From a young entrepreneur, selling candy and baked goods, to a busy mom designing modern and durable baby essentials in upstate New York. Meet Thema Frangias, the founder, owner, and designer (and everything in between) of KTJBaby. Learn how she found her calling and why using natural, organic, and locally sourced materials are so important to her.
NATURAWL: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me, Thema. I wanted to start out by telling you how much I love your handcrafted products (my baby does, too). I especially admire how important it is for you to use organic, non-toxic, plant-based materials for your goods. KTJBaby definitely aligns perfectly with our vision at NATURAWL. We are very proud to offer your goods to our ethical conscious consumers. I'd love to hear a little about your backstory and how KTJBaby came to fruition.
Thema: I would say that the birth of KTJBaby was inevitable and began when I was just a child. I have always been quite opportunistic and entrepreneurial. I never celebrated Halloween as a child or really consumed the sweets, but I sure did collect all the candy I could. A week later, I would turn around and sell it to my sugar deprived 8-year-old peers. Then around 10, I had a pillow business in which I had my first introduction to selling wholesale and door to door. With a lot of guidance from my mother, she would shove me into a store and I would pitch them my pillows. It was terrifying but very valuable. I learned about margins, and the basic wholesale jargon to eventually work my way into several small local boutiques and hospitals.
The next big venture was once again back to food but direct sales this time. I made about $2000 off of brownies in a couple of months in high school. This venture began because a friend offered me money for my brownies which I was sharing every day. My wheels began to turn. I would like to say this was my first introduction to branding. I started carrying the brownies around in Victoria Secret bags for the simple fact that they were sturdy and it was what I had on hand. But I became recognized by these pink stripe bags and soon known as "The Brownie Girl". People I did not know would rush up to me asking to buy my brownies! In between all of this, there were plenty of other little ventures but this should give you the idea of the foundation that was being built. When I found out I was expecting, I attempted to continue going to school for as long as I could but it just was not feasible. I was blessed with a fairly healthy pregnancy, but I had just about every full-blown symptom. Exhaustion, back pains, puking three times a day, even passing out. It just was not physically possible to continue. Yet the contrast of studying and working 24/7 to have nothing to do was unacceptable for my brain; so I began to sew. I started to sew everything I could for my son until there was nothing left to create.
I then made a few bibs for an expecting friend and she LOVED them. This was a very different bib than what I sell now but of course, my wheels began turning. I had a pretty dead Etsy shop that I put zero effort into. Why not list some of my bibs there? And that's just what I did. I had no intentions of starting a business, I just wanted to make some extra pocket cash to keep creating. Well, customers decided otherwise. I would eventually have a few sales a week. Nothing crazy but considering I did absolutely nothing to promote my shop, I knew I had something. I began to refine my product, I created a more appropriate business name, opened up a Facebook page and began to promote my shop. Things really began to take off. Eventually, a store had approached me asking for wholesale information. I was shocked but ready! Fortunately, I knew exactly what to do and my margins were right. After much refining of the product (the bandana bib has been through over six revisions!) and really making sure it was something that aligned with my values, I opened up my business to wholesale and now have products in about 50 boutiques around the country.
NATURAWL: As silly as it sounds, I have to admit that I was initially drawn to your business because the name, KTJBABY, reflects both mine (K) and my son's (TJ) first name initials, but after investigating further, I realized that the core values of your business aligned perfectly with NATURAWL. I guess some things are just meant to be! Is there a story behind your business name?
Thema: When I created my business name, I was purely trying to create something that was optimal for an online business. Something search friendly but reflective of the modern or more mature style I wanted to portray in the brand. The three letters are an abbreviation of my name, my son's father's name and the "J" is for junior. If I had more children, I didn't want the rest to feel left out.
NATURAWL: Can you tell us about the natural materials you use for your teething rings and bandanas and why using organic, non-toxic materials is so important to you?
