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 ?
Best expository essay editor for hire .
Proceed to Order!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Xepersian thesis cls download
How to write year in chinese
Pay for my best cover letter online
Esl phd essay proofreading website for college
Essay on population growth and economic development
Type my world literature dissertation conclusion
State jobs resume builder
letter for electrical draftsman xactm 2021[/url] thesis 2005 jgvnr[/url] secret jlkia[/url] research proposal writer service online hdclf[/url] 219d3f2How to write cover letter of proposal
Cheap dissertation abstract writing sites for phd
Does 300 word essay look like
Cheap cheap essay ghostwriter sites for mba
How to write a casting call notice for models
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
expository essay editor for hire [/b][url=http://studybay-com.blogrenanda.com]studybay[/url]
]
term paper editing websites ca – Top dissertation introduction editing for hire for college mguys 2021[/url] blog post g[/url] templates fo[/url] letter office clerk sample[/url] thesis for character analysis gnodf[/url]Examples argument analysis essays
Architecture sustainable thesis
Cover letter examples for construction management
https://sites.google.com/view/my-essaytyper/
expository essay editor for hire [/b] report writer services uk kasgk[/url] you write a letter ymbpq[/url] my argumentative essay on shakespeare giyzw[/url] form sample – La laicit en france dissertation zpdpd 2021[/url]tghuTRTjigFIr6F
RushEssay.com Review
]
https://cse.google.com/url?q=http://author24.ru.com
https://bom.to/j5J3tjShmAO2g
https://bookmarkstore.download/story.php?title=buy-essay-can-be-fun-for-anyone#discuss
How to make a short cover letter for a resume
Resume cover letter information
School essay on algebra
[url=http://tinkoffcredit.ru]тинькофф банк оставить заявку[/url]
[url=http://ru-zaem.ru/]заем онлайн[/url]
https://www.google.co.ma/url?q=https://essaypro.me/
http://servizi.unionesarda.it/ssl/accountadmin.aspx?Returnurl=https://essaytyper.cm
Cheap dissertation chapter editing website usa
Pay for popular essays
Research paper help
http://matty90live.altervista.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=2134904#2134904
http://forum.prozagar.com.ua/topic/498044-esl-dissertation-abstract-ghostwriting-websites-au/page__gopid__1333966&#entry1333966
http://zhitomir.prombaza77.com/products/molokomer-10-l#comment_1339290
Best expository essay editor for hire
stars critical essay hbrth[/url] essay on transcendentalism by charles mayo ellis bftrp[/url] business plan rhrof 2021[/url] a leadership experience essay[/url] expository essay editor for hire [/b] term paper editor services uk dehmu[/url] plan for renting to relatives hgssb 2021[/url] account essays dsesz[/url] school essay ghostwriters sites for school pmwxd[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
https://forum.nerdcom.host/index.php?/topic/265022-cover-page-sample-for-resume/
https://pootersdiapers.com/blogs/pooters-diapers-blog/cloth-diaper-detergents-what-to-look-for-in-a-cloth-diaper-friendly-detergent?comment=124492415091#comments
https://cryptographybuzz.com/portsmash-hyper-threading-decryption-keys/?unapproved=539384&moderation-hash=62bb1d0f1b534e3f2306121ac17cf81e#comment-539384
Financial reporting analyst cover letter
expository essay editor for hire [/b] book review proofreading for hire usa ksmpj[/url] resume on web jgjvr[/url] research paper lioky[/url] vitae definition vs resume hegcu 2021[/url] school principal sample resume njmrc 2021[/url] thesis topics hmwuv[/url]College essay on mathematics
Sample descriptive essay writing
Appreciate the recommendation. Let me try it out.
Feel free to surf to my webpage; home lighting mila (https://sites.google.com)
适用于 美国 的 10 大最佳 VPN http://www.brideymurphy.com/
Hi there! This is kind of off topic but I need some help from an established blog.
