at the most). I also used a pail liner to avoid hauling the entire diaper pail to the laundromat. I felt like the diapers got cleaner in the top loading machines.

Costs:
It cost us $3 a week to wash diapers once a week. I paid $1 for each wash and $1 to dry the diapers. When evaluating the cost benefit of cloth you'll want to calculate how much extra you'll spend washing twice a week versus just buying enough diapers to last all week. If you spend an extra $3 a week washing diapers, in four months you could have purchased another two dozen prefolds with the money you saved by washing once a week. We found that it cost less in the long run to have a seven day supply of diapers.

We hope this information is helpful for you or someone you know. Be sure to check out our other "How-To" items on CottonBabies.com

As always, if you have further questions, give us a call at 1-888-33-BABIES

(1-888-332-2243) Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time.

We'd be glad to assist you.

Jenn's Thoughts: Almost Free Diapers - How to diaper your baby when you can't afford disposable diapers or cloth diapers

Over the weekend, a customer shared with us this news report from Manhattan's NY1: High Cost Of Diapers Forces Some Parents Into Risky Practices. It breaks my heart because I personally know what it feels like to have to choose food OR diapers. When my husband and I started Cotton Babies, we were living on $30 a week for groceries plus a WIC check. That certainly wasn't enough to buy a cloth diaper stash and it didn't buy very many disposable diapers either. Thankfully, we were given three months of diaper service at one of my baby showers and then a friend gave me her stash of prefolds and diaper covers. Without those gifts though, we would have been looking for information about how to diaper your baby when you can't afford disposables OR cloth diapers.

30 years ago, most babies were cloth diapered using flat diapers or prefold diapers. 100 years ago, most babies were cloth diapered using homemade diapers. Those diapers were simple squares constructed from cotton fabric. The diaper was covered with rubber pants or a wool sweater, if a cover was even used. Believe it or not, diaper covers were a source of parenting drama years ago because doctor's were sure that they would cause diaper rash (we will talk about diaper rash another day... that's a topic for a week of blog posts).

We have seen several media reports recently about low income families reusing disposable diapers. These families are forced to choose between diapers and food. In an effort to keep budget available for groceries, they are blow drying a disposable diaper dry and putting it back on their baby. We recently heard about a local family who almost lost their baby to an infection as a result of reusing disposable diapers.

Within the cloth diaper industry, it's widely know that prefolds and covers are the most economical way to cloth diaper. But what if a family doesn't even have $5 dollars to spend and they are out of diapers? Our goal today is to TEACH you how to use things around your house to diaper your baby. Your great-grandmother probably did this. Your grandmother might remember... it's time that *we* re-educate ourselves, our friends and our families that before modern disposable or cloth diapers, people found safe, healthy ways to cover and protect their little ones.

Life is unpredictable. Jobs, income, natural disasters like we've seen recently in Japan, anything could leave any of us in a position where we have to make adjustments in our normal diapering routine. Let me share with you some ways I've found to diaper your little one in a reusable way with things you already have around your house.

• No Sew, Folded T-shirt Cloth Diaper This one takes no sewing, no cutting and just a diaper pin to secure it. This would be great for anyone to know, just in case. You never know when you'll be short a diaper, and this works.
• T-Shirt Tie Diaper No pin or snappi? This one just takes a pair of scissors and a few quick snips to create a tie-on cloth diaper.
• Receiving Blanket Origami Fold Diaper No t-shirts? Out with just a diaper bag and a receiving blanket. This video shows you how to fold a cotton flannel receiving blanket into a diaper that can be secured with diaper pins or a snappi.
• Start Cloth Diapering for $20 This tutorial and video shows you how to create a budget stash with a dozen prefolds, 4 fleece receiving blankets, a Snappi and an infant bodysuit. This could idea would be great for a family's emergency kit.
• Need a cover? Upcycle an old wool sweater into a diaper cover. There are lots of tutorials online, but I like the photos and directions on The Sewing Dork.
• No sewing skills? Find a pair of little girl "bloomers" (the matching panties that come with most little girl dresses). Using a can of Atsko Permanent Water Guard, spray the outside and inside of the bloomers to create your own pull-on cover. Let it dry before using. This solution will not be completely waterproof, but it will certainly help .
  

Keep in mind: Many household linens, hand towels, kitchen towels, bath towels, washcloths, flannel or cotton sheets, etc. can be folded or cut into a prefold size or insert shape suitable for diapering. Have an old t-shirt, cotton flannel shirt hanging in the back of your closet? Take a look at the label. You're looking for a natural fiber. Natural fibers are made from plants, not chemicals. That class of fabrics typically includes cotton, hemp, bamboo, etc. If the shirt you find was made of a natural fiber, you can repurpose that into a cloth diaper as well. Overwhelmed with what to do with a square or a rectangle? You can cut just about any absorbent fabric into strips, fold it into enough layers and you'll have an absorbent pad that will function as a diaper. If you go this route though, you'll need to have a diaper cover to hold the pad on your baby. The directions for making a diaper cover out of a wool sweater above are great... in a pinch, you could even cut up an old tablecloth.