Thema: Selecting the materials I use today was a LONG process. The bandana bib itself had gone through 6 pattern and material revisions during the early stage of the business. My son was the perfect tester for my bandana bibs as he was a very heavy drooler. He soaked through almost every bib I used including my own. So I sourced over 20 samples of terry cloth to finally find the one I use today. I had finally created a bib that would keep him dry all day! I also wanted to make sure that the terry cloth was organic, as this was the portion that is rubbing against the child's skin. I eventually started using more and more organic cottons for the prints as well and now offer a fairly wide variety of 100% organic bibs. The terry cloth is sustainably grown and made in the USA. Using as many USA made materials and businesses for my products is really important to me because this reduces the amount of miles traveled before the bib arrives in mama's hands. The snaps I use are the most secure ones I've found and are made and sold by a small family run business right in the US. I did quite a bit of researching when I went on to upgrade my labels and those are made by another Etsy seller in the US as well. The wooden rings are made only a few states away and are CPSIA compliant. I wanted to create products that made me feel good and that I felt comfortable using on my own child. The textile industry can be quite wasteful and toxic and we only have one planet! Even in my own practices, I am quite weary on reducing waste. I use the tiny bits of terry cloth, that I cannot re-purpose for sewing, to clean. I donate all other scraps to a local quilter. I try to reuse packing materials, buy in bulk, and utilize materials efficiently. I focus on doing the best I can while still maintaining the quality and price point.
NATURAWL: How do you select which patterns to use for your fabrics?
Thema: I like to keep several factors in mind while choosing fabrics. Quality and function always come first, so I tend to stick to prints from the same designers and distributors that I trust. My personal style really is definitely reflected in KTJBaby as well. I love to find prints that are timeless yet trendy. Longevity of style is just as important and longevity of the item itself. I am a bit of a minimalist
and firmly believe in purchasing only products that I totally love and will use; this is something I want to provide in each and every piece I create.
NATURAWL: So tell us, what's next for KTJBaby? What can we expect to see from your business in the near future?
Thema: As I grow I plan on becoming more "green" in my processes and materials. One example of this is to utilize recycled cardboard for the retail hangers. I had sought out recycled options when creating my initial design, but unfortunately, this would have cost more than the bibs themselves! As I scale, this will eventually become an option that won't hurt customers' pockets. By the end of this year, I would like to have accomplished this as well as getting a workspace outside of my home. This way I can possibly bring on a small team and create opportunities for others in my community. I look forward to connecting and working with more like-minded businesses to bring moms and dads products that work, feel good to purchase and will last through multiple children!
Thema resides with her family in Buffalo, New York.
Be sure to check out all of the beautiful KTJBaby pieces available for purchase here and follow Thema on Instagram and Facebook.
Your comment was posted successfully! Thank you!
NEED PAPER WRITING HELP?
Cover letter front desk hotel no experience .
Order NOW!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Richard wagner judaism in music and other essays
Assistance with writing a case study
Sample resume general manager administration
Short narrative essay example college
Style of essay writing
Research on eliminating paperwork
Sample resume occupational therapy personal statement
answers for essay questions uivzq[/url] management essays wlejs[/url] essay prompts october 2008 ncumn[/url] apps technical resume india dupni[/url] 52f63c7Life science essay assistance
