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
https://stage-forum.pipe-flo.com/community/profile/casinobtc28012432/ No deposit bitcoin casino games online, no deposit bitcoin casino games. A complete list with the bitcoin casinos that you can play from UK , UK players accepted!. http://wisevietnam.org/forums/profile/casinobtc21434877/ Slots jackpot casino codes, slots jackpot party casino. Online gambling is taking the gaming industry by storm. https://theincurablediseases.com/community/profile/casinobtc24738218/ Top cryptocurrency casinos, top cryptocurrency casinos. UK Bitcoiners Might Have Tax Loopholeby. https://robinzon.uz/community/profile/casinobtc17937830/ Кено онлайн на деньги казахстан, кено онлайн кз. The block for a hash is announced before the block is mined, ensuring that the numbers contained within the hash are completely random and verifiable. https://casual-infofun.ru/community/profile/casinobtc48244738/ Online free bitcoin slots with bonus feature, online free bitcoin slot machines with bonus rounds. The client is given almost 1,200 titles to choose from, most of which are provided by reputed casino software developers, such as Novomatic and BetSoft. https://dvinem-site.ru/community/profile/casinobtc2097521/ Bitcoin casino with free spins on sign up, bitcoin casino 888 online. When you visit the Nitrogen Sports website you get an honest but surprising message. https://www.mehrmedien.at/community/profile/casinobtc17344068/ Top online casinos australia 2020, top online bitcoin casinos for usa players. This bitcoin dice game is extremely easy to play and you do not need to have prior experience. https://arabic.top10master.com/community/profile/casinobtc22414414/ Big easy casino phone number, big easy bitcoin slots online. There are also power ups that you can purchase to make things easier for yourself if you want. https://omtv.dk/community/profile/casinobtc23005800/ What online bitcoin slots pay real money, what online bitcoin slots pay real money. This crypto casino accepts six cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Litecoin (LTC), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Tether (USDT). https://www.wordshares.com/community/profile/casinobtc34449801/ Pick up bitcoin slot car, pick up bitcoin slot car. Any rollover requirement of the previous bonus must have been completed. https://spedsheets.com/index.php/community/profile/casinobtc22116507/ High end casino, high end casino markham. Check out BitStarz casino offers signup bonuses, deposit bonuses, but also a smart affiliate program provably fair system casino offers signup bonuses, deposit bonuses, but also a smart affiliate program. https://forums.excelwithsmart.com/community/profile/casinobtc29785229/ Hollywood bitcoin casino online pa reviews, hollywood bitcoin casino bitcoin slots for fun. Not only that, but the payouts are in the span of 48-hours. https://community.ncdev.co.za/forums/forum/general-discussions/ Top uk online bitcoin casino sites, top uk bitcoin slot sites. Although every online casino has its fair share of slots titles, BitStarz has some of the very best titles from industry-leading game providers. https://dawsontime.com/community/profile/casinobtc36107477/ Game bitcoin slot online hadiah terbesar, game bitcoin pc. Casino No deposit bonus Features Go to site. https://ebonyrealm.org/community/profile/casinobtc22389202/ Lancelot bitcoin slot machine online, lancelot bitcoin slot machine online. RTG Android iOS Mobile Australians now have a cheeky new online casino where they can play their favourite pokies and table games on their computer, phone or tablet. http://oticaportoalegre.com.br/index.php/component/k2/item/7 http://cwm.or.id/index.php/component/k2/item/6 oetqnsfflvrwer
Потеряли работу? Устали от ограничений? Надоело сидеть дома? Быть может наш приятный сюрприз поднимет Вам настроение? Заходите https://e-check.top и Вы не пожалеете!
https://effzehtest.de/community/profile/bitz41283470/ Bitstarz ingen innskuddsbonus 20 zatočení zdarma, bitstarz ingen insättningsbonus october 2021. However, the country has just recently started to open up to online gaming by recently passing bills for operators who are looking to run casinos within the country. http://opennet-blog.de/community/profile/bitz12768621/ Bitstarz ndb, bitstarz ndb code. The operator of this casino happens to be part of a casino that is well established. https://retrogame.cyberphreak.com/community/profile/bitz49730649/ Bitstarz casino 25 бесплатные вращения, bitstarz casino careers. Often the process takes also home adress or phone number check up. https://robinzon.uz/community/profile/bitz30402354/ Bitstarz casino kein einzahlungsbonus 2021, bitstarz casino online. Preferred Method Deposit Bonus VIP Bonuses : Many casinos offer VIP bonuses to loyal clients. http://hitni.ru/community/profile/bitz32358346/ Bitstarz партнерка, bitstarz bitcoin casino ingen insättningsbonus codes 2021. No deposit bonus: 10 free spins. https://rostovdr.ru/community/profile/bitz38088725/ 20 tiradas gratis bitstarz, bitstarz casino 30 freispiele. The following casinos offer the widest selection of BCH Roulette games: BetChain Casino 37 Roulette variants 8 Live roulette tables FortuneJack Casino 35 Roulette variants 40 Live roulette tables mBit Casino 23 Roulette variants 8 Live roulette tables Crypto Games 1 provably fair BCH Roulette. https://slots-bonuses.com/activity/p/118013/ Ingen insättningsbonus codes bitstarz, ingen insättningsbonus for bitstarz casino. Back in 2013, Cloudbet became one of the first online casino sites that accept BTC. http://merrimacprojects.com/community/profile/bitz4391168/ Bitstarz бесплатные вращения codes, bitstarz бесплатные вращения code. As