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How to start a cloth diapering business

I’m in the middle of helping 4 different moms and moms-to-be in learning how to cloth diaper and which to buy. I’m also buying and testing out different brands to tell you guys about. I’m dishing out my opinions on baby wearers, and the best bras for breastfeeding – from early on to a year in. (Yep, we’re still doing it here.)

It’s no secret I love cloth diapering. I love to buy them, prep them, wash them, fold them, store them neatly in Bella’s drawers. I also love to baby wear. I have a Moby, Ergo, Bjorn, sling – and my arms. And while breastfeeding wasn’t the easiest or most fun for me, I am an advocate for it because I know the benefits, but I understand how very painful and frustrating it can be.

So the other day, Sam mentioned I should think about starting some kind of online business that had to do with cloth diapering, baby wearing, nursing, etc.

I keep thinking about it. It just seems like there are so many online stores that sell all these products. I’d love to do something different, something where I helped pick out brands or put together kits for ages and stages of new babies. It would be fun to sell this stuff, but the best part would be having parents write me and ask me what they need for their situation, what brands work and which don’t, how to help minimize night time leaking, etc. That’s what I am passionate about.

I’m not sure where to get started on something like this. I just know so many moms (myself included) take one look at cloth diapering especially and think, “Holy cow, it’s too much.” And I’d love to be the one they find and turn to. The very best part of helping someone out with this stuff is when it works, when it makes their search/life/pregnancy a little easier and it’s one less thing to stress about.

Any thoughts? Anyone out there own an online business? Where should I start just to research this? Other ideas – like writing for a magazine or blog?

Do you think I could even do this? :/

Tags: Fun with Egocentric-ness, Why I do what I do, Wishful Thinking

18 Responses to “How to start a cloth diapering business”

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Cindy @ This Adventure, Our Life | twitter: @bkatedesigns

I have thought about this COUNTLESS times, we also cloth diaper, baby wear and are still going strong on the nursing I would love to do this same thing, I have never figured out the logistics of it with such BIG stores, endless brand options and the low prices they provide. One of the positive parts would be the personal help and service from a real cloth diaper, baby wearing momma! My real desire is to open a store that not only does CD’s, baby wearing, everything breastfeeding, but includes all things green and environmentally safe or at least better choices, and would have talks on all these subjects, making baby food, feeding your toddler, etc… but I can never figure out all the logistics I wish you much luck and if you need any other opinions on breastfeeding, baby wearing, and CD’s I will always put mine out there also!!
Cindy @ This Adventure, Our Life just wrote Choices

Diana | twitter: @lifeasaSAHM

I always value your opinions on stuff like this!! I wonder if every CD obsessed mama dreams about this.

Cindy @ This Adventure, Our Life | twitter: @bkatedesigns

For sure, doing something you love, that is a great job in my opinion! I used to have this, then my visions changed. Balancing what I used to do with being a good Mom is not possible at the moment, some day though! I hope you can work something out!

Kim | twitter: @babyfeet3

Could you start out as a consultant? Like, for a fee, set up a starter kit fo dipes, explain how they work – the wash and care of them, how to put them on etc, your fave sites (which could give you some sort of kickback/discount). And maybe advertise at local organic markets, farm markets. And here on your site. I know I have at least one person I’d send your way in a few months, and word of mouth would be a big way to spread the word.
Kim just wrote Friday Flip 11-26

Diana | twitter: @lifeasaSAHM

Loving this – it’s giving me some serious ideas to ponder…

Diasy |

I’ve not only ran somebody elses online business, but owned my own. With school it was too much for me to take on, so I had to shut it down.
I personally like the idea of the kits that you could make up to get people started on stuff.
You could market it as a great baby shower gift – whether or not they want to CD, if the guests know the mom is going to breast feed, you could make up kits with breast pads (maybe your preference depending on the mom – if shes’ “green” then she could have green ones, or reusable, or what not), & everything you need to breast feed – if they want an array of things, then you could make it up like that.
I personally would love to be able to go to a website and be like, “okay. my friend is having a baby. she’s environmentally friendly, she’s having a girl, her favorite colours are ___, and ____, & she wants to CD and is going to breast feed”, and get a package out of it where I didn’t have to do all the work. Especailly since I’m not a mom yet, so I don’t know. It would be cool to put it in the hands of the people that DO know.
Another example, is if I had a friend that was haivng a baby, and the friend was super active. You could add in all your favorite things for active moms, and package it up nicely, maybe personalize it with the baby’s future name or the mom’s name, or something, and send it off.

