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
monster hunter 4 seregiosd’link dir-890l firmwareepson stylus photo r340 driverspooky’s house of jumpscares ghosthow to check ping in dotaheroes of the storm bugone night at flumpty’s officewalking dead road to survival mod apk 2018intel dual band wireless-ac 3160 problemsgigabyte ga-z270x-ud3
[url=https://bit.ly/3vE7KLN]sims 2 see them
[/url]
[url=http://grabr.ru/tegi/poluchit-trafik/]sound blaster audigy se drivers
[/url]
[url=http://besttops2n.blogspot.com/2021/04/mouse-with-pocket-scales.html]qualcomm atheros ar9485 driver windows 8.1 hp
[/url]
[url=http://seominds.ru/tag/самосовершенствование/]motorola razr d3 xt919
[/url]
[url=https://irinaleadercoach.com/2012/xotite-uznat-skolko-vy-uzhe-upustili-deneg/]ge72 2qf apache pro
[/url]
[url=https://bit.ly/2RYMqly]steelseries ps/2 keyboard
[/url]
[url=https://j.mp/34CZ7VG]sony bdp s3700 software update
[/url]
[url=https://bit.ly/2S0GMPJ]samsung e450 sound bar
[/url]
[url=http://seominds.ru/blog/11549.html]frontline defense special ops
[/url]
[url=https://bit.ly/3vHxcjE]gears of war 4 pc trainer
[/url]
corsair strafe static color not working
usb-n53 drivers
hp tc 4400 drivers
dell optiplex 755 drivers for windows 7 64 bit
gigabyte z77 ds3h drivers
https://bit.ly/3p3JX5u
https://bit.ly/3wMhwf4
https://bit.ly/2R7Hla2
http://hectornewss.blogspot.com/2021/05/free-windows-10-student.html
https://bit.ly/3fzL1Lg
https://bit.ly/3p6QxIh
http://newintheworld1234.blogspot.com/2021/05/gc420t-driver-download-windows.html
https://bit.ly/34DnGlD
https://bit.ly/3vGkcKP
https://bit.ly/2Raz1GI
beautylish makeup beauty tips
frozen sisters in cinema
how much is the lg stylo 2 plus metro pcs
asus z170 e drivers
z97 pc mate bios
nvidia shield tv downgrade firmware
m audio xponent software
microsoft comfort curve keyboard 2000 driver
tp link tl-wn721n driver
turbo mailer 2.7.10 free download
skyrim assassin mod armor
world war ii: frontline command
super collapse puzzle gallery 4
intel centrino wireless-n 1030 driver windows 10
snip not working spotify
https://christianityandbusinesslife.com/community/profile/bitstarz26896638/ Bitstarz 25 free spins, bitstarz review. We understand how difficult it is to find legitimate bitcoin gambling sites. https://naturetrust.org/groups/bonus-codes-bitstarz-bitstarz-giveaway/ Bonus codes bitstarz, bitstarz giveaway. We have a wide range of games for you and all of them are available at very reasonable prices. https://learnchessonline.in/community/profile/bitstarz16528383/ Bitstarz free bonus, bitstarz free chip 2020. This is the number one cause of alarm for traders wary of scammers. https://comfuturer.com/community/profile/bitstarz37595317/ Bitstarz wiki, bitstarz casino complaints. How to get Started on theses Bitcoin Casinos?. https://pcsclinicalsupportservices.massgeneral.org/community/profile/bitstarz25660535/ Bitstarz casino bonus codes, bitstarz casino askgamblers. Welcome Bonus Up to 1 BTC A Complete Sportsbook Instant Payments Read Review. https://ahamachines.com/community/profile/bitstarz36580229/ Bitstarz bonus codes 2020, bitstarz bonus terms. In the classic Bitcoin dice games you must guess the random number from for example between 0 to 9999. https://jakkals-paljas.com/community/profile/bitstarz32834329/ Bitstarz bonus ohne einzahlung, bitstarz bonus code no deposit. It will then be much easier for them to then turn their winnings into cash by using a digital currency exchange, a peer to peer service or even withdrawing them from a Bitcoin ATM!. https://balancewithdanielle.com/community/profile/bitstarz5322848/ Bitstarz promo code free 2020, bitstarz promo code 2020. Bitcasino has a dedicated live chat support feature, which like other Bitcoin casinos, makes it easy and quick to get help when you need it. https://hairlosshelp.dk/community/profile/bitstarz35341135/ Bitstarz 30 no deposit spins, bitstarz 30 free spin. Every game on the casino comes with its own provability widget, which shows players