Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative

Saturday, August 7, 2010

The 411 on Hemp + Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefold Giveaway! Ends 08-31-10

Welcome to Everything you ever wanted to know about Hemp!

Why do an entire post on Hemp? Because Hemp is fast becoming one of the most popular components in diaper making and it happens to be sustainable too. The problem is that it's controversial and there are many misconceptions regarding this amazing resource. Hopefully this post will shine some light on the truth about Hemp and help us all understand it's place in our lives.

Let's first address some of those laughable yet serious questions that most people may have

about Hemp.

If it's Hemp can I smoke it? This seems like a silly question, people really aren't going to try and roll up their hemp t-shirt or diaper and smoke it, but in theory they wonder "Are hemp and marijuana the same thing? The truth is that hemp plants and marijuana plants are NOT the same.

Both the marijuana plant and hemp plant are of the same species but must be grown to produce entirely different plants to yield the desired results. Marijuana plants are desired for their leaves and/or buds and are therefore grown to be "bushy." Hemp plants grown for their fiber and edible seeds are cultivated to be stalky plants with very few leaves. Finally, marijuana results in a crop with high levels of THC while hemp plants contain only trace amounts.

What makes Hemp perfect for cloth diapers and clothing? Well as far back as Christopher Columbus people have been using hemp because of it's superior strength and durability compared to other fibers. It is one the fastest growing renewable energy sources and requires little to no pesticides and no herbicides, unlike cotton, which makes it a super eco-alternative. It also produces more protein, oil, and fiber than any other plant on earth.

Hemp is also superior in it's absorbency compared to other fibers. When compared to cotton it was able to absorb at least 50% more liquid and required much less mass which makes it a super absorbent AND trim alternative.

Hemp is also naturally anti-microbial! This provides a natural protection against mold, mildew, undesired bacteria and other fungus. This is a huge perk and a valuable trait, especially for cloth diapers and inserts.

So let's re-cap!

You can't smoke Hemp
Hemp is a renewable and sustainable resource
Hemp is an environmentally friendly crop
Hemp is superior in strength
Hemp is more absorbent
Hemp has naturally anti-microbial properties
Hemp is more durable than cotton and other fibers

So, now you know why many cloth diapering moms thinks Hemp is the perfect choice for use in some of their most popular products! You can find Hemp in a variety of Knickernappies items like Loopy Do's, Super Do's, Just Hemp Doublers, Stay Dry Hemp Doublers, Hemp Prefolds, Stackable Mama Pads, and Reusable Nursing Pads. Plus, Thirsties recently debuted a a fabulous new product I love called the Duo Hemp Prefold. It's as soft as a t-shirt and is also super absorbent.

I hope this post has helped you view Hemp in a whole new light!

Giveaway Details: Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefold in Sz1 or Sz2
Are you interested in winning a Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefold? Enter the giveaway below. Giveaway ends 08-31-10.

Please leave one comment per method of entry.

*Mandatory first entry, Subscribe to the Earth Angels Diaper Co. Newsletter
*One extra entry, Become a Fan of Earth Angels Diaper Co on FaceBook
*One extra entry, Become a Fan of Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on FaceBook
*One extra entry, Follow Earth Angels Diaper Co's Blog, DiaperDiscussions
*One extra entry, Follow this Blog, Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative

Friday, August 6, 2010

Wahmies One Size Review & Giveaway

I just found another great reason to use Wahmies One Size diapers which inspired me to write my post today about this diaper. This diaper is a one size diaper with a weight range of 4-40 pounds, which is the largest weight range I have seen. The diaper is available in hooks or snaps and now comes with a Bamboo and Cotton fold to fit insert.

The great thing about this diaper is its adjustability.

The front of the diaper has snaps that will allow for adjustment in the rise of the diaper. Use the smallest snap setting for newborn and unsnap all of the snaps for your toddlers. I personally use the Wahmies One Size diaper with hooks. The hooks are great! They really allow you to adjust the sides/waist of the diaper so that the sides do not fall down, which is commonly referred to as "wing droop". The best way to illustrate the way to use this diaper is by watching the video here.

