The Cost of Manufacturing Overseas

When my father was a kid growing up in Cleveland - everything was made in the USA. In fact, Ohio had a large thriving garment industry. Unfortunately that's not the case anymore and that includes just about every marketable good.

Ohio Knitting Mill

It's not just limited to the textile industry; analysts predict as many as two million U.S. white-collar jobs such as programmers, software engineers and applications designers will shift to low cost centers by 2014.

I know why.

American computer programmers earn about $60,000, while their Indian counterparts only make $6,000.

Take that and apply it to just about every industry.

Overseas locations receive preference because of the low wages they are able to pay for labor. In China they are able to pay .30 cents an hour! The U.S. cannot require foreign governments to impose a minimum wage or safety regulations. Additionally, U.S. companies have no employee benefits to pay - more money in their pockets. Lastly and most concerning is that they are exempt from environmental as well as safety regulations.


Of course in these economic times consumers want to get the highest quality goods at foreign prices. I hate to tell you but that really isn't happening folks. While you may be able to purchase goods at low prices - what is the real cost? Was a child working in a sweatshop for pennies a day to sew your jeans? Are your baby toys full of lead? How about your beauty products - if they are foreign made they aren't subjected to the same health regulations that are required in the USA and Canada.

Sweatshop in India using child labor

I'm not saying all foreign products are suspect - I'm sure there are some fine quality items out there. However, generally speaking, if you go into a Target or WalMart and purchase say a cashmere sweater that you know should cost upwards of $100 for $25-chances are it wasn't made under the best conditions.

Personally, I’ve never had the “buy cheap stuff made overseas” mindset but I know a lot of people have become accustomed to it. I respectfully request that we all boycott foreign made goods. Our jobs, our health and our environment is at stake. I realize that American made products are more costly and there is a very good reason why. Products that are made in the USA and Canada not only follow the health and safety guidelines but adult American citizens who are paid American wages.

*Disclaimer: This is my opinion, please take it for what it's worth.

Thank YOU!

I really want to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

To my husband for believing in me.

To my mom - my personal cheerleader.

To my family for patiently supporting me while I launched my dream.

To my friends who encourage and promote me regularly.

To my LolliFans - your kind words, overnight success and support is what keeps us going.

To my work-wife aka LolliDoo™ inventor. Without you there wouldn't be LolliDoo™.

I am truly blessed and grateful. Thank you for being part of my life.

Here's to a joyful, abundant and successful New Year.

Have You Been "Greenwashed"?

Currently worldwide Green is the key word that companies are eager to demonstrate. I stumbled upon this article this morning and was motivated to stand up and say something:

The average citizen is finding it more and more difficult to tell the difference between those companies genuinely dedicated to making a difference and those that are using a green curtain to conceal dark motives. Consumers are constantly bombarded by corporate campaigns touting green goals, programs, and accomplishments. Even when corporations voluntarily strengthen their record on the environment, they often use multi-million dollar advertising campaigns to exaggerate these minor improvements as major achievements.

Sometimes, not even the intentions are genuine. Some companies, when forced by legislation or a court decision to improve their environmental track record, promote the resulting changes as if they had taken the step voluntarily. And at the same time that many corporations are touting their new green image (and their CEOs are giving lectures on corporate ecological ethics), their lobbyists are working night and day in Washington to gut environmental protections.

To read the full article click here.

Are you tired of seeing the words, Green, Eco, Bio, Natural and Environmentally Friendly in association with products that common sense tells you are most certainly NOT?

I am.

According to Wikipedia:

Greenwashing is a term describing the deceptive use of green PR or green marketing in order to promote a misleading perception that a company's policies or products are environmentally friendly. The term green sheen has similarly been used to describe organizations that attempt to show that they are adopting practices beneficial to the environment.

A new survey suggests that over 95% of all companies claiming to be green are guilty of at least one count of greenwashing. The upside is that 5% of companies claiming to be green actually are. I can say that we are one of them :)

You can avoid being Greenwashed.

1. Look at labels.
For example: If a product claims to be recycled - the company must list the recycled content percentage. If a cleaning product claims to be green it may be that just the packaging is green. You want the product to be: Biodegradable, phosphate free, chlorine free, bleach free and scented with natural oils or fragrances.

2. Look for the country of origin.
There are several reasons to see where your product was manufactured. One reason is that if it was made outside the USA or Canada you want to make sure it has a "Fair Trade" label. Fair trade doesn't equate environmental responsibility but it does mean that children weren't making your product. Another reason to check the country of origin, especially when using creams and supplements, is that other countries do not have the same health and safety guidelines which are enforced in the USA and Canada. Do you really want to use a face cream that was made in Asia, quick and cheap, without the USA Health Codes? Oftentimes big companies who buy such products to sell here do not do their due diligence. Just a warning...