If you'd prefer to buy a diaper cover, the least expensive diaper covers on the market, are these Dappi Nylon Pants. At Cotton Babies, we sell these in packages of 2 diaper covers for $5. At $3.95, a Snappi is another good purchase. It holds fabric, a cloth diaper, a towel... whatever... on your baby without the use of pins. Our free shipping on any order gets that package to your door hassle free.

Washing diapers: If you don't have a washer and dryer, you can easily wash your diapers out in the sink with a little dish soap. If the diaper was poopy, rinse it out in the toilet before washing in the sink. Wash each night and hang the diapers to dry in the bathtub or over a railing. Depending on your climate, most diapers will be dry by morning. As long as you stay on top of it, this will only take a few minutes.

Have you ever cloth diapered with household items? Do you have experience with the suggestions we made above? Share your tips and ideas with others... you never know who you're going to help.

Cloth Diapers 101: Why Are My Cloth Diapers Leaking?

We've had many customers asking about leaks recently. Jenn wrote this article more than a year ago. Since many have asked and we know we have new customers, we decided to bring it out again to share with you, in case you missed it the first time.

There can be many causes of leaks… I get phone calls all the time from mommies who are frustrated because of this issue. It can be hard to troubleshoot a leak, especially when you are new to cloth diapering. So here are a few tips from a momma who has been there, done that and was awarded the wet t-shirt to prove it.

First of all, make sure that you washed everything before using. There can be residue left on the fabric from the production process that can cause leakage. Also, if you choose to use diaper creams or lotions be sure to use a barrier like a stay-dry liner or a piece of fleece between the baby's bottom and the diaper. Wash the liners or fleece separately from your diapers so that the oils do not transfer to the diapers in the wash. Diaper creams directly on the diapers will cause them to leak.

Then, figure out where the leak is coming from.

If the diaper is leaking out the top, make sure that the insert isn’t pushing the lining fabric up against your baby’s clothing. That will cause the diaper to wick moisture up and out of the top. The top edge of the diaper should be flat against your baby with the soft fabric against your baby’s skin.

If the diaper is leaking out the side of the legs, change the diaper and remove the insert. If it is saturated then your baby just pee’d alot and either needs something more absorbent or a more frequent diaper change. If it isn’t saturated, then you either have a fit issue or a repelling issue.

To observe fit, pick up your baby’s legs after putting the diaper on and observe how it fits around the bottom of their bottom. Is it snug? If so, good. However, if you can see “air” between the diaper and their skin, then you need to refine the fit somehow. With bumGenius that might mean trying a different snap setting or fastening the tabs tighter.

If the diaper is leaking out the back, make sure that the insert is tucked in completely. If the insert is sticking out the top of the diaper, it will wick moisture onto your baby’s clothing. We also occasionally see leaks up the back with little girls who are pee’ing buckets at a time and with little boys who are aimed off to the side of the insert.

Finally, remember to be patient.

Good luck with your diapers!! If you have further questions, you can always call 1-888-33-BABIES (1-888-332-2243) and we’ll be glad to help.

The Top 10 Cloth Diaper Industry Events of 2010

The Top 10 Cloth Diaper Industry Events of 2010

Analysis and opinion by Jennifer L. Labit, owner of Cotton Babies, Inc. Creator of bumGenius, Flip & Econobum.

10. For several years, the cloth diaper market has been primarily work at home mom based. Throughout the year, a number of retailers and several manufacturers (including Thirsties) were sold to growth-minded investors. This is a continuing trend from 2009 perhaps showing that we are entering a new phase for the product category.

9. In late October, gDiapers entered the European market.

8. In early October, we launched the bumGenius Artist Series and featured local artist, Chelsea Perry with her Tiny Socialite Collection. A few months later, we also brought back the bright colors (Zinnia, Moonbeam, Clementine and Ribbit).

7. In June, Cotton Babies launched bumGenius 4.0 One-Size Cloth Diapers, bringing snap closures to the bumGenius pocket diapers for the first time.

6. Cloth diapers are moving from online to in-person. I can personally count six women in the cloth diaper industry who have opened local storefronts for their previously online-only businesses. Big moves were made by many of our retailers. Consumers are begging for cloth diapers on local store shelves. Next year will be telling as we look towards easier access to cloth diapering products for everyone.

5. In December, bumGenius turned five years old! It feels like an eternity. It also feels like I just blinked. Some of you have been on this journey with us since the very beginning. Can you believe that the very first bumGenius baby is in kindergarten and reading now? We also just announced that the small, medium and large sizes of our all-in-ones were being discontinued.

