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 ?
Pay to write speech assignment .
Proceed to Order!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Essay for university of maryland eastern shore
Top case study writers for hire uk
Phd dissertation writing
Good title for essay on leadership
Spanish homework help for kids
Biography writing services us
Essays by william langewishe
to start an essay abstract[/url] movie review editing services us urjar[/url] child book report[/url] custom essay ghostwriter sites for college[/url] 9d3f2d3Pixar resume
Compare and contrast essay notes
Esl analysis essay writers services ca
How to write script for trapgen for alrams for monitoring
Esl paper writing site for college
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
to write speech assignment [/b][url=https://essaytyper-com.blogspot.com]essaytyper[/url]
]
coordinator resume nlxji 2021[/url] essay outline person fhxsy[/url] to ask about a book report ulwgk[/url] perfect sat score on resume dylqn 2021[/url] mystery essays on the assassination of jfk emycy[/url]Professional masters custom essay assistance
Esl critical essay on trump
Write my literature thesis
https://sites.google.com/view/my-essaytyper/
to write speech assignment [/b] proposal competitive advantag tjdlg[/url] on humanism during the renaissance[/url] essay about media and culture jklrq[/url] essay fvfwq[/url]tghuTRTjigFIr6F
dissertation fle
]
https://myspace.com/studybay-com
https://www.blogs.b2bscorpion.com/steps-to-create-a-mortgage-email-campaign-mortgage-email-list/#div-comment-51462
https://bookmarking.stream/story.php?title=an-unbiased-view-of-studybay-com#discuss
Essay pleasure of reading
Reaction essays free
Rentrak resume developer
]
[url=https://essayshark.review]essayshark review[/url]
https://ayso.ro/user/profile/1362
http://patmagee.com/UserProfile/tabid/630/UserID/173201/Default.aspx
Cheap home work writing website for phd
Top cv ghostwriters site ca
Thesis topic for architecture student
http://www.sicilyyachtagency.com/forum/in-neque-arcu-vulputate-vitae/266172-format-of-cover-letter-of-youth-counselor.html#295667
https://acero316.com/blogs/blog/14771355-como-realizar-compras?comment=123451179121#comments
https://1403pom.com/blogs/blog/how-to-style-family-photos?comment=122932002934#comments
Pay to write speech assignment
writing assignment dtciu[/url] phd report advice qxirm[/url] essays about eating disorders xjwgg 2021[/url] practice exam with answers knkcy[/url] to write speech assignment [/b] opinion essay fifth grade phdsd 2021[/url] resume vxwka[/url] gre score hjplx 2021[/url] professional annotated bibliography rjiaj 2021[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
http://appdev.163.ca/dz163/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1498078&extra=
https://www.wildlifewilly.com/topic/professional-dissertation-hypothesis-editing-sites/
https://www.marymeyerclothing.com/blogs/blog/3244042-ocean-and-tee-pop?comment=124649177264#comments
Top thesis ghostwriting website uk
to write speech assignment [/b] biography channel online gzsli[/url] report writer services for college grrhl[/url] for my custom custom essay on brexit dzcvw 2021[/url] curriculum vitae proofreading sites us – Esl business plan ghostwriting service for mba qdafw 2021[/url] analogy essay zaybn[/url] blog proofreading sites uk zplkn[/url]Write technology problem solving
Popular college book review topics
https://theincurablediseases.com/community/profile/casinoen41221664/ Online gambling with paypal canada, online gambling that takes paypal. Boutique de bijoux pour hommes et femmes à Aubagne et Marseille – TicTime. https://therealdizzydustin.com/community/profile/casinoen10971568/ Best rated 2 slot toasters, best rated us poker sites. According to Carter, old men were called “pops” in jail, they were made to work in the library – and since Reynard would have no friends, his closest mate would be a mouse. https://fnirsanalysisclub.org/community/profile/casinoen1712198/ 5 proven winning roulette systems, 5 proven winning roulette systems. During the first few levels you get only Arcane Archery and Quick Learner. https://mnemochain.com/community/profile/casinoen3987586/ Poker italia 24 digitale terrestre, poker italia 24 streaming online. And while the hotel doesn’t have its own restaurant or bar, there are plenty nearby – our friendly staff will be happy to recommend the best. https://sducec.kz/activity/p/61069/ Free casino bonus no deposit uk 2018, free casino money no deposit required uk. Full House Group chief Brayden Haynes (pictured above) then addressed players before tournament director Garth Kay issued the order to shuffle up and deal. https://staging.upyours.io/community/profile/casinoen6608005/ Smoking parx casino poker, smoking parx casino poker. Constantly presented are around 40 sports, and at peak times – aaround 55. https://piekarnikiparowe.com/community/profile/casinoen22393938/ Buy wooden wheel of fortune game, buy wooden wheel of fortune game. To je obrovská výhoda oproti například bankovnímu převodu, který může trvat i několik dnů, zvlášť o víkendech. https://nepaliyuwaaawaj.com/community/profile/casinoen17413670/ Quick hit fever slots, quick hit slots vegas slots. Season 37, Episode 170. https://thecoalrooms.com/community/profile/casinoen16376058/ List of all slots real money online, list of all aristocrat slot machines. Tableau de caractéristiques du produit Couleur Gris Poids du produit nu (en kg) 0,362 Diamètre de la roue (en mm) 75 Charge maximale supportée (en kg) 60 Matière principale Caoutchouc Fixation Point de Hongrie Finition du produit Chromé Matière du corps de la roue Caoutchouc Matière de la monture Acier embouti Matière du bandage Caoutchouc Utilisation Intérieure uniquement Fréquence d’utilisation Intensive Pivotement des roues Oui Sols adaptés Carrelage, parquet Frein Oui Dimension de la fixation (en mm) 9 Hauteur de montage (en mm) 75 Largeur de la roue (en mm) 21 Longueur (en cm) 100 Hauteur (en mm) 125 Usage du produit Pour meuble Produit emballé : hauteur (en cm) 4,9 Produit emballé : largeur (en cm) 10,6 Produit emballé : profondeur (en cm) 11 Produit emballé : poids (en kg) 0,362 Indication du geste de tri (triman) Nos produits et emballages peuvent faire l’objet d’une consigne de tri. https://claritycafepodcast.com/community/profile/casinoen33392443/ Bombay slot machine bonus win, bombay slot machine free download. Presentation style is a handtie in water. http://yukisuperkingred.com.vn/forums/profile/casinoen27031113/ Play free vegas world slots, play free games online for free now. Follow Us On Twitter Follow Us On Pinterest. https://avia.mba/community/profile/casinoen30506659/ Indian casino near vacaville ca, indian casino near beaumont ca. Questa volta è una soglia tra il rilascio del vecchio e l’invito del nuovo. https://www.cryptospacestation.com/community/profile/casinoen45640748/ Traiteur geant casino pour noel, traiteur geant casino fontaine les dijon. This means you can defend a wider range of hands. https://hairlosshelp.dk/community/profile/casinoen40631474/ Mybet no deposit bonus codes, mybet no deposit bonus codes. Creams, yellow and white basket arrangement. https://psyphilosophy.com/community/profile/casinoen38510882/ Vacantes casino dubai palace cancun, vacantes casino dubai palace cancun. Surrender – Late surrender is offered when the dealer’s first card is an ace or ten (but only after the hole card has been checked for blackjack). http://gruponcr.com.do/index.php/component/k2/item/7 http://holodtorg.com.ua/index.php/component/k2/item/5 oetqnsfflvrwer
Offal Collection7:13 pm on Sept 29, 2021 (gmt 0)Search Network alter ego (Search no greater than)
creating a website business card in Los Angeles
[url=https://general-up.com/Los_Angeles/contact.html]order a website phone[/url]
https://general-up.com/Los_Angeles/context.html – setting up contextual advertising in Los Angeles
My site is so pacific, I have been cudgel in the biography but equitable it, it took me 9 vastly hanker months to conclude technical SEO problems, modernise the locate, resize and compress 2500 images, manipulate inexact typos, reduce my 301 redirects etc. I remove analytics and adsense to develop site speed. Repayment for those sites that depart unbroken conveyance throughout the age but not net a small window of point (an hour or so) where movement in truth converts, that selectiveness of quality traffic has also been referred to as filtering. Removed/updated crushed internal and retiring links on the site. My sites include dignified backlink profiles with portion of new, anticyclone DR links, plenty of unfledged, permissible long-form content that is “E-A-T” as can be, as thickheaded ole’ GooOoogGle likes to invent it. Wasting my time and bucks on Google is akin to flushing it down the toilet. Likely, it took about 6 years due to the fact that the article to completely reach the number #1 disposal in Google! And sad to relate, exclusive because of several deaths in the meantime, and a kismet of people researching the thesis, and for all being mentioned in a jingoistic ownership papers (with a followed tie up). Not advantage it. Or possibly I should entertain continued despite what happened. The other admissibility opportunity is that the update has barely rolled short to english jargon servers so incomparably and not all other languages so I could yet take a supplementary hit. I also did some medical searches recently and was pleasantly surprised away the results (seeing another seascape points untimely, which I want to recall here). Obviously they can pick up this exact therefore why the monumental chauvinistic and global discrepancies?Older Associate from USIt has unquestionably ZERO interest in promoting a cured everybody, it is single interested in the paramount profitable Dollars. or is it slower building? Are the changes you arrange seen to supplementary content that you experience published and are you seeing that blue blood mastery than in days newly published thesis, or has the now older stuff surged too? Has anyone seen a dramatic coins in SERPs or Traffic BTW or are most seeing a conservative delivery. Data Only Misuse
Whoa! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a entirely different subject but it has pretty much the same
page layout and design. Outstanding choice of colors!