3. Food products must be labeled.
Organic food products will be labeled "USDA Organic" if they are truly organic.

4. Use common sense
If a product is disposable, even if it's organic, it should be biodegradable or compostable if it's truly green. If you look at a product and think, "how in the world can this be environmentally friendly" - chances are that it's not.

Organic Fitted Innies™ - Q and A

Question From LolliFans




Q. Why do your Fitted diapers have a pocket?




A. There are three main reasons that we changed our Fitted Innie™ design to a pocket:

1. With a pocket - you can customize your absorbency. If you have a heavy wetter you can add LolliDoo™ Organic Absorbency and Flat Innies™ as boosters.
2. A pocket eliminates the cumbersome external elastic loop. We've replaced it with an internal cinch sizing system, the same as our eco-pockets.
3. The pocket opening allows for quicker dry time - and we are all about quick drying diapers.

Q. Do I need a cover with fitted diapers?




A. Yes. A fitted diaper is a modern take on the older versions that required pins. LolliDoo™ Organic Innies™ are all made from cotton and need a cover, we recommend LolliDoo™ Recycled Outties™.




Q. How do I size my LolliDoo™ Fitted Innies™?




A. See this chart below.

1. Give a little tug on the elastic cinch sizing.
2. Gently pull the elastic and unbutton it.
3. Re-button the elastic in the hole that best suits your child. Sometimes this takes a try or two before you get the correct size so please be patient.
4. Once your diaper is sized there is no need to re-adjust until your baby is ready for the next size. The elastic will stay put during laundering.

Q. Who dyes the tye dyed Fitted Innies™?




A. As you may know, we are a small family run company. As such, each tye dyed Innie™ has been hand dyed personally by me (Alison) at my home in Tucson, AZ.

We love hearing from our customers! Please submit comments/questions/concerns to alison@LolliDoo.com.

It's My Birthday :)

As a gift to myself I delegated all but the turkey and stuffing duties so that I can spend my birthday soaking up my family.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING one and all!








My brother and I in 1976

Black Friday Sale at LolliPlace.com

LolliPlace Grand Re-Opening Sale!!!

ANNOUNCING OUR NEW AND IMPROVED SHOPPING CART SOLUTION!

We have spent the past month revamping LolliPlace.com in order to create a simpler shopping solution with more options. Take advantage of our re-launch with 15% off your
entire order* now until November 19th 2010.

As always we appreciate your support.

XOXO,

Ali and Melissa

*Excluding Cloth Diaper Packages which are already heavily discounted

A Hearty Congratulations

My partner, work-wife and LolliDoo™ co-founder; Melissa Morgan has passed her IBCLC exam and is now official! This is a journey she started years ago that has finally come to fruition. Go Mel!

Sister Wives

Recently I started watching a documentary/reality show on TLC called Sister Wives. It's about a polygamist family with one husband and three wives, thirteen kids and a fiance.

A fan of the HBO fictional series, Big Love, I was intrigued to see what an actual polygamist marriage looked like. Obviously I was the only one because I believe the show was a hit.

I was expecting women with long hair, long skirts and subservient demeanors. In actuality two out of four women had long hair and I doubt it was "to wash their husbands feet with when they got to heaven" as some polygamist women assert. All of the wives wore "normal" clothes and seemed to have relatively modern lifestyles with one big exception - they share a husband.

I can relate and even imagine myself having sister wives - well sort of. The idea of women living together, supporting each other and raising kids with the same values is very appealing. The idea of sharing a husband is not. The whole concept of "it takes a village" resonates with me and at times watching the show I was envious of that sisterly bond. That is until one egocentric, selfish man entered the picture.

Yes folks I am referring to Kody - the husband.

Kody attempts to portray himself and the world's greatest dad and loving husband. He claims to be attentive to all his wives needs. However - he drives a two-seater car, he tells wife #1 who is struggling with jealously about his new young fiance that he couldn't imagine her with multiple husbands because it's so vile a thought and his wives are already alternating nights with him - he decided to woo a woman who lives 5 hours away; costing his family even more time. I am not a fan.



This is a direct quote from TLC.

For sixteen years, the Sister Wives have established their own role within the group and worked together to maintain a cohesive, loving unit. Bringing on a fourth wife could easily disrupt the balance, changing lives forever. The series chronicles the growing pains as Robyn and her kids assimilate into the family and the sister wives work through the insecurities and uncertainties that are inevitable to their chosen way of life.

I say - ditch the husband and you'd have a perfect family.