4. In July, cloth diapers were on the Today Show in New York City! Through email, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, we organized a successful campaign with only three days notice that merged social and traditional media... driving a strong turnout that was truly social media generated. Parents stripped their baby down to a diaper and stood in groups around the Today Show plaza with signs about cloth diapering. Many supportive messages were posted on the Today Show's Facebook wall from parents who weren't able to get there with us. Our message was heard! I met Ann Curry and parents were interviewed about cloth diapers. Stay tuned for another similar event this summer... we're in the planning stages now!

3. In September, the Real Diaper Industry Association entered it's third year as a trade association. I was the founding chair of the RDIA in 2009. After working with the original board of directors to get the organization established, I left my position to focus on Cotton Babies. Having spent this year on the outside looking in, it has been interesting to observe the development, organization and maturation of the association. RDIA made some pivotal choices this year, including a decision to continue excluding manufacturers of hybrid systems from membership. To enable our continued support of the association, Cotton Babies has joined within the retailer category of membership.

2. Also in October, the ABC Kids Expo 2010 had a large number of cloth diaper companies exhibiting, including 13 members of the Real Diaper Industry Association and several other companies including hybrid systems from gDiapers and Grovia. The show floor was buzzing about cloth diapers... a welcome change from our first years exhibiting at trade shows. As people came through our booth, it was interesting to watch the significant new faces that were turned towards the concept.

1. In November, Natali Morris, a reporter from CBS, made a very public, dramatic conversion to cloth diapers, pushed forward in part by Tereson Dupuy of Fuzzi Bunz. Her story has been played out on blogs, through video and on the CBS website. I was disappointed in the vicious way that the cloth diapering community lashed out at Natali, her job skills, and her parenting choices instead of focusing their criticism on her original report on CBS. Thankfully, Natali chose to rise to the challenge rather than attack the culture. After trying cloth diapers for 30 days, she became a cloth diapering mom herself. Go Natali!

Cotton Babies is pushing access to cloth diapers forward in 2011! Stay tuned for more details coming soon!

Merry Christmas from Jenn and Jimmy

Jimmy Perkins (formerly handled your returns... now doing inventory) surprised us with a fun remix of Christmas music last Thursday. Cotton Babies culture at it's finest. :-) Our social media coordinator, Heather Vaughn, made a video with what he did and we wanted to share it with you... Merry Christmas everyone!

Lots of love,

Jenn & Jimmy Labit

From Jenn: Econobum Donation Update

After my Thanksgiving Day post about our holiday campaign to raise cloth diaper donations for needy families (read here: "Trim A Tree, Trim A Budget, Give Cloth Diapers"), we were pleased that many of you responded by purchasing Econobum products that we could donate to needy families on your behalf.

I wanted to give a report of what has been donated, by you, so far in December:

• Econobum Diaper Covers - 4
• Econobum Full Kits - 22
• Econobum Trial Packs - 4
• Econobum Prefolds (3 packs) - 5

If you don't already know a family that needs cloth diapers, you can now select to have Econobum product donated by Cotton Babies on your behalf to a needy family. We will be working with our local food banks, pregnancy clinics or shelters to provide education and ensure the diapers get in the hands of the right people. Every box of donated Econobum Full Kits could conservatively provide a family with an additional $10, $20 or even $30 in their weekly grocery budget. Trim a tree. Trim a budget. Buy diapers to give today.

I can't wait to come back and give a great report of some families that were positively impacted by your giving. Thank you for participating in change that can have such an important impact on our country.

Kindest regards,

Jenn

From Jenn: Favorite Drink Recipe from a Friend

This is one of Jenn's favorite drink recipes from her friend, Bekah, a Cotton Babies blogger. We're sharing this recipe again and reposting it so you can find it easily when you need a little treat on a long day. Bookmark this page so you can enjoy peppermint mochas all winter long!

I love a good peppermint mocha during the cold midwest winter months. However, if you've ever dared to investigate the fat and sugar (aka high fructose corn syrup) content of your favorite coffee restaurants, you likely found yourself feeling guilty and/or grossed out. This is why I have been experimenting with a cheaper, healthier way to get my coffee fix. Prompted by my wise friends I recently tried making peppermint and chocolate syrup from scratch. It turned out to be fabulously easy and the results left me with my ideal peppermint mocha recipe. So here it is per the request of the Cotton Babies Staff...

Peppermint Mocha

For a single cup:
3/4 c. strong coffee-I use Kaldi's Espresso 700 ground coarse for my French Press
1 T. homemade peppermint syrup (recipe below)
1 T. homemade chocolate syrup (recipe below)
1/8 c. coconut milk

To fill a full size Sigg thermos:
2 1/4 c. strong coffee-I use Kaldi's Espresso 700 ground coarse for my French Press
3 T. homemade peppermint syrup (recipe below)
3 T. homemade chocolate syrup (recipe below)
6 T. coconut milk

Stir all ingredients together or for a lovely frothy foam, blend all ingredients for 1 minute in a blender (at my house "blender" means Vitamix, but that's another blog post).