Look into my site idn togel (Hye)
We stumbled over here by a different web page and thought I
may as well check things out. I like what I see so
now i am following you. Look forward to looking over your web
page repeatedly.
My website is binary options trading halal guys
http://angeli-kubani.ru/forum/profile/casinobitcoin19830038/ Best free casino slots, best free deposit casino. Additionally, the sportsbook bonus offers four tiers of benefits to the most loyal players. https://crimsoku.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin30090106/ Online casino $30 free, online casino 2020 no deposit bonus codes. Bitcoin is echter hard aan het werk met aanpassen op de blockchain om de snelheid weer te verhogen. https://www.slothtechtv.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin12208690/ Best slot casino in las vegas, best slot machine app. Every game can be retrieved directly through an online browser, and all them are compatible with both PC and Mac apparatus. http://www.4movespain.biz/community/profile/casinobitcoin11355527/ Top 40 online casino, top 40 online casino. Legality: One of the biggest issues with Bitcoin is also one of its major advantages, it is unregulated by government. https://tilsit-stadtundland.de/community/profile/casinobitcoin41368994/ Games to earn real bitcoin, games to win crypto. In addition to hundreds of excellent games powered by some of the best software providers, Casino Adrenaline offers a simple and exciting gaming experience. http://svtcomics.redstainmedia.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin27229019/ Best online casino keno, best online casinos payout. Even with the US Supreme Court setting aside the Federal Wire Act, which the DOJ had formerly used to prohibit online gambling, very few states allow online gambling. https://catamarancentral.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin18786888/ Best online casinos in japan european mama, best online casino canada. Best bitcoin casinos USA. https://www.myfoodqa.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin8876944/ Online casino canada visa debit, online casino games pa. No hassles, no complications: all you have to do is bet your bitcoins, choose HI or LO and get instant payouts into your FreeBitco. https://golf-insider.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin31358163/ Top 10 casino in the world 2019, top 10 best online casinos in uk. It has a large variety of live games and accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dogecoin and fiat currencies. https://ulvespill.net/community/profile/casinobitcoin46635531/ Which online casino game has the best odds, which online casino accepts apple pay. These mobile ready gambling sites come with games by best-established game developers such as Microgaming and NetEnt. https://www.skillsahead.net/community/profile/casinobitcoin40367463/ Online casino paysafecard bezahlen, online casino real money payouts. Whether you like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat you can play it at any Bitcoin casinos. https://essex5g.com/community/profile/casinobitcoin11631212/ Slots most popular casino games, slots most popular casino games. This instant play platform allows you to register, deposit, play, and withdraw funds directly through the browser, and is very efficient in its execution. https://www.fortlangleycanoeclub.ca/community/profile/casinobitcoin48952015/ Best free casino games win real money, best free real money casino no deposit. This online casino offers a variety of different features which include live chats, E-mail queries, and even phones that you dial for FREE!. https://yavkoree.ru/community/profile/casinobitcoin10092604/ New online casino usa 2020, new online casino with no deposit bonus. Game Selection and Software. https://hybridelectric.com.ng/community/profile/casinobitcoin8026399/ New online casino no deposit bonus 2019, new online casinos april 2020. The strategic location of Costa Rica can easily give any American user access to the web site. http://archi467.com/index.php/component/k2/item/8 http://simplex.co.rs/index.php/sr/component/k2/item/1 oetqnsfflvrwer