During the processes for these awards which have been so prominent in my Baba+Boo world recently, I have been asked the question about what I have found tough and what challenges I have come against in business. Aside from the obvious struggles with juggling the business and family life, the toughest thing I have face and still face, is the criticism from mums who think my nappies are just 'ebay cheapies' at very inflated rates. I am a really sensitive person and criticism does hurt my feelings. I should toughen up!!!
'Ebay cheapies' as they are called are nappies which generally come straight from the factories in China and are what the say 'cheap' and you can get a nappy as cheap as £3. I really struggle with the fact that people think I get my nappies for a cheap rate and then sell them on for much more than other sellers on eBay. Not only that, I would never force my factory to sell my products at a silly price that means the factory ladies are not getting paid a fair wage. I actually stopped selling my nappies on eBay a long time ago to try and distance myself from the term 'eBay cheapies'. I realise that as long as Baba+Boo nappies are made from the same fabric, I am always going to have comparisons.
My nappies are more expensive than eBay cheapies for a number of reasons. Main reason is the fact that I have import costs which the sellers in China don't have. As they come from China by air, I have a conscience about the air miles they travel and I pay to offset the carbon from my shipments.
My nappies are more expensive than eBay cheapies for a number of reasons. Main reason is the fact that I have import costs which the sellers in China don't have. As they come from China by air, I have a conscience about the air miles they travel and I pay to offset the carbon from my shipments.I am really passionate about Baba+Boo nappies being a brand of nappies that mums trust and have confidence in buying. To ensure this, I spend a lot of money getting my nappies independently tested by UK labs to ensure that the fabrics don't contain nasty chemicals and I am very pleased to say that I have test certificates to show that they don't.
I spent a lot of time, choosing which factories made my nappies. Initially, I had my own policy which I sent over to them asking lots of questions about working conditions, working ethics and conditions. This was not the most ideal way to check initially but I wanted to show due diligence that I cared about the conditions they were made in. I now have had the factory independently audited to see that it adheres to the SA8000 international standards for social accountability. I am really pleased that the report shows that there is no child labour, no forced labour and discrimination. There are some things that the report showed which could be improved and I am working with the factory to improve these things.
Finally with the nappies, it seems people think that the are the same generic nappies from China with my label on. Again, this couldn't be further from the truth. I had several prototypes made and tested so I could perfect shape, performance and quality of materials. This process takes time and costs a fair bit of money.
I hope this shows that I do care where the nappies are made and also the costs I incur to have them made. There is obviously a profit margin in them, there has to be in order for it to be a viable business. I am in this for the long haul, not just to make a quick buck. I have said from the beginning that I am very transparent about where they are made and when I have had discussions with mums on forums about my nappies, I will gladly welcome any advice and guidance from those who are more knowledgeable than me about nappy production.
I am passionate about getting more babies bums in cloth and although I know I will never please everyone, I hope this piece will give you more of an insight into me and Baba+Boo nappies.