Christine (wife #3), Robyn (fiance), Kody, Janelle (wife #2) and Meri (wife #1)

Updated eco-pocket diagram

Click on the image for a larger view

Q & A From LolliDoo Consumers

Question:

I saw your ad in Mothering and was intrigued by the overnight diaper, but could not find the info I needed on your website. I would like to know what exactly makes it good for a heavy wetter. Our current system is NOT working, so I am eager to try something new!
Thank you!!!
Amanda

Response:

Our Overnight eco-pocket diapers are made with 300 weight polar fleece, which is phenomenal for keeping moisture in. When paired with our Organic Absorbency Innies™ (which you can pile up to meet the absorbency needs of your baby)it makes for a very successful nighttime diaper.

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Question:

Would the Overnight eco-pocket™ diaper also work with inserts from other diapers (such as the FuzziBunz inserts I already have)? That could save me a little money.

Sarah

Response:
Our eco-pockets™ are designed to fit with most pocket inserts. We do recommend LolliDoo™ Organic Absorbency Innies™ and cannot guarantee that other brands will work as well with our configuration.

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Comments:

Dear Alison and Melissa,
I loved reading your entire website! I have a 'heavy wetting' 6 month old who is basically sleeping through the night but wakes because of a wet diaper. So, your ad in mothering mag caught my eye. I did just stock up on fuzzi bunz...which I love, other than the fact they don\'t seem to breathe well and we are in a warm climate north of san francisco. I thought I\'d look into getting a few pairs of your overnight covers as a solution. Anyhow - I read your site and was so inspired by both of you and your way of life. We (my husband, sone Drake and I) are trying to live as eco-smart as possible and do all we can to minimize our impact on mother earth. We quit our jobs in SF, moved north to Chico where we could afford to stay at home (me working part time from home and husband full time watching Drake) and be with our son 100% of the time. I take \"Drake breaks\" throughout the day to Breastfeed. We enjoy the bounty of all the farmland around us and eat fresh every day, and puree all of Drake\'s food. We feel very fortunate. Anyhow - just wanted to say hello and I wish you much success with LolliDoo! I will be sure to bookmart your site and share it with all my new-mama friends!
warm regards,
Amy

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Question:
I'm interested in this diaper for my 4 month old, tummy sleeping, heavy wetting son. He still nurses 2-3 times per night - is this a diaper that would be able to keep him dry without changing throughout the course of a 12 hour night, or is changing necessary when nursing that often in t

Response:
Thank you for your interest in LolliDoo™ Diapers. In most cases our Overnight eco-pockets™ will keep a nursing baby dry all night. You shouldn’t have to change your little guy during the night but you may have to play a bit with different amounts of absorbency.

Follow up:
Alison,
Just wanted to write a quick note to let you know that I got my LolliDoo™ overnight yesterday, washed it 4 times like you suggested and put it on my son for the night - it was great! I know you guys are aware of how great your diaper is, but I also figure it can never hurt to hear one more compliment :)....it's the first time he's ever stayed dry in one diaper, while nursing all night long! hopefully, I can start eliminating some of the things I stuffed it with last night (now that I know the diaper works so well), so that it doesn't look like he's wearing a bowling ball around his backside :) it's sooooo nice to know that, now, I'll be able to just go to him in the night and quickly nurse him (instead of changing and nursing) and we can all go back to bed just a little sooner!!

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Question/Comment:

Hi Alison,

We washed our Overnight eco-pockets™ twice in hot and dried them in the dryer. So after reading this I decided to change them half-way through the night to check. My son wearing the fleece skin layer seemed fine. My other son wearing the cotton skin layer (who is also a big-time stomach sleeper) was leaking out the front really badly. Do you have any troubleshooting or advice on the cotton skin layer dipes? Would these not be good for a stomach sleeper?. It leaked from the front top up by his belly button. He sleeps with his knees tucked up under him so gravity in general is working against it not leaking from there. I don't really know the nature of the way fleece works but from what I could see it seemed the cotton was saturated and wicking to the fleece possibly. Grateful for you help! I stuffed it with a rumparooz hemp insert (full size insert) and a microfiber doubler. this is what we stuff other pockets we've used for nighttime. Thanks so much for you help


Response:

Unfortunately I am unfamiliar with those inserts. Might I suggest that you loosen the leg and tighten the waist? Fleece is VERY stretchy and it can be pulled really tight without leaving red marks or hurting your baby. Also – they really need a good 4 washings to shrink up properly with the cotton so it might be just fine as is after another wash.

Two Follow Up Emails:

Hi Alison,

Success with baby #1! I let out the elastic at the legs a little and got a really tight fit around the waist, and no leaks last night! Yay! I'm going to try with baby #2 tonight (I figured I'd go the "divide and conquer" route).

Thanks so much for all of your help; I really appreciate it.

Gratefully,
Kristin

This morning there were two dry babies. Yay! I'm attaching a photo so you can see how happy they were (you'll have to imagine my delight, too, since I'm not in the photo).

Thanks again for all of your help.

Kristin


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Question:

I like the idea of a diaper made with recycled material, but am worried about BPA, phalates, etc from the recycled bottles next to her skin. Can you tell me how these are removed from the material?