I found another use for the diaper when my sister-in-law was looking for a solution for her toddler. Every morning he would wake up, take off all of his clothes and his disposable diaper and smear his poo all over the walls and all over his crib! Right away the Wahmies diaper came to mind. I thought hooks would be a fool-proof way to keep his bed poo-free. Turns out that it worked like a charm. He even started considering his cloth diapers his "big boy pants".

So if you're looking for a soft diaper with great adjustability that will work well through toddlerhood consider the Wahmies One Size!

Want to win one?

One winner will be chosen August 13th through random.org You may enter through the means detailed below. Please only leave comments for the qualifications you have completed as any extra posts will disqualify you.

*Mandatory entry* Like Tender Loving Cloth Diapers on Facebook
1 Additional Entry - Like Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on Facebook
1 Additional Entry - Follow this Blog

Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Nappy Strap Story

Well you have heard the phrase "necessity is the mother of invention" right? Well that has lead to a couple of the products in my store's line up, the main one being the G-Flapper diaper insert.

My name is Sharni, and I am the owner of Nappy Shoppe. My store not only stocks brand name diapers, but also products made by myself and my sewing friends.

The Nappy Strap is one of those items that was created out of a need. My husband prefers diapers that close with hook and loop. He does not like snaps at all. This man can be so helpless when it comes to anything with an ick factor. We have a little stash of AIO hook and loop diapers just for him. You can read about him in a previous post here.

But the biggest drawback to hook and loop is that it is not as durable as snaps. Yes it is easy to use, Yes it is better adjusting for fit on baby and so on, but fact is, that hook part loves to attract fluff, and loves to curl up. So over time, I end up having to replace the hook and loop on some of my son's diapers.

I had a few diapers that were in need of hook tab replacement, but I just had not found the time, so out of desperation, I went into the sewing room and grabbed a 5 inch strip of hook tape and laid it over the top of his hook on his bum genius diapers. Wala! It held the tabs in place, and we had no accidental diaper removals. But problem was the edges of the hook tape are rather sharp, and my son ended up with red marks on his thighs where they came in contact with the tape when he was moving around.

So then I went back to the sewing room and grabbed a scrap of minky fabric. Sewed it up and attached the hook tape to it. That way I had a nice soft edge where it came in contact with his legs, and no more red marks.

So when a local customer/friend was over complaining about her daughter doing the diaper strip, I made her one. And she said it helped stop her daughter taking her diaper off.

Well if the two of us found it useful for two different reasons, I figured others would want it too. So the Nappy Strap was born, and now I sell it on my website.

It works on any hook and loop diaper that has an upper tab of loop for the hook of the Nappy Strap to stick to. This includes diapers like the Bum Genius, Tiny Tush, Thirsties and more. It wont work with Happy Heiny and Drybees diapers as their hook and loop is covered up (and I find their hook and loop wears better because of this method of construction).

*Giveaway*
Congratulations to Mrs B and Heather A (27 and 38). Each of you have won a Nappy Strap!

Monday, August 2, 2010

The Joy of the Ring Sling & Gift Certificate Giveaway

Ring slings are a wonderful option for the first time baby wearing family. Ring Slings are quick, easy, have a small learning curve, and are good from newborn to toddler. There are different options for a ring sling. You can choose either an open or closed tail, and choose rails that are padded, lightly padded or un-padded. With these selections you can find just the right style ring sling for you. The Zolowear is an example of an unpadded open tailed ring sling. The Hava is an example of a lightly padded system.

How is a ring sling quick you might ask? Putting on a ring sling is as quick as tossing your cross bodied purse on. Ring Slings go on the same way, from one shoulder to the opposite hip with a simple ‘tail’ (the part of fabric hanging towards the floor). Once baby is in the sling you can leave the tail to hang or tuck it up inside the sling, whichever you prefer.

Ring Slings have one of the smallest learning curves which make them great for first time baby wearers. Place the rings on the shoulder farthest from where you want baby. For me I liked having baby more to my left so the rings would go on my right shoulder.

Carrying your newborn is easily done in the front snuggle position shown here with a Zolowear style ring sling. You can have the legs in or out once you become more comfortable with how to adjust and fit your right sling.

Toddlers can be worn in many positions, from the facing out shown here in the Hava style ring sling, to the hip carry, and for the advanced baby wearer (yes you will achieve this status very soon) the back carry.