Then, you could get certain brands to back you up, & they’d advertise on your online site & blog which would be even more revenue. Cause they’d want you to use thier products, instead of a competitor.

Maybe the best way to start out on this is on your blog though, instead of launching a website right away because they are fairly expensive & involved.

Just my thoughts!
Diasy just wrote Cooking Challenge

Diana | twitter: @lifeasaSAHM

My head literally exploded into a billion pieces as I read your reply. So much great info – it made me think of having a “questionaire” that they could answer or forward to their friend who wanted the stuff.

I might be emailing you about this!! Thank you Daisy.

Diasy |

Please feel free! I’m a business student, so I know what’s up in the business world & I’d also be able to get some pretty good advice from my profs & other students – I also have a billion ideas, it would be fun to use my knowledge toward something!
Diasy just wrote Cooking Challenge

Jess@StraightTalk | twitter: @jessesco

Awesome! I would love to use all your expertise. I feel so out of the game. I’m really intrigued by cloth diapering but know nothing (and doubt daycare would buy it so it’d be a part time thing). Good luck!

Diana | twitter: @lifeasaSAHM

You’ll be my tester.

New Age Cloth Diapers Guidelines | Baby Shower Site | twitter: @adesimom

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Jen |

I think you would be fantastic at this. I agree with Diasy, in thinking that you should start out on your blog first, and see how it works out for you. I also agree that you should make personalized gift baskets, since that would make you more marketable. You could try advertising at Babies R’ Us, farmer markets, flea markets, or any place that new moms would be frequenting. And use your followers on your blog to help spread the word to expecting mothers!!

Diana | twitter: @lifeasaSAHM

Oh, BRU! And I never thought of all the other places I could advertise. And even if e moved, military moms are all about kids, lol, so plenty of business there!

Thank you Jen, great advice as always! ,3

Jamie | twitter: @thrivingmama

My advice is – if you feel happy and love it then go for it! The kits are a great idea and I have a couple more – I would love to meet up some time. I think you said we live close. Also, my business Thriving Mama is all about supporting mom owned businesses…doing a lot to get ready for 2011 and I could use some cloth diapering “know how” on Peaceful Parent (we are cloth diapering, baby wearing and still breastfeeding at 16m). Email me and I can give you some details. I hope to chat and BEST wishes!!

Alexia | twitter: @babiesandbacon

What a great idea!! I agree with a lot of the other Mamas that you should start here on your blog putting together starter kits and such. Personally I’ve sent at least 3 new CD Mamas to your ‘Cloth Diaper 101′ blog so just imagine how much all of your loyal followers can help you get the word out.

Glad someone else shares my absolute obsession with diapers, baby wearing and breastfeeding ; )
Alexia just wrote Wordless Wednesday- Coffee Break

Kristin |

Hi there! I’m new here, but have recently found your blog and enjoy reading I have a 9 month old baby girl and we have been using disposables since she was born, but wished we would have jumped on the cloth diapering bandwagon from the start. Do you think its too late at this point to start? I can’t decide whether it would still pay off and would love to hear your thoughts. I would especially love a business like you are talking about that would have helped me figure out exactly what I needed from the very beginning because it just seemed like too much at the time. :-/

Diana | twitter: @lifeasaSAHM

Hi Kristen!

It is never too late to start – you’ve got at least another year of diapering left (if you’re lucky lol) and you will save so much starting now.

If you want to talk more, you can email me: hormonal-imbalances at hotmail.com and I can help you figure out where to go from there, give you some of my favorite websites, etc.

<3

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