Thank you!
Alexandra

Response:

That is a fabulous question and believe it or not – it’s the first time I’ve heard it.

If you’ve been following the current toxic plastic avoidance advice, you know that recycling category #1 (PET) has been considered a safer choice. We know it’s BPA-free, so we just use it once and recycle it.

Plastic beverage bottles sold in the United States are made from a type of plastic known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Although polyethylene terephthalate (the plastic) and phthalate (the additive) may have similar names, the substances are chemically dissimilar. PET is not considered an orthophthalate, nor does PET require the use of phthalates or other softening additives. (Enneking 2006)

GOOD: Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones

.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/which-plastics-are-safe.html

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Comment:

So! One more washing for both dipes. Loosened the legs and tightened the waist and 10hrs no leaks! Changed my other son around 8+ hours in the fleece skin lolli and dry! Awesome! :) Thanks for your troubleshooting help.

LolliDoo one-size diapers - will they fit your baby?

I have been approached by parents concerned that their child is too big for LolliDoo™ one-size diapers. While I am the first to admit that one size fits most - not all - I can assure you that most is true.

This gorgeous girl wears a size 6 disposable diaper and they are snug on her. She is wearing a LolliDoo™ Classic eco-pocket™ with two Organic Absorbency Innies™. She has a row of snaps at either end of the waist - plenty of room to grow.






Sweet Gabe is brand new in this photo. Again - not a little guy - but you can see how well he fits into his LolliDoo™ Overnight eco-pocket™.

Oh Ike - how we love you so! Here he is during the day with a LolliDoo™ Overnight eco-pocket™ - guess dad wanted to be triple sure that his shoulders didn't get wet.




Here is Ike all grown up with his friend Zeah. Ike and Zeah are wearing LolliDoo™ Classic eco-pockets™. You can see that there is a significant size difference between the two little ones - yet they are wearing the same diaper.



We LOVE your photos. If you'd like to see your baby featured on www.LolliDoo.com - just email alison@ggsillc.com with your favorite LolliDoo™ photo.

For That Price Those Diapers Must Be Made of Gold!

I have heard this a few times and as a former cloth diaper consumer I can relate. In my opinion LolliDoo™ diapers ARE MADE OF GOLD!

Firstly we use as few virgin resources as humanly possible with the technology we have available. Each diaper has a minimum of 8 recycled beverage bottles in them. Saving them from the landfill, re-using our trash and furthermore protecting the virgin resources needed to create brand new fleece. Our cotton is organic and even our stainless steel snaps are made from recycled steel.

See - GOLD!

Moreover - everything we manufacture is domestic. We are paying Americans to work which not only strengthens our economy but we have the peace of mind that all of our suppliers have ethical working conditions. The downside some might say to manufacturing in the States with domestic components is the expense. Yes our textiles cost more then something made in China - yes we are paying our seamstresses a living wage and yes our Overnight diapers are a bit more expensive BUT you get what you pay for.

With LolliDoo™ diapers you not only get a bulletproof overnight solution but when you buy a LolliDoo™ diaper:

~ You are supporting the economy
~ You are advocating for small businesses
~ You are honoring WAHMs (our seamstresses) who are able to make their own schedules to put their families first and therefore also supporting families
~ You are endorsing organic farmers
~ You are getting behind recycling
~ You are sending a message to the disposable diaper companies that they need to step up their game and offer a more sustainable solution
~You are helping to establish a relatively new industry that is almost completely run by moms
~ You are choosing your baby's health over so-called convenience
~ You are saving over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine that are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR.
~ YOU are BUYING GOLD!

When people insinuate that LolliDoo™ Overnight eco-pockets™ are too costly I like to remind them that not only are you purchasing a diaper that will prevent night time leaks BUT you are supporting, women, the environment, the economy and your child's future.

For more information on LolliDoo™ eco-pockets™ please click here.

Fridge Magnets: Wordless Wednesday : Lollidoo

Fridge Magnets: Wordless Wednesday : Lollidoo Just the cutest little guy rocking a Classic LolliDoo eco-pocket!

Diaper Rashes

What can you do for babies with diaper rash? The first step is identifying the type of rash. Originally I googled photos of different rashes in attempt to post coordinating photos with this post. Unfortunately the photos were all worst case scenarios and I didn't want to scare folks. I am listing some rashes and remedies below - I am NOT a doctor so please check with yours.

A few things to note:

• The diaper rash is usually caused by the feces and if the feces happen to be solids then the risk of the rash is high.
  