Peppermint Syrup

2 c. sugar
2 c. water
2 tsp. peppermint extract

In a medium saucepan stir water and sugar and bring to a boil. Add peppermint extract and let simmer for 30 min. Let cool and store in a sterilized container in the refrigerator. Yields 2 cups.

Chocolate Syrup

1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 c. water
2 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan stir cocoa powder and water over medium heat until cocoa is dissolved. Stir in sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute while stirring. Add salt and vanilla extract. Let cool and store in a sterilized container in the refrigerator. Yields 2 cups.

Bekah works from her home as a designer. She has six amazing children. Five of her children have worn or are wearing cloth diapers.

From Jenn: Christmas with Econobum (and thanksgiving day deals too)

(thanksgiving day deals included at the bottom of this blog post)

With the money saved by not purchasing disposable diapers, cloth diapers can help provide a family you know with better food. This year, our theme for Christmas is "Trim a Tree. Trim a Budget. Give Cloth Diapers." You can change a family's life (and how well they are able to feed their children) by giving them cloth diapers.

Kimberly Clark has been airing commercials recently about their "Every Little Bottom" campaign. They now know what we already knew... many families are choosing between diapers and groceries. While I'm glad to see Kimberly Clark responding to that family's need, it would have been more appropriate to focus their investment in a reusable product like Econobum. Reusable diapers would enable that family to continue feeding their children... long after the diaper banks dry up and the promotion is over. At it's best, the "Every Little Bottom" campaign is promoting and reinforcing a cultural dependence on disposable diapers, at the basest, most inexcusable level... in families who are choosing between diapers and food. How does this make you feel?

When my husband and I started Cotton Babies eight years ago, we already realized we could not afford to buy both diapers and groceries. Our baby was wearing prefolds and diaper covers given to us by a friend. Every week, our grocery budget was $30 plus the WIC check bought our milk, beans, tuna, carrots, baby cereal and a few other essentials. We chose to use cloth diapers simply because we couldn't afford to use disposables.

A few years later, we went to our first JPMA trade show with the bumGenius 1.0 One-Size Cloth Diapers pictured at the right. (Babies who wore those diapers are now starting kindergarten!) We showed up with five folding tables, hundreds of diapers, business cards and a really big sign. We always had a crowd around our tables, but I'll never forget the afternoon that I looked up and saw "Proctor & Gamble" nametags. Two men in suits were standing there listening to my presentation. When I finished, I watched them walk away laughing. One said, loudly enough for me to overhear, "You've got to be kidding!"

I wasn't kidding. Today, based on retailer reports, bumGenius is the #1 selling cloth diaper in North America. We have manufactured and sold many millions of diapers. Together, our brands may have single-handedly prevented the use and disposal of nearly 1 billion disposable diapers.

While bumGenius is one of my proudest accomplishments, I've always been acutely aware it was very difficult for many families to make the investment necessary to purchase bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diapers. So, last year, we developed Econobum, a brand designed to reach out to lower income families who couldn't afford to buy our more expensive brands. We made sure the products were high quality and packaged them in an affordable manner. For $11.95, you can purchase three one-size prefolds and a one-size diaper cover. For $48.95, you can purchasetwelve one-size prefolds, 3 one-size diaper covers and a reusable wet bag. You'll be doing laundry every day or every other day... but it's enough. If you do your wash in a laundromat, four of the Econobum Full Kit boxes would provide your family with enough cloth diapers to make it through an entire week of diapering... for under $200. In other cloth diaper brands, the same number of reusable diaper changes could cost upwards of $800-$1500. Econobum actually enables families to diaper a baby for much less than disposable diapers and significantly less than any other cloth diaper brand on the market.

This summer, we had the opportunity to distribute 800 Econobum Kits to a needy neighborhood in north St. Louis. Those Econobum Kits could save that neighborhood over $1.6 million in diaper expenditures over the next two years. Our diapers were a tiny part of a major event called "Love The Neighborhood" coordinated by Service International and Pastor Jeff Perry from St. Louis Family Church. "Love the Neighborhood" impacted many, many St. Louis families by providing school supplies, backpacks, clothing and shoes to thousands of neighborhood children.

A few months later, I flew to Michigan to be part of another event coordinated by Molly Ging atThe Little Seedling. There, we distributed Econobum Kits to grateful WIC families.

These are two relatively small events. When you think through what this could mean on a larger scale, a reusable product like Econobum has the potential to have a major impact on low income families... at a micro-level like they did for my own family eight years ago, at a neighborhood level like we saw in North St. Louis and at a community and state level, reaching across the nation and saving our country billions each year. The first savings is realized at the family level, but later, your community actually sees a savings too because you're throwing away less trash. One family doesn't make a huge difference... but what if every low income family in your community switched to Econobum?

Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

Buy Econobum for someone you know. If you don't already know a family that needs cloth diapers, starting today, whenever you purchase Econobum from Cotton Babies, you can now select to have the product donated on your behalf to a needy family. We will be working with our local food banks, pregnancy clinics and shelters to provide education and ensure the diapers get in the hands of the right people. Every box of donated Econobum Full Kits could conservatively provide a family with an additional $10, $20 or even $30 in their weekly grocery budget.

Trim a tree. Trim a budget. Buy diapers to give today.... and thank you for participating in change that can have such an important impact on our country.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jennifer Labit, Owner

Cotton Babies, Inc.

P.S. As our way of saying thank you for being a Cotton Babies customer, every purchase over $30 on Thanksgiving Day qualifies for a free package of bumGenius Flannel Baby Wipes (an $11.95 value) or a free pair of bumGenius Baby Legs (an $11.95) value. One code per order. You must add the product to your cart and use the code "FREEBABYLEGS" or "FREEBABYWIPES to get the discount during checkout. As always, every single order ships free.

Additionally, we have some fun Thanksgiving Day Giveaways!! Three random people willbe chosen from comments on this blog post, tweets on Twitter using the #cottonbabies hashtag,or comments on our Facebook page to receive a free Ergo Baby Carrier (valued at $105). Eligible entries must be posted on Thanksgiving Day. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be announced on Black Friday.

P.P.S. We have some great Black Friday Deals coming on Friday! Those deals will be posted on the blog at 12:01am on Friday. See links on the right side of this page for how to follow our blog so you're first to hear!

Please share the deals with your friends through Facebook by "liking" this post. Thanks!

Real Mom Talk: Is motherhood a prison?

The Wall Street Journal just published an opinion piece on attachment parenting & cloth diapers in their Saturday edition. The headline - "Spend every moment with your child? Make your own baby food and use cloth diapers? Erica Jong wonders how motherhood became such a prison for modern women."

The author is clearly talented. Her article was deftly written to stab a knife in the heart of those who have wielded other equally venomous attacks in her direction. She eloquently attacked the parenting style, but I wish she had identified the real issue before writing a sadly misdirected article to be published on a platform like The Wall Street Journal. Her knife doesn't belong in the heart of the parenting style. Her knife belongs squarely between the eyes of the culture and attitude behind the parenting style.

Jong is described as a feminist activist. How did we reach the day that a feminist activist is speaking out against a woman's choices in parenting? Feminism involves political, cultural and sociological theories, as well as philosophies concerned with issues of gender difference. Did I really just read an article written by a feminist that advocated against choices that women should be allowed to make without fear of criticism or rebuff? Is she really attacking the right issue? Or could she just be saying, "Shut up world! I am ME and YOU don't get to decide if I was a good mom"?

Jong's words were just given a pedestal in one of the most well respected newspapers in our country. I think it's time that we, as a community, choose to raise the standard. This article shouldn't have been about a parenting style. The only reason she sees life through those lenses is because someone left her feeling like a bad mom. Someone shaped an influencer. Was it you?

It isn't the first time it's happened either. We saw it last week. And the week before...

The real issue is a lack of cultural civility between mothers. I've watched women rip each other apart online seemingly without consequence for years. Then they come into my store scared to ask questions because they are afraid that their method of parenting won't meet my standard. If I had a $1 for each apologetic look I've had from a woman, I could pay off my house and yours too. It's sad! Women should not be eating each other alive. Imagine how the world would be if we encouraged each other the way we hope to be encouraged. Dare I say it? We would all be better mothers. Most women really don't want anyone telling them what to do... because, as we all know, there aren't any hard and fast rules other than to do the best you can.

Natali Del Conte called for an "internet time out" last week in her blog post after the cloth diapering community viciously attacked her (CBS was kind enough to remove the worst comments). Her report about "Diaper Wars" on CBS certainly wasn't a fair representation of cloth diapers. Frustration was justified. Coordinated education and protest was justified. However, even righteous anger isn't justification for ripping apart someone's mothering skills or criticizing her personal integrity.

Del Conte chose to take the cloth diapering challenge and cloth diaper her baby for one month. I'm proud of Del Conte for standing up to the cloth diapering community and offering to try cloth diapers while also drawing a line in the sand around her parenting choices.

I wish I was as proud of the cloth diapering community for the manner in which the challenge was posed. Yes, we want cloth diapers to be fairly represented in the media... but frankly, if Del Conte actually discusses the character of the cloth diaper community in her followup report on CBS, we're likely to hear something more like what Jong just wrote for the Wall Street Journal.

Our customers tell us that they want cloth diapers to be mainstream. They want to be able to walk into a store in their hometown and pick up whatever they need. If this is ever going to happen, it is important that the cloth diapering community stops using words and attitudes to alienate the very people who can help make that dream a reality.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." - St. Ambrose (A.D. 537)

I rarely write posts that so clearly state my opinion, but I've seen enough in the last week to last the rest of my career. I'm calling on all of the industry leaders to stand up and draw a line in the sand. Raise the standard. Stop hosting drama. Stop generating hatred. Stop hating. We should be respectful, friendly advocates for mothers who are learning. Research. Speak carefully. You never know who you are talking to or who is going to read what you have written. It's time to realize that the influencers in our culture are watching you and start behaving like something and someone that should be watched.

