Featured Cloth Diaper WAHM: Zoom Baby Gear

Q: What Led You to Start Using Cloth Diapers?

A: Using and reusing cloth has been a part of my life for a long time. We have always used cloth napkins on the table and I have used cloth mama pads for 20 years. When I became pregnant, it was only natural for me to choose cloth diapers. Saving money is nice, and reducing waste in landfills is also important. I prefer to use natural, chemical-free products throughout my home, and especially on my child. And I live in Oregon, where living the "green" lifestyle is easy!

Q: How did you go about making cloth diapers your business?

A: At first I just wanted to sell enough cloth diapers to buy fabric to make more cloth diapers for my daughter, but after a few months, I had so many positive reactions to my "homemade" diapers that I decided to start a website and offer custom sewn diapers. That was a nice part time business for about 3 years and I eventually rented studio space down the block from my house to have space for all my fabric and sewing supplies. I was very busy sewing both instock and custom diapers. But I didn't have much time to talk to other mamas about the benefits of cloth diapering. Outreach and advocacy are very important to me as a Real Diaper Association Circle Leader. And I wanted to offer a full range of cloth diapering products, not just items I sewed myself. I realized I needed to make some changes in order to keep Zoom Baby Gear sustainable. While I was trying to decide whether to do more wholesale, I drove by a tiny storefront with a "For Rent" sign, and I knew the answer: open a retail cloth diaper store. Even though there are other stores in my area that sell cloth diapers, I felt that there was still a need for a diaper-only specialty shop, where parents can see and feel all kinds of diapers and buy all the accessories that make cloth diapering easier.

Q: Was starting your store difficult?

A: In a way it was easier to open the retail store than it was to start up my original website. I already had my own product line, advertising and customer base. As a long-time cloth diaper user (and shopper!) I knew my way around the market and I knew what I would want to find in a local store. Choosing product lines and inventory has been a bit tricky, as I prefer mama-made, local and small company products, but the market has expanded to such a degree that I have been able to locate a great selection with some research. I did have the usual bumps in the road, like researching credit card processors, getting telephone service, installing display fixtures & signage and all the little things that go into opening a store. I didn't have any retail experience before I opened the store so I have learned as I go along. I have to say that it has been a wonderful experience overall. It's fun to open up the shop and see who comes in each day.

Q: How do you manage to run a business with small children?

A: I have been very lucky in that I have been able to have my daughter with me at both my jobs (I also work part time for a small publishing company). Whether I am working on a graphics project at home or in the office, sewing in my studio or at home, or working in the shop, she has been right there with me since she was 2 weeks old. I always have a special play area near my work area and we take frequent breaks to play together throughout the day. It is important to me to live an integrated life, not "mama at work" vs. "mama at home", just all mama, all the time. So I work every day and I play every day, usually with my family right alongside me. I have a great support system of friends and family who have also provided child care for me as needed.

Q: What does your store look like?

A: I like to call it "The World's Smallest Diaper Store" because it is only 10x12! But I have a grid system on the walls that holds quite a bit of inventory and I also have displays all around the room. I kept the fixtures in a similar style so that the diapers really stand out. It is very colorful and shoppers can easily see everything without having to dig through bins or stacks of items. I group the diapers by style, so all the fitted diapers are together, the covers are next to each other (and sorted by fabric) and the AIOs/Pockets and prefolds each have their own area as well. All the accessories like wool wash, mini shower, liners and doublers etc. have a special display. Training pants and swim diapers are on revolving racks (designed to hold greeting cards lol). I have an area for the gently used items, and a small stash of toys for customer's kids. I like to play around with the inventory, rearranging it as things sell and are restocked. And I always try to have an eye-catching display in the front window.

Q: What Is The Most Rewarding Thing About Running Your Diaper Store?

A: The most rewarding thing is being able to talk one on one with families, learn about their needs and how I can meet them, share tips and information and answer their questions. Sometimes I will spend an hour talking with a pregnant mama and that just makes me feel good. Having a retail store means that every day I can make a difference in the world by helping parents choose cloth diapers. In our disconnected modern world, sharing knowledge of traditional baby care can be a powerful tool. I really believe that we can put more babies in cloth diapers through mama-to-mama outreach.

Q: What new an exciting things can we expect in the future?

A: I'm having fun with my diaper cakes and will be offering even more styles of those. Zoom Baby Gear training pants are coming in a new selection of prints, colored hemp and bamboo jersey too. I'm also hoping to get my diaper sewing patterns digitized and offer those as a free download on my website, instead of hand-tracing and giving them out in the shop.