• Breast-fed babies are less prone to this infection. A balance of breast milk and semi-solid foods or formula would go a long way in controlling this rash.
• Avoid perfumed baby powders
• If you are cloth diapering - try changing detergents and then strip your diapers. My easy diaper stripping instructions (scroll to the bottom)
• Do not use wipes, lotions, or powders that contain alcohol or fragrance, because this can irritate babies delicate skin and prolong the diaper rash.
• Look at the obvious clues. My daughter Rylee had a horrible diaper rash. She was in pre-folds and a wool cover. After switching out the wool the rash went away. WE had her tested and sure enough she had a lanolin allergy.
  

Rash Remedies for every type of rash

• Air your baby out as much as possible.
• If naked time isn't an option then make sure you are changing diapers as soon as your baby dirties it.
• Calendula cream encourages healing and helps with pain.
• Avoid foods that cause diarrhea and acidic urine.
• Plain old corn starch helps any kind of chafing on your body just pat on dry skin.
• If you are lactating - squirt some breastmilk on the rash. It will be sticky but breastmilk has natural antibiotics that work as well topically as they do orally.
  

Candida aka yeast
If you go to a traditional doctor they will give you an antifungal topical treatment.

Natural Remedy

• Both of you should start taking acidophilus if you are breastfeeding to help get your systems in balance again (and in your case, to prevent thrush on your nipples).
• Also avoid sweets and yeast!
• You can also apply acidophilus directly to your baby's bottom.
• Paint baby's bottom with gentian violet (once a day for 3-4 days), which you can buy from small drugstores. It usually works very well, but is also very messy - it turns everything purple! Also it can irritate the skin so use moderately.

Painful Red Bleeding Rashes
In addition to the rash remedies listed first in this post you can also:

• Use vinegar in the bath water and let the child soak for about 10 minutes - fill tub to waistline, and add 1/4 -1/2 cup white vinegar.
• Just rinse the baby's bottom in the sink at each change instead of using wipes.

When to call a doctor

• If the rash lasts longer then a few days
• If it spreads to other parts of the body - arms, face...
• If your baby is under two months old
• If the rash is getting worse instead of better
• If your baby has a high fever or is lethargic
• If the rash is bleeding, has pus, crusty patches or boils

Note: If you are using a LolliDoo ™ Diaper - you can boil it once in a blue moon to sterilize it. Do not try this with PUL (polyurethane) diapers because you will ruin the PUL.

This is a great article from WebMd for more information

Green Your Baby - My 5 steps to a healthier baby

Several parents have asked me what they can do to keep their babies as healthy and green as possible.

My number one answer is always, "breastfeed".
Not only are giving your baby the healthiest possible start in life but by breastfeeding but you are saving thousands of dollars on formula, bottles and the likes.

The manufacturing of baby formula is energy intensive. The industrial processes release harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Formula is packaged in tin cans - the majority of which are never recycled. Formula requires plastic bottles and nipples - which take anywhere between 200 to 450 years to breakdown.

Read more

Additionally Since many cows in the U.S. are now routinely ingesting synthetic growth hormones to artificially increase their milk production, it stands to reason that these hormones are also getting into the U.S. formulas.

Click here for more information.



Make Organic Baby Food
This is actually quite simple. You don't need all the trays and fancy baby grinders unless you want them. All you need for little babies is a blender and for older babies - a fork.

To make organic brown rice cereal:
1. Cook your organic brown rice according to instructions.
2. Put it in a blender with a little breast milk.
3. When it's the right consistency - feed it to your baby. Easy Cheesy.

To make fruit and veggies
1. Boil the fruit and veggies
2. Blend or smash with a fork.
*Some fruits like bananas don't need to be boiled - just mash the heck out of them.

In my house we feed the babies whatever we are eating - just mashed up. No need to spend money on store bought brands that might have sneaky ingredients in them.

This is a good link for more information.



Use Healthy Sunscreen
Brands of sunscreen that you find in conventional stores typically are full of chemicals. There is no need to lather your baby in a chemical cocktail - here are several brands that are cleaner and safer:

*Badger All Natural Sunscreen

*Soleo Organics Sunscreen

*Kid Kare Biodegradable Sunscreen

And my personal favorite

*Alba Botanica Sunscreen - this is sunscreen made from green tea and my kids can wear it all day long in the pool without burning or needing re-application. Be forewarned - this is a THICK sunscreen.

Click here for a comprehensive guide to sunscreen.

Pay special attention to this "Hall of Shame" list of sunscreens.

I had to sneak a picture of my Doodle Bug in here :)

Cloth Diaper Your Baby
You knew I was going to say that, right? Since I talk about cloth diapers almost exclusively on this blog I'll be short and sweet. Protect your baby's tenderest parts, keep raw sewage out of our landfills and save literally thousands of dollars with cloth diapers. Of course I recommend LolliDoo Diapers :)



Last but not least - stay away from plastic toys, seats and the likes
You really don't need even a fraction of all the baby stuff in stores nowadays. Especially those plastic toys and bouncers. If you do buy them please pay attention to where they are made - things coming over from other countries are sometimes full of chemicals.