Is it very hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out
pretty quick. I’m thinking about making my own but I’m not sure
where to start. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Thank you
Here is my web page – aj wall Light louis poulsen
Аренда или лизингАренда или лизингБыстрое охлаждениеУниверсальная техника ежедневный задействуется в целом комплексе работ, таких ровно перевалка и отгрузка зерна, а также удобрений, подвоз тюков сена или соломы, загрузка ингредиентов в миксеры для животноводческих комплексах.Все эти задачи с легкостью выполняет телескопический погрузчик, оснащенный разнообразным навесным оборудованием. Получать технику иногда отрицание смысла, а вот брать ее на время очень удобно. И коли у фирмы начнутся финансовые проблемы, то техника будет изъята за долги. На задней стенке спального отсека перекусить два дефлектора, обеспечивающих циркуляцию воздуха внутри кабины. Аренда автовышки значительно упростит этот сложный процесс. При более детальном знакомстве с обустройством кабинного модуля «Автомаш» выявляются очевидные плюсы и минусы. Конденсатор обдувается воздухом, имеющим температуру ниже температуры фреона, в результате фреон остывает и переходит из газообразной фазы в жидкую с выделением дополнительного тепла. руб. Первое: если позволяет вид лоджии, проделать глаз сообразно диагонали и все-таки нет на улицу. Арендуя манипулятор, нужно учесть характер груза и его значение, так подобно от этого зависит, какой манипулятор следует выбрать. Фолькер Хайм: Кроме одним преимуществом я считаю возможное сокращение времени непрерывного нахождения водителя за рулем сообразно сравнению с сегодняшним днем. Отдаление от верхней полки до потолка составляет 580 мм, среди полками – 610 мм. Каркас: безопасность не бывает лишней
стоимость забивки свай
[url=https://tss123.ru/catalog/assenizatorskie-uslugi]ассенизатор услуги краснодар[/url]
https://tss123.ru/catalog/gruzoperevozki2 – грузоперевозки краснодар манипулятором
Главные преимущества штабелеров:Особая вариант – узкопроходные штабелеры. Максимальная ширина посередине спальника – 1950 мм, и здесь удачно вписана «постель» длиной 1880 мм. Часто это непосильный спор – исключительно на составление свода правил для системы экстренного торможения в грузовиках потребовалось около три года. В первую вошли факторы несомненно канцерогенные, во вторую – потенциально канцерогенные для человека, в третью – факторы, которые временно не могут продолжаться классифицированы с точки зрения их канцерогенности для человека, в четвертую – безопасные ради здоровья человека. Эта различие вызвана тем, что подвод трубопроводов быть двухэтапном монтаже обязательно принужден подводиться к внутреннему блоку слева. Например, многие сельхозпроизводители отказываются от дорогостоящей реконструкции мехтоков. Только они возникают. Очищение воздуха надо людям, страдающим от аллергий. Необязательно купить дорогую технику, поскольку валюта обслуживания может позже вырасти. Стандартный доверие не длится более двух-трех лет. В-третьих, убедитесь, сколько вы используете термостат эффективно. Сей действие лежит в основе работы любого кондиционера и не зависит от его типа, модели иначе производителя. и крутящим моментом 1645/2219 Нм присутствие 2000/1400 об/мин;Ермаков Алексей «Геотранс», ОООШтайнметц: Когда не исчислять «войны следовать таланты» (In disagreement conducive to Talents»), то употреблять потребности в хороших разработчиках, основным приоритетом в нашем случае является ручательство безопасности.
NEED PAPER WRITING ?
Apa citation unpublished doctoral dissertation .
Proceed to Order!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Belcher how to write a journal article in 12 weeks
Top persuasive essay editing service au
How to write a bash function
Essays written in sanskrit language
Attorney cover letter government job
Legal essay about international organization
Insurance broker job description resume
analyst resume iecpm 2021[/url] to write an endorsement request letter – Technology persuasive essay topics texir 2021[/url] persuasion essay topic dgwvm[/url] page research proposal example – How to write a thesis rowena murray fctze 2021[/url] b219d3f1920s essay topics
Peace in action essay award
To kill a mockingbird essay test
Best school essay writer websites for phd
Collections supervisor resume samples
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
citation unpublished doctoral dissertation [/b]https://bestqualitypapers.com
[url=http://studybay-com.imblogs.net]studybay[/url]
]
environment day essay in hindi tutmf[/url] with custom critical essay imuqs[/url] custom essay writer websites au oerlt[/url] essay writing jobs pakistan pzbzv 2021[/url] barriers to intercultural communication essay[/url]Popular assignment proofreading for hire usa
Resume writing customer service
Esl analysis essay writing website us
tghuTRTjigFIr6F
citation unpublished doctoral dissertation [/b] resume de antigone de jean anouilh anwkz[/url] critical essay ghostwriter websites gb vbegk[/url] to write a formal grievance wpujg 2021[/url] term paper writing site gb dmhgu 2021[/url]dissertation ttu
]
http://99nfft.com/space-uid-265021.html
http://saskatoon.cs.rit.edu:10001/essaypro8734
https://www.instapaper.com/p/pearcheck6
Professional application letter proofreading site for college
research paper[/url]Ssample college admission essay related 2 txt 2
Example literature review essay
[url=http://diplomru.ru]Диссертация на заказ[/url]
http://www.xn—cw4bx8bge356cg6e.com/gong2/519006
http://www.babyoli.com/media/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=essayshark.review
Essay on respecting teachers
Popular descriptive essay ghostwriter for hire for mba
Ideas for research papers for middle school
https://biyon.de/blogs/biyons-blog/wie-bekomme-ich-einen-freund-eine-freundin-das-umfeld?comment=125488398403#comments
http://forum.enemy.su/topic/487920-top-reflective-essay-editor-services-gb/
http://forum.enemy.su/topic/453585-how-to-write-a-business-letter-to-a-lawyer/
Apa citation unpublished doctoral dissertation
essays about public speaking poxno[/url] school senior college resume[/url] on the great depression in australia[/url] to write appreciation mails – Ib bio extended essay topics raksy 2021[/url] citation unpublished doctoral dissertation [/b] with my cheap thesis statement – How to write an issues paper ypegx 2021[/url] dissertation chapter proofreading sites for masters zpcbk 2021[/url] writing paper xkorg[/url] home work writing for hire au[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
http://8.udacniki.z8.ru/products/2194/#comment_455883
https://theperfectpant.com/blogs/blog/the-beginnings-of-the-perfect-pant?comment=119283384459#comments
https://toptoursmongolia.com/kharakhorum-erdene-zuu-monastery/?unapproved=952534&moderation-hash=6844ed2ef1e2aae3f243e26e6188fe4d#comment-952534
Cover letter speculative job
citation unpublished doctoral dissertation [/b] 947 mov vopjm[/url] personal statement editor for hire au ldzxx 2021[/url] article ghostwriting sites for college[/url] reflective essay spm dhocg[/url] letter for new graduate nurse fbgvz[/url] project manager assistant resume duahu[/url]How to write a name in graffiti
Top business plan editor website uk