When treated professionally and with respect, authors like Erica Jong, reporters like Natali del Conte and even buyers from big box stores could freely advocate for your product and parenting choices... rather than rail against the emotional prison imposed by rude, unfettered tongues.

Prefold Heaven

We thought you might want to know that our specially imported Indian prefolds have been marked down for even greater savings. These are first quality diapers! We're just passing on our savings to you.

Not sure what to buy? You may want to consider combining an Indian prefold with an Econobum or Flip one-size diaper cover. Be sure to pick up a Snappi while you're at it!

By the way, prefolds have a great "after life" in the cleaning closet at your house. We have even heard about prefolds getting snagged out of the baby's room so a certain member of the family can wash the car!

Do you have a fun story about how prefolds have been used at your house? Share it with us in the comments. We'll pick a random commenter and send you six free prefolds!

Have a great summer afternoon and spread the word...

bumGenius 3.0 One-Size Cloth Diapers - Buy 5, Get 1 FREE

While supplies last, Cotton Babies is offering bumGenius 3.0 One-Size Cloth Diapers in a Buy 5, Get 1 Free package deal. This offer reflects the "clip and save" coupon price currently available in certain magazines on newsstands.

Remember, this is a "while supplies last" offer, so shop now to get in on the deal of the year!

Why would you want to use cloth diapers?

Are you considering cloth diapers? Good! It makes financial sense. It makes environmental sense. Let's talk about why.

Cloth diapers are cheaper to use than disposables. Disposable diapers cost around $0.25 per diaper change. That varies based on the type of disposable diaper you buy. If you buy cheap store brand diapers, you may spend as little as $0.09 per diaper. If you buy higher end name brand diapers, you could spend over $0.30 per diaper. Every single disposable diaper you buy and use is thrown in a landfill. How much money are you wasting? Replace that image of a disposable diaper fluttering in the breeze at a landfill with a mental image of piles of quarters. There you go! You may have thrown away around $1600-$2000 by the time your baby starts potty training.

Cloth diapers are an initial investment that pays off in the long run. Your initial investment will vary based on the brand you choose. Cotton Babies offers cloth diapering packages that range from $34.95 to $339.00. Want to spring for the nicer diapers (like bumGenius) but not sure how you can afford it? Try the budget plan. Buy one diaper per paycheck. Did you know that shipping is free on everything at Cotton Babies, including cloth diapers?

Is it worth it? Heck yeah! Even if you only saved a little bit of money because you bought the most expensive cloth diapers on the market, it is a little bit more money than you would have if you'd chosen to use disposable diapers and thrown that money in the landfill instead! Use cloth diapers. It makes financial sense.

Cloth diapers are more convenient. Imagine just realizing that you just picked up the last disposable diaper. The diaper bag was empty. The "emergency stash" in the car was gone. Now what? Well, you can send your partner out on an emergency trip to the grocery store, or you can rest easy because you have cloth diapers. It's just time to do a quick load of laundry!

Cloth diapers are better for the environment because they prevent landfill waste. According to a recent EPA study, disposable diapers take up over 1.5% of the space in landfills. Cotton Babies is in the middle of researching more information about many pounds of waste your baby will contribute to that landfill waste if you choose disposable diapers. Research is so impersonal though! If you are anything like me, it is hard to correlate numbers in a spreadsheet to something visual that really affects my life. Thankfully, Hollywood took the time to create the visual for us. Have you seen Wall-E yet? Remember the mountains of garbage? Everytime I see a disposable diaper in the trash, I have mental images of the piles of garbage that little robot was trying to clean up. That's enough to make my insides shudder. I've written quite a bit more on this issue (and included links to relevant studies) in my Cloth Diapers - Just the Basics resource page.

Cloth diapers are realistic. Yes, cloth diapers can be used in virtually any family situation. What solution you choose will vary based on some variables - including whether or not you work outside of your home and who is the primary caregiver for your child. If you are a stay at home parent, it is easy to use cloth diapers all the time. If you work outside the home, consider using cloth diapers on the weekends and overnight. Some daycare providers will cloth diaper your baby though (to boost your argument, consider a one-piece cloth diaper like bumGenius Organic All-In-Ones). I don't know your individual situation though. It is important to identify what your family needs and just choose a diapering solution that will work for you!

You can do this! How can we help? We've been selling cloth diapers a long time and are always glad to share our experience with you. Call us at 888-332-2243 and talk to a customer service rep today! You can find us by email, on Facebook and Twitter too.

Happy Mom's Week!