This is what I believe you need for a baby:
A sling and/or backpack (check out Sweet Pea Ring Slings)
Diapers
Clothes
Wooden toys
Organic blankets

That's it folks - all the other stuff is just gravy. Even cribs - how many babies do you know that actually sleep in a crib? I can count three - the rest sleep with their parents; where I believe they should be.

I am of the opinion that these five steps are easy, practical and safer for babies.

Want To Win A LolliDoo Overnight eco-pocket?

Want to will an Overnight LolliDoo™ eco-pocket™ cloth diaper?

Here's how:

Here is how you can be the lucky winner:

Post a LolliDoo review on Diaper Swappers and/or Diaper Pin to be entered to win an Overnight eco-pocket.

1 entry Per site - you can enter twice; once for Diaper Swappers and once for Diaper Pin

Post the link on our FaceBook page and we will enter you in the drawing. Contest ends 7-31-10.

Happy posting!

In San Diego? Want to meet me and see LolliDoo up close and personal?

Here is your chance :)

Thursday July 15th I will be at the Real Diaper Circle Meeting. I am really excited to meet Heather McNamara in person - she has created so much goodness for the cloth diapering community and I want to thank her in person.

I will have a LolliDoo™ stash to show you. I believe that kids are welcome.


Click here for details

I Met My Work Wife Online

Although I wasn't looking for a business partner at the time - in the age of Match.com and eHarmony it's not that far fetched that I met my work wife on the internet.

It began in 2004 when we were both pregnant and due in May of 2005. Bored and looking for camaraderie I joined an online parenting forum. I quickly found a group of mommies who shared similar parenting philosophies. We chatted online, on the phone and sometimes we had group web chats.

I was in the process of developing a cloth diaper - my vision then was to mainstream cloth diapers. Having no sewing experience whatsoever I sketched a diaper and sent it off to a friend to sew. Once I got the testers back I was dismayed that they leaked and didn't fit well.

Chanda - one of our internet friends - suggested that I call Melissa. She said that Melissa was a brilliant seamstress and she might even have an interest in partnering with me. So I did.

Melissa was in - and our two families embarked on an amazing journey. We formed an LLC in 2007; before ever meeting face to face.

Eventually the Morgan family took a trip our to Tucson and soon thereafter we went to their house in Washington for six weeks. Thank goodness we love eachother as much in person as we did online.

It might not be for everyone but I can assure you that meeting my partner online was perfect synchronicity.


Last summer in Washington we had a girls night.

Ali's Butt Juice aka wipe solution

I've been asked several times how to make butt wipe solution. I am a simple kind of gal - this easiest, cleanest method works best for me:

1 TSP Glycerin soap (Trader Joes has a great liquid)
1 C water

That's it.

I put it in a bottle, shake it up a little and it's ready to use.

When travelling with your little one just put some of the solution in a bottle and take it with you. I also keep a bottle of fresh water handy for a final water-only wipe down.

Designer Disposable Diapers on the Today Show!?!

I was very excited when I got a call from my mom today at 7:30am telling me that the today show was featuring designer diapers in the next segment. I hurried and ran to the living room to tape it. I wondered which brand would be featured or if it would showcase several brands of cloth diapers.



When the segment started I was stunned.


They were gushing over new Huggies Denim and some Pampers that had designs on them. On the screen the pampers looked white to me. You can see it here and here



Forgive me if I'm wrong because I don't watch much tv and I don't think I've ever watched the Today show - but doesn't the title allude that their topics are current to, well, today?



Today's diapers ARE cloth diapers.



They come in an array of colors, styles, fabrics and prices. You can purchase cloth diapers from $8-$95 - now that IS a designer diaper.



If you'd like to learn more about cloth diapers, the effects of disposables on our baby's health, the environment and our pocketbook then please click here

If you disagree with the promotion of disosable diapers then please let the Today show know how you feel.

I bet you didn't know this...

Textile manufacturing waste is a big issue.

Can you believe that 60,000 pounds is the average amount of excess fabric, trims, buttons, zippers, thread and the likes produced at ONE midsize garment factory each week!

Holy BIG WASTE Batman!

That would equal 7.5 Adult Female Elephants

240,000 bananas

13333.33 Ordinary red bricks

Ready for another mind blowing figure? 11.9 MILLION TONS or 238 BILLION pounds of textiles were put into the municipal solid-waste streams in 2007. Of that, just 16% was sent to a recycling facility.

This is what 1 Million tons of trash looks like: http://blog.meetgreen.com/2009/04/one-million-tons-of-trash.html

That would equal about 1.5 million 16lb. bowling balls

57 Million Great White Sharks

14.8 Million Unloaded semi trucks

There are a lot of companies doing their part to reduce, recycle and re-use manufacturing waste. Send the textile industry a message by buying only recycled and organic products.