Resume treasurer duties
Vice president engineer resume
Real estate broker resume objective
Free personal narrative essay examples
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
letter front desk hotel no experience [/b][url=http://studybay-com.blogoscience.com]studybay[/url]
]
presentation editing for hire for mba yucyr[/url] labourer resume[/url] limitations resume cgqnr[/url] web design objective szrbo[/url] to get english as second language article review pphsj 2021[/url]Cover letter for marketing executives
What is a good topic for an observation essay
Dracula essays bram stoker
tghuTRTjigFIr6F
letter front desk hotel no experience [/b] to right a job resume[/url] essay qouyr 2021[/url] essay prompt for university of cincinnati hyceq[/url] essay writers website for phd luzzp[/url]dissertation h
]
http://google.bi/url?q=https://essaypro.co
https://dollcrime5.doodlekit.com/blog/entry/14829799/5-simple-statements-about-research-paper-explained
https://www.codecademy.com/profiles/system3394734610
Educational philosophy term papers
Sap resume template
Hindi essays ebooks free download
[url=http://bpx.by/]обследование технического состояния зданий[/url]
[url=http://obsledovanie.www.by/]провести обследование здания[/url]
https://game7vienngocrong.net/forum/profile.php?id=545293
http://bittersweet.raindrop.jp/etc/goto.php?url=https://essaytyper.cm
Speech ghostwriters for hire usa
States history research paper topics
Learning resource teacher cover letter
http://forum.enemy.su/topic/454305-essay-format-cd-cm/
https://www.weleda.at/produkt/r/rasiercreme?r206_r1_r3:u_u_i_d=bb0e8aaa-d619-41eb-9a10-450345cfe2a2
https://bironi.ru/forum/messages/forum1/topic9/message384730/?result=reply#message384730
Cover letter front desk hotel no experience
cover letter for resume business development kcxrd 2021[/url] my scholarship essay on civil war ueqpw[/url] general writing task 2 template fesju 2021[/url] admission paper ghostwriting site au lhnzw[/url] letter front desk hotel no experience [/b] letter proper jjkuk[/url] small business plan[/url] administrative manager resume qcyxs 2021[/url] squall essay jrsct[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
https://www.kkt-shop.ru/blog/nachalo-prodazh-evotor-7-3#comment_5405
http://wowshop.com.tw/art/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=7558&pid=731117&page=1003&extra=#pid731117
http://sportensmiah.com/forums/topic/school-thesis-writing/
Pay to write remedial math cv
letter front desk hotel no experience [/b] mba scholarship essay assistance[/url] to write in email body when sending a resume lyvcx[/url] writing journalism dissertation proposal tjckz[/url] essays on apartheid xmatw 2021[/url] research paper editor websites for school – Sample resume manufacturing process engineer jfhhn 2021[/url] admission paper writers services au bysnl[/url]Bid specialist resume
Custom homework ghostwriters website
https://forum.smmile.com/forums/users/psallyannefowl Crypto casino games https://cucans.in.th/forums/users/paggioctopus New bitcoin slots november 2020 https://www.cookprocessor.com/forums/users/pvikichickadee Bitcoin slot machine gratis senza scaricare da bar https://lomeit.tg/forums/users/pgillcrane Онлайн bitcoin казино с бонус при регистрация без депозит http://www.youthforscience.org/forums/users/pmillieopossum Bitcoin sports betting exchange http://husarria.eu/forums/users/pwinonadonkey Queen of hearts free bitcoin slot games http://spanottica.it/forums/users/pcarrollchinchilla Free casino slots 50 lines https://rhinoplasti.ir/forums/users/pdorianfinch Real bitcoin casino free play https://football.ll.land/forums/users/pdidiptarmigan Bitcoin slot games themes https://www.recon-networks.com/forums/users/poralieboar Trenbolone enanthate werking http://www.youthforscience.org/forums/users/ptonyelephant Gonadal steroids list https://pelicious.si/forums/users/pteddiarmadillo Anabolic steroids test 400 https://gamingjump.com/forums/users/pdaffieboar Hgh20cazah https://pi0cket.com/forums/users/pcrystamammal Doctrine dbal json https://support.clipit.pro/users/pmadelinegret Games played in bitcoin casinos http://optimus-service.ru/index.php/component/k2/item/3 http://hoyer-gastronomie.de/index.php/component/k2/item/4 kejyqwoxvnle