the name implies, this casino specializes in dice games. https://www.skullyapp.com/community/profile/bitz31299426/ Betstars recenze, bonus senza deposito codes for bitstarz. This means that the BTC can be bought in the Virtual world mainly for speculative purposes. https://nvrn.net/groups/bitstarz-casino-avis-bitstarz-casino-bonus-codes-2021/ Bitstarz casino avis, bitstarz casino bonus codes 2021. When we tested this service the reps we spoke to were polite and knowledgeable. https://hawaiisecuritycameras.com/community/profile/bitz42996303/ Bono sin depósito codes bitstarz, bono sin depósito for bitstarz casino. The platform looks retro, but unfortunately not in a good way. http://arturpilch.com/groups/bitstarz-casino-bonus-senza-deposito-codes-2021-bitstarz-casino-ingen-innskuddsbonus-codes-november-2021/ Bitstarz casino bonus senza deposito codes 2021, bitstarz casino ingen innskuddsbonus codes november 2021. So, when you deposit funds into your account, you can get a deposit award. http://jameshollis.com/community/profile/bitz45549963/ Bitstarz bonus senza deposito 20 tiradas gratis, bitstarz bonus code бесплатные вращения. Claims for damages as a result of errors in the system may only be honored if accompanied by a valid proof. https://caduhcarvallho.com.br/community/profile/bitz31834847/ Bitstarz sign up freispiele, bitstarz sign up gratisspinn. The currency support is pretty impressive as well, it supports Bitcoin ( obviously) along with Doge, Game, XEM, Dash, LTC, ETH, XMR, ZEC, Function coins. https://qaas.tn/groups/bono-sin-deposito-codes-for-bitstarz-bono-sin-deposito-for-bitstarz-casino/ Bono sin depósito codes for bitstarz, bono sin depósito for bitstarz casino. FortuneJack is an honest Bitcoin casino where you can enjoy up to 35 versions of the roulette game. http://konditer32.ru/index.php/component/k2/item/2 http://tienganhykhoa.com/index.php/component/k2/item/6 oetqnsfflvrwer
I’ll immediately grasp your rss feed as I can not to find your e-mail
subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any?
Please allow me recognize so that I may just subscribe.
Thanks.
Feel free to visit my homepage :: Daegu OP
NEED PAPER WRITING ?
Psc essay questions .
Order NOW!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Case survey method
Warehouse distribution resume template
Rcas hawks homework
Cheap admission essay editor website online
Write a comment website herpes
Yalta conference essay
Cheap paper ghostwriters services for college
critical analysis essay editing sites for university rcfug[/url] course work ghostwriter site for mba qhdyw[/url] maker pro megaupload ovgbv 2021[/url] college application essay prompt hyblo[/url] 3c76b21Custom cv writing site for masters
Top article review proofreading services
Research paper about the journey of life
Analysing an advertisement essay
Cover letter for urban planner
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
essay questions [/b][url=https://myspace.com/essayprocom]essaypro[/url]
]
on undocumented immigrants – Example essay on entrepreneurship zyzft 2021[/url] had been raining all day essay[/url] statement for research paper on euthanasia yxvae 2021[/url] of female education essay in nepali language enthl[/url] research paper bkisf[/url]Registration cover letter sample
Writing an introduction for dissertation
Help with rhetorical analysis essay on usa
https://sites.google.com/view/my-essaytyper/
essay questions [/b] for federal government xswnz[/url] paper kids oasdd 2021[/url] of most of the federalist essays zzggs[/url] punishment argumentative essay topics fhvex[/url]tghuTRTjigFIr6F
grace p john dissertation ucla
]
https://wifidb.science/wiki/An_Unbiased_View_of_StudyBay
http://bbs.mcrst.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=3425959
https://cherrycar89.werite.net/post/2021/04/15/The-best-Side-of-Essay-Bot2
Cheap argumentative essay proofreading site uk
buy[/url] ру официальный сайт[/url]Journal bioessays impact factor
Chicago manual of style essay
http://alturl.com/xay7t
http://foodcool.space/user/EduBirdiecom/
Top course work editing sites for phd
News producer resume example
Resume example for customer service supervisor
https://4endurance.net/blogs/blog/beta-alanine-cycling-and-sore-legs?comment=124458401841#comments
https://promoinstrument.ru/reviews#comment_68667
https://keynutritionhealth.com/blogs/health-wellness-blog/2020-here-i-come?comment=122390216900#comments
Psc essay questions
dissertation introduction proofreading service for masters qdxmd 2021[/url] dissertation introduction proofreading sites for masters nqwto[/url] statement introduction paragraph – Top movie review proofreading websites for college gsers 2021[/url] resume cover letters layqb[/url] essay questions [/b] of wildlife essay odxvt[/url] statement editing site us impmm[/url] letter for credit analyst – Esl university essay editing sites for university bsmfh 2021[/url] descriptive essay editing site for masters xyjmj 2021[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
http://www.sicilyyachtagency.com/forum/suggestion-box/271099-thesis-los-altos.html#302250
https://www.jototes.com/blogs/news/49768129-rain-or-shine-cinque-terre-italy?comment=125723115587#comments
https://cuckoldz.com/who-do-you-want-your-wife-to-cuckold-you-with-poll/?unapproved=77235&moderation-hash=e53558bd933fc035a9784045f36db032#comment-77235
Computer field in resume
essay questions [/b] a short note on retrenchment corporate strategy wympd[/url] belonging essay questions ugzmk 2021[/url] dining host resume shhsk 2021[/url] resume rn qyzln[/url] trigonometry dissertation mksst[/url] 7 hangs on resume litas[/url]Cheap problem solving ghostwriters website for mba
Business plan for banquet hall