Below is a short list of some companies – please do your own research and support a cleaner Earth.

Go Green Sustainable Industries, LLC
http://www.lollidoo.com
www.LolliPlace.com

Better For Babies
http://www.betterforbabies.com/

Looptworks
http://www.looptworks.com/

TerraCycle
http://www.terracycle.net




Sources:

Loopworks; Sustainable Fashion Why Now, by Janet Hethorn
Natural Capitalism, by Paul Hawken, Armory Lovins and L. Hunter Lovins
Enviornmental Protection Agency
Fast Company July/August 2010.

My Three Favorite Tricks to Keep Cloth Diapers Fresh

1. The Sun
One of the benefits of living in a hot dry climate is the sun. Hanging your diapers to dry is not only economically and environmentally sound; the sun naturally bleaches out stains and odors. While the sun in Arizona is stronger then other states - you can still reap the benefits of sun drying anywhere in any climate.

2. Very Little if any Soap
I know you have read that you should use 1/4 of the recommended amount of soap when washing cloth diapers. I've seen parents make the mistake of adding more soap if their diapers stink. What happens then is that the soap actually holds in the odor instead of vice versa. If your diapers stink then follow our simple stripping guidelines http://lollidoo.com/useandcare.php. After your diapers have been successfully stripped THEN use 1/8-1/4 the recommended amount of detergent to wash.

3. Baking Soda and Vinegar
You know how baking soda neutralizes cat box odors? The same principle can be applied to cloth diapers using a dry or wet pail. Just sprinkle a little bit of baking soda on the diapers and it will neutralize the urine smell. For the freshest smelling diapers; add white vinegar in lieu of fabric softener.

The Arizona heat has us losing our minds!!!

The heat is making us do something crazy – hurry before we come to our senses. For THREE DAYS ONLY buy 3 LolliDoo™ eco-pockets™ and GET ONE FREE.

No coupon code necessary!



***************BONUS****************

Be one of the first to own the new LolliDoo™ eco-pockets™ ELASTIC BUTTON SIZING!

Five Things I Wished Someone Told Me While I Was Pregnant

1. Your doctor/midwife is NOT the absolute authority. If you don't want a procedure, say an induction, you have the right to refuse.

2. Breastfeeding can be challenging in the beginning. There are experts to help you with that called Lactation Consultants. There are also breastfeeding support groups mainly - La Leche League. Also it's normal to have sore cracked and even bloody nipples for the first week - you can and should nurse through it - it will go away quickly.

3. There are so many dangerous foods and health care providers don't always warn you. Make sure to ask what foods to avoid. Your health care provider should have the latest information on bacteria outbreaks and the likes.

4. You DO get a medal if you have natural childbirth. That medal is the health of both you and your baby. Additionally moms who have natural childbirth have almost no recovery time ***BONUS***

5. Newborns don't need all the vaccines that hospitals insist upon. I'm fairly certain that a newborn isn't at risk for Hep B - a disease spread through sex, needles or other bodily fluids. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_B Do your research and determine a vaccine schedule (or non-schedule) that feels right to you.

The Origin of an Overnight Miracle Diaper

I've heard that out of every failure something better comes along. This has certainly held true for Melissa and I as we created Go Green Sustainable Industries.

Originally a few years back we had a gorgeous diaper. Like the diapers you have today - these were made from recycled and organic textiles. I can't remember the exact name of the recycled fabric we were using but I was in love with it. It was trim, cute and affordable. However after extensive testing we had to ditch the fabric because it leaked. That's an understatement - pee poured out from the front -back - legs and waist.

Melissa and I were understandably crushed.

Three early LolliDoo™ Diapers - then called Go Green Baby!

Out of this failure we discovered Eco-Fleece™ . I wasn't very excited about using a fleece on diapers at first. It was only after testing that I was a believer. You see I thought the fleece would be hot but in actuality it's breathable. In other words, instead of trapping moisture and heat against the baby's skin like plastic will do, fleece allows air to circulate which actually keeps babies drier.

Then we had a happy accident. We discovered that the 300 weight fleece was able to repel copious amounts of moisture without leaking.

Holy Dry Butts Batman!

We finally have a viable diaper that is not only great during the day but offers overnight protection even for heavy wetters.

No more disposables - no more wasting money - no more worrying about leaking!




So there you have it - the background behind LolliDoo™ Overnight eco-pockets™ I am so grateful that the Universe provided what so many parents needed to keep their babies safe and dry all night.

#Operationfluffy Party TONIGHT! 9 PM EST

@TheEcoChic has posted all of the details on her website. She was kind enough to host this party even though it was supposed to be her week off!

Synopsis:

Thursday night we will all be tweeting to @TheEllenShow using the #operationfluffy hashtag. We will send pictures of our adorable babies in cloth diapers and tell her how much better cloth is than “jean” huggies. PUKE!