Our first Mom's Week Event was a PILE of giveaway diapers during the Twitter chat (the chat is going on right now) at http://www.tweetchat.com/room/clothdiapers.

• Giveaway #1 went to a random #clothdiapers participant
• Giveaway #2 went to Susie Pearson. She guessed what the original logo colors were and why we chose them.
• Giveaway #3 was a fairy gift to a momma on Twitter who wanted to try Flip.
  
• Giveaway #4 is going to a special momma who tweeted a photo of her baby wearing bumGenius, Flip or Econobum.
• Giveaway #5 went to a random fan of Flip Diapers!
• Giveaway #6 is going at 10:30 to random commenter on this blog post (you must follow the blog too to be eligible to win).

And then I think I might need to be done for the night! Phew! This has been a busy evening! Have fun following and commenting!

Check back tomorrow for our Tuesday event during "Mom's Week" at Cotton Babies.

A Cloth Diapering Moms Guide to Twitter (Updated!) #clothdiapers

Have you ever craved an opportunity to connect with other cloth diapering parents, but not known how? Connecting with other cloth diapering parents is so much fun and Cotton Babies has made it simple and easy for you to meet with other cloth diapering parents every single week. If you're into short and sweet, just go to TweetChat.com around 8pm (CT) tonight and have fun! Otherwise, keep reading for the detailed explanation...

Did you know that there is now a #clothdiapers twitter party at 8pm (CT) every Monday night on Twitter? This event was started by Cotton Babies last year and over the course of the last year, the Monday evening chats have become a popular time for cloth diapering parents to discuss issues about cloth diapering, natural parenting and even current events. Other cloth diaper businesses (manufacturers, media, bloggers and retailers) have made the event a fun place to be with frequent giveaways and special promotions that are only available during the #clothdiapers twitter party.

What is a Twitter party?

A Twitter party is much like a bunch of people texting (ie: tweeting) to each other. Twitter hosts all the tweets. Everyone who is participating in the chat will "tag" their tweet with the #clothdiapers hashtag. This links all the tweets together so they are easily searchable.

Do you want to come to the #clothdiapers Twitter party?
You should! It is so much fun to hang out with other people just like you from the comfort of your own home. Most participants are moms, business owners, bloggers or manufacturers. To participate, all you need is a computer with an internet connection or a smart phone (like a Blackberry, Droid or an iPhone), a Twitter account and some free time around 8pm (CT).

How to party most effectively.

All you have to do is watch the #clothdiapers search term (or hashtag) on Twitter. Technically, you could search through Twitter.com, but that is hard to keep up with when a party has many participants. Thankfully, several third party websites have made Twitter parties easy to attend. TweetChat.com is my favorite Twitter party website. The interface is simple and stable. Log in if you want to participate. If not, you can just sit and watch the chat take place. The screen automatically refreshes for you. TweetChat also automatically includes the #clothdiapers hashtag for you when you post.

What happens after the party?

TweetDeck.com is an application you can download for your computer. TweetDeck monitors tweets throughout the day. Set up columns to notify you when your favorite people post or whenever anybody posts to the #clothdiapers hashtag. This hashtag is where most cloth diaper manufacturers and retailers will post their special offers during the week, so keep TweetDeck open on your computer so you don't miss anything!

Still wondering what it all means? This is our Twitter dictionary... let us know in the comments if there is anything we should add.

Tweet - (verb & noun)
As a noun it is the the 140 character message that you put on Twitter (if you use Facebook, think of it like a status update). "I posted a tweet about my chicken sandwich."
As a verb, it is the action of posting a tweet.

Usage: "I tweeted about cloth diapers today".

Followers (noun)
Like "friends" on Facebook, followers are people who see your Twitter updates.

Usage: "I have 24 followers on Twitter."

Follow (verb)
You can "follow" users and then will see their updates on the homepage of your Twitter account when you log in.

Usage: "I follow 10 people on Twitter."

@username (verb & noun)
This is your username. It is also used to reply to or mention someone in your tweet. Spoken, you would call this a mention, "at-ing" or "at" replies. Use @ when you want to communicate with someone specifically. When you mention someone's @username in your tweet, it automatically shows up in their personal feed.

DM (verb & noun)
Direct Message. you can send a direct message to someone that will be sent to only them, no one else can view your direct messages.
Usage: DM me. Shelly send me a DM.

RT (Retweet) (verb) - use RT in combination with @username when quoting someone else's tweet. Here is a great blog post all about the art and ettiquette of RTing.

Usage: Retweet me please!

#Hashtag (noun) - a hashtag allows you to participate in a conversation on a specific topic. Putting #clothdiapers in your tweet makes it readily viewable to anyone who is searching the clothdiapers topic or participating in that conversation. Here is a great blog about using hashtags.
Usage: Are you coming to the #clothdiapers (spoken: pound clothdiapers) twitter party on Monday night at 8pm?