The easiest way to learn how to use your sling to its fullest is to watch someone and get patient instruction. The Tummy2Tummy DVD is the perfect in home help for learning how to use your ring sling.

*Giveaway*
This week’s giveaway is a $10.00 gift certificate towards the baby carrier of your choice. Here is what I ask of you as methods of entry. Leave one comment for each method:

*Mandatory Entry* Like Snuggle Hugs on Facebook
1 Extra Entry - Follow Snuggle Hugs on Twitter
1 Extra Entry - Follow CDR Cooperative on Facebook
1 Extra Entry - Follow CDR Cooperative on Twitter
1 Extra Entry - Follow this Blog! (Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative)

*One random winner will be chosen. Giveaway ends August 18th

Chrisitne of Snuggle Hugs LLC

** Winner of the $10.00 gift certificate is Kimberlie!, Congrats! **

Friday, July 30, 2010

Green Your Home!

10 Things You Can Do In Your Home Today To Go Green

1. Decrease your shower by 2 minutes or better yet turn it off when you are washing your hair and body. Then turn it on to rinse off. Green Tip: This will save 10 gallons of water!

2. Turn your thermostat up 2 degrees in summer with air conditioning and 2 degrees lower in winter. Green Tip: This will save you about $200 a year!

3. Recycle and get your community to recycle all plastics not just 1 and 2. Green Tip: If everyone recycled and separated paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum products and put them in the recycling bin it would decrease the amount sent to landfills by 75%.

4. Compost. Green Tip: Composting will save you money as you will not have to buy fertilizer for your garden, plus an added bonus you can decrease your garbage output.

5. Run Full Loads in the Dishwasher and don't prerinse. Green Tip: Doing both will save 20 gallons of water per load and 7,300 gallons over a year.

6. Get a reusable Pail liner for your garbage cans and then use only reusable bags at the grocery store. Green Tip: Doing this will save you about $30 a year in buying garbage bags and with every ton of plastic bags not used we save 17 trees and eleven barrels of oil.

7. Flush your toilet less. Green Tip: 1 less flush a day saves 4.5 gallons of water.

8. Stop the junk mail. Green Tip: go to www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist It costs $1 but will limit your junk mail.

9. Close your curtains when it's sunny in the summer and cold in the winter. Green Tip: This could reduce your energy needs by 25%.

10. Clean your dryer. Green Tip: Empty the lint screen and don't overload and you could save 5% on your electricity bill or for even more savings use your clothesline or use wool dryer balls to decrease your dry time!

Here are some quick and easy recipes to clean your house and they work great too!

ALL PURPOSE CLEANER

*This cleaner works wonders. It cuts grease better than any other commercial product I ever used. Just be careful because the Borax is toxic. I have known people that just eliminate the Borax and use a little elbow grease to make it work.

Ingredients:
Liquid soap or detergent (I use Dr. Bronners)
White Distilled water
Borax
Purified water (though I use tap water)
Essential Oils for Fragrance (optional)

Additional Items:
A 16oz spray bottle

* Mix 2 tablespoons vinegar with 1 teaspoon borax.
* Fill the bottle with hot water.
* Add 1/4 cup liquid soap or 1/8 cup liquid detergent last
* Scent with 10-15 drops of essential oil

TUB AND TILE CLEANER

*This cleaner is amazing on soap scum. I had used commercial products to try and get the soap scum off that we get because of hot water and NONE worked as well as this cleaner.

Ingredients:
Baking Soda
Liquid Soap (I use Dr. Bronners)
White Distilled Vinegar
Water

Additional Items:
A 16 oz squeeze bottle or I like to use a pint size wide mouth ball jar. You can use the quart size but it is difficult to get to the bottom if you have bigger hands.

* Mix 1 2/3 cups baking soda with 1/2 cup liquid soap
* Dilute with 1/2 cup water
* Add 2 tablespoons Vinegar last (it will foam and is fun for kids to watch)
* Mix until lumps are gone and if it does not run easily into your container add more water

*I generally make a double batch of this. Also if it dries out you can just add water and it works great.

What other kinds of cleaners would you like to know about and I will gladly post more?

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Review of Fresh Moon Mama Pads & a Giveaway!!