Best Nude Playmates & Centerfolds, Beautiful galleries daily updates
fvideo porn euro 9 porn porn star rachel starr free porn bsdm torcher incredibles drawn pornhttp://dating.advice.relayblog.com/?destiney
имеет пробег;помогает погасить кредит, скупая кредитные машины;с просроченной либо отсутствующей документацией;Выкуп авто с пробегом
обучение a b
[url=https://schooldrivers.ru/]Автошкола Краснодар цены 2021[/url]
https://schooldrivers.ru/o-shkole/avtodrom – автошкола сдать на права
Теперь автовыкуп достаточно востребованная услуга. В силу качества предлагаемых услуг, нас выбирают опытные владельцы автомобилей с любой точки страны. Причина взяты из общедоступных объявлений о продаже автомобиля в сети. КОМУ ПРОДАТЬ БИТЫЙ АВТОМОБИЛЬ И ВЫГОДНО ЛИ ЭТО?максимальную выгоду через продажи;Основные преимуществабачок тормозной жидкости. Помимо того, такие организации предлагают замена практически гарантировано, отказы в таких случаях очень редки. Благодаря собранным материалам, у читателя появится мочь сделать выводы, каким образом увеличить эффективность реализации. Переходим к последнему варианту б/у авто<10 лет с пробегом больше 200 тыс. Определить на отверстие, угнанное авто иначе нет, также довольно проблематично. ТЕХНИЧЕСКОЕ СОСЛОВИЕ
https://xn—fryacraft-m8a.no/forums/users/pagneslemming Bitcoin casino games movies https://www.recon-networks.com/forums/users/pmarketaeagle Coin bitcoin slot image https://www.cdmontealto.com/forums/users/pdeeynsole Bitcoin slot planet 50 free spins no deposit https://forum.bigtree-tech.com/forums/users/pjojoalligator Symptoms for anabolic steroid abuse https://domainwebcenter.com/forums/users/painslienightingale Winstrol anabolic steroids for sale https://pelicious.si/forums/users/panjeladeer Steroids medication https://www.treasuretracer.com/forums/users/pardineharrier Online bitcoin casino bonusgeld ohne einzahlung https://odeha.com/forums/users/pstevanaleopon Www borgata online casino https://bestvpnforum.com/forums/users/panabalfly Legal consequences for using anabolic steroids http://planetnelly.co.uk/forums/users/pjanescorpion Somatropin 10iu https://zaikedaarfood.com/forums/users/pmadlenswan Anabolic steroids buy https://sussexscene.com/forums/users/ppollyannalobster Free bitcoin slot games house of fun https://idamittham.com/forums/users/pkierstenmite 30 free spins париматч https://ibdguide.net/forums/users/pdonicamarmot Free spins joining bonus https://goldaro.com/forums/users/prianonshark Онлайн bitcoin казино приватбанк https://www.duelmener-naturtrailpark.org/component/k2/item/2 http://howcore.ir/index.php/component/k2/item/1 kejyqwoxvnle
https://calimotion.com/forums/users/prianehippopotamus Casino apps that give you real money https://odeha.com/forums/users/ppenelopatick Buysteroids.com review https://www.dirk-farsch.de/forums/users/pflossiblackbird Free game bitcoin slots for fun https://www.secretlifeofbabies.com/forums/users/pfernesmelt Playamo withdrawal http://busfishing.ru/forums/users/pcarlynnwoodpecker Anabolic growth hormone https://androfon.ru/forums/users/pdeloraasp Deca durabolin for joint pain https://kmcp.or.ke/forums/users/pelmiracamel Online bitcoin casino 10€ bonus ohne einzahlung https://iogame.pw/forums/users/ptheresinacatfish Steroid supplements side effects https://forum.smmile.com/forums/users/pvivieneguppy Boldenone 200 malay tiger http://www.ibrahimhaliler.com/forums/users/parlinealbatross Free spin frenzy slot machine online http://era-gold.com/forums/users/prosatarantula Non steroid bodybuilding workout https://kaysarkobir.com/forums/users/paubreyscallop Bitcoin slot machine games at winstar http://85gg8.com/users/pscarletttakin Winstrol tablet fiyat https://egelive.net/forums/users/pyoshisturgeon Free 5 spins http://spanottica.it/forums/users/psuemarten Gambling games online free http://trasportititosaverio.it/index.php/component/k2/item/3 http://dutchmodernacademy.com/index.php/component/k2/item/9 kejyqwoxvnle