Cotton Babies offers occasional unannounced Twitter promotions! To be eligible to win, you must be following the @cottonbabies and the @bumgenius user on Twitter. Don't have a user account? Visit Twitter today.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments. Have fun at the #clothdiapers Twitter party!

On June 15, 2009, I published a Cloth Diapering Mom's Guide to Twitter. The online twitter world has evolved so much since that guide was written. This post is an update to that guide.

While you are working on your contest entry...

While you are working on your contest entry, like this post and then tell us what you're doing for Mother's Day! I'm going to give away one bumGenius One-Size Organic All-In-One to random commenters all weekend!

I'll start... for Mother's Day, my mom and dad are going to be visiting us. I'm sitting in the basement next to the bed they will be sleeping in. As I type this, I'm realizing that I can't remember the last time that I spent Mother's Day with my mom. It might have been the year that I left home (and I was 17). I'm really looking forward to spending some time with her this weekend.

So, what are you doing?

Win a $100 gift certificate to Cotton Babies

Have you ever told your kids how happy you are that they were born? I was looking at my children wrestling on the couch the other day and had a melty mommy moment. Andrew has such a gentle heart. Oscar loves to laugh. The photo to the right is Elsie at a week old. She is fourteen months old now and turning into a little dancing (and couch wrestling!) diva. She was such a pleasant surprise. I didn't know how much I could love another little person. Now I know. I tell my kids almost every night that God put them in my belly and that He decided that I was supposed to be their mommy. I am so glad they were born.

It's Mother's Day this weekend. As I was pondering how to have a Mother's Day promotion at Cotton Babies, I realized that I feel most rewarded as a mother when I'm talking to my kids about how much I love them. Flowers are great. Lunch is great. New clothes are great. A hug is fun... but truthfully, my heart gets the biggest thrill from that knowing nod my four-year-old has when he hears that I'm glad he was born... now that's a Mother's Day present. So, in honor of Mother's Day, I want you to write a comment on this blog post about someone little in your life (biological, adopted, foster, god-child, in-utero, in-mind or even some other status I didn't think of) and why you are glad they were born - or are going to be born. One person is going to win $100 Gift Certificate to Cotton Babies!

Entering

Write one comment on this post about a child in your life using the theme "I'm So Glad You Were Born". Comments should be limited to 500 words. Contest entries only please. Inappropriate or irrelevant comments will be deleted. One comment (one entry) per person. If you have a comment about an entry, want to support a particular entry or have something else to say, please comment here.

Entries must be received by Friday, May 14th. A winner will be announced by Friday, May 21st. It may be sooner, but we're anticipating quite a few entries to sort through. We want enough time available to give each entry a fair review.

Judging

We are looking first at the content and quality of what you wrote. Please check your spelling and your grammar. If we have trouble deciding between two entries, we will also consider how many of the optional things (see "Extra Credit Opportunities") you did to promote the contest and your favorite baby retailer, Cotton Babies.

Please provide relevant links to your tweet, blog, social media page and forum post in your comment if you chose to complete these steps. Remember, this isn't required... and please don't harrass your friends on Facebook or Twitter to get "extra" entries. Once is good enough!

Winnings

1 grand prize winner ($100 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)

1 second place winner ($50 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)

1 third place winner ($25 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)

10 runners up ($10 gift certificate to Cotton Babies)

Gift certificates will be emailed to the winners and can only be redeemed online through the Cotton Babies website. You must either live in the United States or have a shipping address in the United States to be eligible to win.

Final Thoughts

Please keep what you write and share it with your child when they are old enough to understand it. I'd love to know how you decided to do this when the time comes!

By the way, thank you for shopping with Cotton Babies and for using our brands (bumGenius, Flip, Econobum & Hemp Babies). Have a great weekend everyone!

Mother's Day Contest Starts Tomorrow

We will be posting details about our Mother's Day contest on the blog tomorrow. Be sure to become a follower of our blog so you can be one of the first to hear about the details!

Thanks!

Jenn

P.S. Be sure to check out our diaper research project. We are getting some great interest in this project from some very interesting places. Be sure to submit your data to the database!

How much waste does a baby wearing disposable diapers really generate?

Cotton Babies has long been frustrated by the lack of information available about how each baby wearing disposable diapers impacts landfills.

We are working on a project to collect data about how much used disposable diapers weigh. The goal of this project is to estimate the approximate weight of the waste generated from a child wearing disposable diapers full time. 

To participate, please have your baby wear one disposable diaper for a normal length of time (as you define it). At the next diaper change, please weigh that disposable diaper.  You can submit the information about that diaper using this form:

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2vcyg3lg8kjrgtb/start

After the data is collected and summarized, we will publish the results here on this blog for the benefit of the entire cloth diapering community.  Multiple submissions per family are welcome, but please sure that each submission reflects the information for one diaper only.  Thank you in advance for your participation and for telling your friends so they can help too!

Kindest regards,

Jennifer Labit, Owner
Cotton Babies, Inc.