the client seed and hash value for each round of the game. https://www.cryptospacestation.com/community/profile/bitstarz27943689/ Bitstarz wiki, bitstarz 26. With this no deposit crypto casino bonus, you can sign up and play for free at new casino King Tiger!. https://scalingfinance.nl/community/profile/bitstarz20825236/ Coupon code for bitstarz, bitstarz rtp slot. Many of these like the Queen of the Nile slot from Aristocrat, has played a revolutionary role, especially in introducing popular bonus and free spins feature to the contemporary online slots with free spins that online casinos carry today. https://www.theqtree.com/community/profile/bitstarz8492009/ Bitstarz auszahlung, bitstarz 12. Accepts lots of currencies, including BTC, BCH, LTC, ETH, and more. https://www.editorsessentials.com/community/profile/bitstarz48427498/ Bitstarz mobile casino, bitstarz online casino. Alongside all of the popular Esports titles that other sites offer, such as Dota 2, CS:GO, and League of Legends, CloudBet also lets players place bets on FIFA cyber matches, NBA cyber, and other niche Esports. http://www.cryptonitenews.site/community/profile/bitstarz32024023/ Bitstarz casino no deposit bonus codes 2020, bitstarz casino avis. You came here wanting to know where to buy Bitcoin to use for online gambling, and we helped you with that as well as with so many more useful things you should know. https://eduniz.com/activity/p/8802/ Bitstarz promo code july 2020, bitstarz promo code free spins. Result Payout Any Any 10 Any 50 3 of a kind 3 of a kind 3 of a kind 100 Jackpot!. http://svetlana86.ru/index.php/component/k2/item/1 http://gistindia.org.in/index.php/component/k2/item/2 oetqnsfflvrwer
http://hitni.ru/community/profile/ana2128672260/ Anavar steroid for sale uk, anavar steroid 10mg. It may take a week or so to really get into your system, but when it does ’ it’s one of the best steroids around for building muscle. https://smarthomefeed.de/forum/profile/ana2147973306/ Anavar results, steroids for sale in japan. Then you are at right place. https://esppva.lt/community/profile/ana2124650865/ Anabolic steroid receptors, anabolic steroid edu. Unfortunately, this sends the wrong message to people about steroid use. https://mof.today/activity/p/17033/ 5 types of steroids, best fat burner supplement cutting. The process is known as protein synthesis. http://jiovana.com/activity/p/130658/ Steroids ai, trenbolone enanthate 500mg. Everybody has a wish to look big and robust with an adequate shape of his body. https://kinovinoidomino.ru/community/profile/ana2149864924/ Chaos cutz fat burner review, chaos cutz fat burner reviews. Any Trenbolone form will find itself at the top of the pack, but Fina simply edges out the rest, and for good reasons. https://rostovdr.ru/community/profile/ana2136343311/ Trenbolone enanthate – 3000 mgs a week, trenbolone enanthate 300 mg week. Deca Durabolin (200-400mg) + Testosterone Ethanate (500mg) ’ 8 weeks. https://d1collegehoops.com/community/profile/ana2110499945/ Will steroids reduce fever, will steroids lower your immune system. If you want to build muscle, the steroid hormone cortisol is your mortal enemy. https://mountainridgerugby.org/community/profile/ana2121721310/ Winstrol cutting diet, winstrol cutting dose. This, in turn, improves your body’s production of testosterone. http://rootq.net/profile/ana2110785969/ Steroids drugs dosage, steroids drugs mechanism of action. It has been observed that legal steroids containing the substance improve energy levels by almost 15%. https://bit-man.co.il/community/profile/ana2129711473/ Anabolic steroids price philippines, anabolic steroids in sport. This makes it one of the more favourite Steroids for bulking options, although it’s very potent. https://othermod.com/community/profile/ana2129018672/ Trenbolone acetate 4 week cycle, trenbolone acetate 300 mg. If you use Winny and your joints hurt, it is difficult to exercise. https://beatboxwave.com/forums/topic/bcaa-when-cutting-bcaa-when-cutting/ Bcaa when cutting, bcaa when cutting. The store offers worldwide shipping. https://millennialmon.com/community/profile/ana2139123318/ Will steroids help fluid in ears, will steroids cause hair loss. When you think about natural steroid alternatives, the first thing that springs to mind is usually obscure herbal extracts, but the scientific research indicates that many people should start with the basics. https://iamrachelrenee.com/community/profile/ana2129738258/ Tren and winstrol cutting cycle, tren and winstrol cutting cycle. Does The BEST Inc. http://videoman.sk/index.php/component/k2/item/6 http://turap.ro/component/k2/item/3 oetqnsfflvrwer
https://neuroboxing.cl/community/profile/bitstarz34742044/ Bitstarz casino affiliate program, bitstarz casino code. As we already noted, casinos take up a considerable amount of risk by offering these bonuses. https://pro.unbeaujour.fr/activity/p/118190/ No deposit bitstarz, no deposit bonus codes for bitstarz casino. BitcoinPenguin is cryptocasino founded in 2014. https://mof.today/activity/p/12313/ Is bitstarz casino legit, bitstarz kokemuksia. Your financial transaction making use of the Bitcoin is secured as Curacao licenses it. https://www.e-taragathi.com/community/profile/bitstarz23867260/ Bitstarz casino no deposit bonus codes november 2020, bitstarz casino bonus code 2020. LUCKY BIRD CASINO GIVES 50 FREE SPINS NO DEPOSIT. https://heritage-23.org/community/profile/bitstarz7742563/ 30 free spins no deposit bitstarz, 30 free spins bitstarz. SFXT gives out 1 BTC no deposit bonus (maximum 99999 USD) per new client of the company that registers during the promo period. https://www.mixdownhub.com/community/profile/bitstarz8873009/ Bitstarz casino withdrawal, bitstarz casino no deposit bonus code. VIPSTAKES GIVES 50 FREE SPINS NO DEPOSIT. https://mohammedsbookstore.com/community/profile/bitstarz40215175/ Bitstarz affiliates, bitstarz rtp. This promotions comes with a 6x rollover amount. https://dpk93.de/community/profile/bitstarz11506127/ Bitstarz welcome bonus, bitstarz no deposit promo code. This is because the exclusive perks that VIP Punters receive such as monthly cash backs or reload bonuses are currently available to all members who register today. https://homecarrepair.com/community/profile/bitstarz10771485/ Bitstarz malta, bitstarz 14 bonus code. Enter your wallet address and the amount to transfer. https://tmcs.site/community/profile/bitstarz34481306/ Bitstarz casino no deposit bonus codes, bitstarz casino promo codes. Wager is x40 of the bonus size. https://cabobreathfest.org/community/profile/bitstarz37628189/ Bitstarz.com reviews, bitstarz bonus code 2020. Wager is equal 60xB This bonus expires on 2020-06-06. https://ginkooutdoors.com/community/profile/bitstarz12657056/ Bitstarz deposit bonus codes, bitstarz deposit bonus code 2020. Once again we encourage you to use the Bitstarz bonus code: with it you can be sure to get all of the exclusive offers that casino prepared for our players!. https://stenograms.ru/community/profile/bitstarz25523466/ Promo code for bitstarz, promo code bitstarz casino. Bitcoin Casino No Deposit Bonus. https://oer.dev/community/profile/bitstarz862469/ Bitstarz casino bonus, bitstarz casino no deposit bonus 2020. BINGO BILLY gives exclusive 25 free spins no deposit for Diamond Bar to all new players that use the bonus code 25DIAMONDS in the registration form. https://thesheenterprise.com/groups/bonus-code-for-bitstarz-20-free-spins-bitstarz/ Bonus code for bitstarz, 20 free spins bitstarz. What is a crypto broker welcome bonus?. http://matsilperu.com/index.php/component/k2/item/1 http://thammydalieuhongphuchatinh.com/component/k2/item/5 oetqnsfflvrwer
I seriously love your site.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you make this
website yourself? Please reply back as I’m hoping to create my very own blog and want to know
where you got this from or just what the theme is named.
Kudos!
my website – flowerpot lamp geel