Hey there mamas!! I'm Christy with Gorgeous and Green. Back for "my time" of the month to talk about just that. When I started cloth diapering, I at first didn't even think about doing the same sort of thing for myself. Then a couple of months later I started reading all these posts on different forums about mamas using cloth pads and even the Diva Cup. It took me a LONG time to wrap my head around the thought of washing my monthly necessities but I finally did it!

I started off using Happy Heiny's mama pads and they worked very well. Then I decided to get a couple of these new ones I'd started carrying to test them out and they were even better! They're Fresh Moon pads and they are SO super soft and absorbent! They stay in place very well, much to my surprise, and clean up nicely too.

Fresh Moon offers several different fabric combinations and sizes to accomadate your lightest or heaviest days. They also have their Elegance line that come in an elegant black color and with a top layer of organic Bamboo Velour.

I'm still not sure that I will ever be able to get myself to use a Diva Cup, but I feel much better knowing that I'm helping out the Earth by reusing my pads. Now when "my time" is upon me I have one thing to look forward to - the softness of Bamboo and no thick bulky pads!

Now you have something to look forward to - your chance to win two different sizes and fabrics of Fresh Moon pads of your choice! Please be patient as I'm waiting for my shipment to arrive so my site shows "out of stock". I expect them any day now!

Here's the list of ways to enter:

1) Follow Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative's blog.
2) Follow Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on Facebook.
3) Visit Gorgeous and Green on the web and find a fun product that isn't a cloth diaper and comment on here about it.
4) Follow Gorgeous and Green on Facebook.
5) Follow Gorgeous and Green on Twitter.
6) Post about this giveaway on Facebook - tag Gorgeous and Green & Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative. You may post this once a day.
7) Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. Please say "Win a Fresh Moon Pad from @Gorgeousgreenmd http://bit.ly/b3rxcJ on @cdretailercoop http://bit.ly/a7ZK0t". You may tweet this once a day.

Rules:

1) Please be sure to be signed into Blogger when commenting here or leave your contact info. Winner has 48hrs to respond after I contact them and then if no response another winner will be chosen.
2) For every entry above, you must comment that you did it. For daily FB status updates and tweets, you much comment each time and add a link.
3) Prize to be chosen from in-stock items only.
4) Giveaway will run until August 7th at 11:59pm. After that a winner will be chosen via random.org and entries will be checked to be sure they are valid.

Have a fantastic day!
Christy, Gorgeous and Green

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Gro Via for the first time

Gro Via diapering system is a one size cover with a snap in soaker. The touch tape fabric and innovative laundry loop were the wonderful features that jumped right out at me when I first saw this diaper. Then I opened the diaper and WOW the snap in soaker was plush and the elastic running along the sides was absolutely fantastic. My first impressions were above and beyond what I expected.

Let’s break down this hybrid diaper starting with the shell or cover for us old timers. The Gro Via shell is a one size shell covering from infant to potty learning. Simply snap down the front of the shell to give your baby the perfect fit. The shells come in a wide variety of colors and some of the cutest prints around. The wide loop fabric at the waist allows for a customized fit - angle the tabs down to narrow in the waist or angle them up to narrow up the legs.

Now on to the snap in Organic Cotton Soaker. You want to talk about fluff and design you will find both in these soakers. The best part is they are organic to boot. The snap in feature keeps the soaker right where it belongs so there is no shifting while on baby regardless of how rough baby plays. Gro Via put a touch of elastic in the leg portion of the soaker to better contain anything the baby can put out. The elastic helps keep the poop in the soaker and off the shell so you can use the shell again and again.

For those babies that like to hold things in for awhile and then let it all out at once you can add on Boosters in either organic cotton or a stay dry option if you prefer. The organic option adds three thirsty layers of absorbency and the stay dry also has three layers of absorbency with a fleece topper.

Come on over to Snuggle Hugs and have a peek at them. While you’re there check out the Magic Stick diaper ointment and the Bio-liners that are flushable.

All in all I was very impressed with this diaper and I believe you will be too. The best part is they are on sale right now, giving you the opportunity to try out a great new diapering system at a discount.

Thanks for reading,
Christine of Snuggle Hugs LLC

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