Every Earth Day, people worldwide turn their attention to finding simple ways to be a little more eco-friendly. For Orcutt mom Laura Weiting, her sensible solution was switching over from disposable to cloth diapers, and getting others to do the same.
Last year, Weiting started researching the benefits of cloth diapers after finding her second baby was allergic to disposables, and soon began making her own. She found a Chinese company to manufacture the diapers to her specifications and purchased them wholesale. Then, she connected to young mothers through Facebook groups and started advertising on Craigslist.
Since launching last September, she’s sold more than 700 of her OhFancyBaby diapers.
“It just boomed,” Weiting said. “Now I’m shipping to Germany, Puerto Rico, and pretty much all over.”
OhFancyBaby diapers aren’t the cloth diapers your mother might’ve used. They come in various colors and prints, and, instead of traditional pins, the diapers have adjustable snaps for easy removal.
Besides being more stylish, Weiting said, they’re also healthier for babies, causing less skin irritations and diaper rashes. Prices run about $12 to $15 for each diaper, with full packages—including diapers, bags, and inserts—for about $300.
Whereas an average person will spend $2,000 to $3,000 per child on disposables, Weiting said, an investment of between $300 to $500 can buy enough diapers to last a baby until potty training; that’s typically about 20 to 25 diapers. Plus, they can be reused, with benefits for parents and the environment.
“They’re one size fits all, so you’re not having to buy all these different size diapers, and they can be used with the next child,” she said. “On the other side, you’re not contributing to the thousands and thousands of diapers that go into landfills every year.”
In addition to diapers, Weiting makes “wetbags” with waterproof lining to hold dirties, as well as reusable cloth wipes. Besides her online sales, she plies her wares at Baby Expo events, and on April 21, she’ll be in Ventura participating in the international Great Cloth Diaper Change, an event advocating a transition from disposables.
“It would be awesome if everybody switched over to cloth,” Weiting said. “It would just be so much better for the environment. … People are just unaware of what’s out there.”
Weiting is working to get her products into local boutiques and eventually into larger retail stores. Currently, through her website and from her home, she offers free shipping on orders costing more than $45, and every Friday posts a “Fancy Friday” deal on Facebook, varying from buy-one-get-one-free specials to $5 off coupons.
To find out more about OhFancyBaby, visit facebook.com/ohfancybaby or ohfancybaby.com. You can also e-mail OhFancyBaby@gmail.com to set up an appointment to purchase via a visit to Weiting’s home.
Highlights
• Craft beer fanatics will have much to savor at the first-ever Santa Ynez Valley Craft Beer Week, scheduled for May 12 to 20 at various local breweries.
The week kicks off with the Buellton Brew Fest on May 12 from noon to 4 p.m. in
Riverview Park, featuring nearly 30 breweries. Throughout the week, Wandering Dog Wine Bar and Bin 2860 in Los Olivos will host craft beer classes and home brewing basics, and beer-making store Valley Brewers in Solvang will hold demonstrations. On May 15, wine and beer lovers can test their taste buds with the Figueroa Mountain Brewery Beer vs. Santa Barbara County Wine dinner at the Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe.
Attendees will be able to enjoy beer and cheese pairings at Wandering Dog Wine Bar or pairings with dinner at Firestone Taproom or Solvang Brewing Company during the week. Flights will also be sampled at Figueroa Mountain Brewery’s Buellton location, or in Solvang at Randy’s Taproom and the Valley Vino Wine Bar & Merchant.
For more information on SYV Craft Beer Week events, go to visitthesantaynezvalley.com.
Biz Spotlight/ Highlights are written and compiled by Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Apr 19-26, 2012.