I did want to add, to make it easier to tweet pictures, use the twitpic.com service. Upload your photos ahead of time to make the party more about tweeting and less about searching for and uploading pictures. The pictures will show up without having to click them if you use Tweetgrid.com for the party. If you need help learning how to do Twitter parties, I have a little tutorial for you.

From Kim Rosas:

If you belong to a cloth diaper board (Cloth Diaper Nation, Diaperswappers, The Bump, Cafemom, BabyCenter, etc…) I would love your help in spreading the word. If you make a post about #operationfluffy’s Twitter party you get (5) extra entries into a giveaway of your choice! I have 2 ending today (Real Nappies and Bravado) so if you want entries in those you should hurry up!) Or, if you have another idea to spread the word give me a shout and I will let you know if it counts towards extra entries!

To get those entries leave a comment with the link on this post and leave (5) comments on the giveaway of your choice also linking to your post. Say something like “Extra Entries #operationfluffy post” and leave your link!

Americans throw away 25,000,000 plastic beverage bottles every hour!

How is this relevant to LolliDoo™ diapers?

I've been asked that question a lot recently and the answer is easy. LolliDoo™ eco-pocket™ diapers and Recycled Outties™ are made from recycled fleece.



Recycled fleece is similar to traditional fleece with one big difference. Instead of using virgin resources to create the Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric - recycled fleece takes existing beverage bottles and creates the same fabric.

Did you know:

Most bottled water is consumed away from home, usually at a park, in an office or even while driving — areas where there's usually no recycling.

Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator.

Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year!

Each LolliDoo™ eco-pocket™ with organic cotton saves at least 6 beverage bottles from the landfill.

Each LolliDoo™ eco-pocket™ with StayDry (also made from recycled beverage bottles) saves at least 8 beverage bottles from the landfill.

Each LolliDoo™ Recycled Outtie™ saves at least 5 beverage bottles from the landfill.

It may not seem like much but it's something.

Our efforts remind me of a story.

The Starfish Story
Original Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…”
I made a difference for that one.

Healthy Sweets

As you might know I've recently given up sugar and gluten. I can say that not only is my acid reflux gone but I've lost 7 pounds so far. I feel better, I look better and I'm not starving.

However, Aunt Flow is getting ready to come for a visit and I WANT CHOCOLATE!

I went to the drugstore and against all my principles bought sugar-free turtles. They were sweetened with Malitol which I thought maybe wasn't as bad as Splenda or Aspartame. OK I knew that Malitol wasn't good but I was desperate.


It took maybe 30 minutes to go through my system. I was unpleasantly surprised to find out that my body doesn't like Malitol AT ALL. I had the worst stomach ache. ****TMI WARNING**** I had horrendously smelly, loud and embarrassing gas. It was bad. I think Malitol might also cause anal leakage...just saying.

That was last night.

Today things aren't much better in the craving department. I WANT SUGAR NOW!

This time instead of putting toxins in my body I went to my kitchen to see what I could throw together. I found figs...what could I do with figs?

I put the figs in my Cuisinart and started searching for nuts. I wanted cashews but all I had were peanuts. I dumped some peanuts in the Cuisinart as well. Soon I had a nice dough.

I tasted the dough and it wasn't quite sweet enough. I added a tiny bit of honey (something I haven't eaten since I gave up sugar, and some vanilla because well, everything is better with vanilla. I rolled them into balls and put them in the fridge.

YUM YUM YUM

They turned out so good. I didn't take notes so I can't write the recipe but keep in mind next time you want to give your kids a healthy sweet: figs + nuts + honey + vanilla = yummy goodness.

What can you do with a palette of wood? *lots of photos

Click on the photos to see them in entirety

My husband is an upcycle extraordinaire. His latest passion is rummaging through construction sites for palettes of wood. Let’s see what he has made recently:

Here are the palettes before he breaks them down.

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Check out the work space he has created for himself

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Notice the counter. It was a counter top he found in the dumpster on a construction site. The “shelves” are actually drawers that someone was throwing out.

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Look closely at the containers. They are all re-used glass jars and coffee tins.

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One last look at his ingenuity.

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Moving on to the yard. The first think Chuck made were several garden boxes. He’s been reading square foot gardening…

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Oh doesn’t that squash look wonderful!

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Next he built a compost container that the dogs couldn’t break into.

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Finally a picnic table for the kids. I am told that chairs are next.

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I saved my favorite for last. This cost us less then $30 start to finish. Someone gave us the aquarium years ago and it just sat in our garage. The filter was also a gift. We had three Guppies and I got four Mollys for $4. We had the gravel from an art project I did a few years back. The only thing that we really paid for was the supporting 2x4s.

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So there you have it folks – what to do with a palette in the Manes house.