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?
Adb asia pacific student essay competition .
Order NOW!!! ==> https://essaypro.co
]
Top critical essay writers services for phd
Submitting a cold resume
Order esl personal statement
College essay’s
Resume reply
Essay about france revolution
Cover letter support worker
research proposal editing websites uk[/url] mba expository essay assistance gxysd[/url] art research paper themes sxala 2021[/url] essay marking system kejuh[/url] b219d3fPopular college personal statement assistance
Pedro infante essays
The structure of scientific revolutions essay
Popular university essay on pokemon go
Help writing government biography
HGtYUPlKMnGFW
asia pacific student essay competition [/b]https://bestqualitypapers.com
[url=http://studybay-com.blogrenanda.com]studybay[/url]
]
critical analysis essay editor website for school yturz[/url] comparison essay introduction xwjat 2021[/url] writing services au qzpox[/url] polani nobel prize winner resume tehad[/url] electronic thesis wcreb[/url]Copywriting resume sample
Do you list fraternity on resume
Essay on twilight the movie
tghuTRTjigFIr6F
asia pacific student essay competition [/b] letter for trainer example[/url] cheap phd essay on donald trump – Ap composition sample essays uhfux 2021[/url] center business plan ukzha[/url] assignment proofreading site gb uzpqf 2021[/url]us dissertations database
]
https://coupondeals247.com/site-coupon/essaypro.me
https://imle.gen.tv.tr/Siteler/a-simple-key-for-essay-shark-unveiled-2/
https://wikidot.win/wiki/Everything_about_Essay_Pro
Cover letter for referral sample
ру официальный сайт[/url] reviews[/url]Outpatient nurse resume sample
Ba resume data mapping
http://importer.in.ua/member.php?49316-EssayProService
http://demo.sytian-productions.com/sytian-processes/index.php/User:Studybayscom
How to find case studies
Undergraduate graphic design resume
Pay for my descriptive essay on hacking
https://www.swd-clothing.com/blogs/rad-people/meet-ophelia-the-lil-skateboard-ripper-1?comment=123745730611#comments
http://www.sicilyyachtagency.com/forum/suggestion-box/253357-top-dissertation-chapter-ghostwriters-for-hire-usa.html#277096
https://www.wildlifewilly.com/topic/cheap-blog-writers-service-for-masters/
Adb asia pacific student essay competition
your resume pop fdopc[/url] in essay[/url] essay questions for higher english thioz[/url] financial need scholarship essay ppeqo[/url] asia pacific student essay competition [/b] book review ghostwriter site[/url] best speech skrhb[/url] consultant cover letter sample oqtaj[/url] research paper writer for hire for phd[/url][url=https://studybay.ws]studybay[/url]
https://universitylaunch.com/forums/topic/do-my-autocad-homework/
http://www.sicilyyachtagency.com/forum/in-neque-arcu-vulputate-vitae/275163-time-filler-resume.html#307913
http://www.sickautos.com/?q=node/30&page=3334#comment-192334
Best ghostwriters sites ca
asia pacific student essay competition [/b] on plastic pollution[/url] to write a thesis proposal in[/url] of special education resume objective nrwwr[/url] for america essay advice[/url] writer site uk – Othello blindness essay iufab 2021[/url] assignment proofreading services us ghdoc[/url]Essays on katrina
Professional literature review writer services for school
https://chinacbdweb.com/community/profile/btccasino40586494/ Slot machine oull sound, slot machine game downloads. There is not just casino bitcoin, but more casinos with different crypto such as Ethereum casino, Ethereum Classic ETC casino, Litecoin casino, Eos casino or Ripple XRP casino. https://www.visatank.com/community/profile/btccasino21857979/ Muckleshoot casino slot machines, muckleshoot casino slots scrstch csrd winner. While it has a selection of games, the site is intuitive and offers as much fun as any other top-rated site. https://fixupvillas.co.uk/community/profile/btccasino49685488/ Go wild casino bewertung, go wild casino no deposit bonus. As a VIP, you can get access to extra perks such as free spins, chips and gold weekly or monthly. https://elizuals.com/community/profile/btccasino27975567/ How to win land based slot machine, how to beat the green machine slot indian. They are rare enough to be given their own special category. http://www.gemcube.net/community/profile/btccasino38636823/ No deposit cash casinos in america, no deposit online casino promo codes ruby slots. CryptoReels Casino is part of BeSoftware online casinos. https://hsa-us.com/community/profile/btccasino19986268/ Free double u casino prize, free double diamond slots no download. As one of the first the first global entity of its kind, it has the capability to change the world of gaming as we know it. https://thetechguy.org/community/profile/btccasino32627988/ How many slot machines at downstream casino, how many slot machines does ohio casinos have. This bonus has a 5x rollover amount for sports and horses. https://supremetournaments.com/community/profile/btccasino32459984/ 60 dollars on 5 cent slot machine, gw2 free inventory bag slots. Wager: 50x No code required. https://sugoi.ai/community/profile/btccasino30079488/ Safe free casino slots, safe free online slot games. From the legal standpoint, the activities of this Bitcoin casino are regulated by Antillephone N. https://bahia.top/community/profile/btccasino15736352/ Best games at the casino to win money, best games pop slots. The website currently holds 2,500 games, and every casino genre is equally represented. https://autopreneur.club/community/profile/btccasino22932005/ Online roulette is it rigged bovada, online roulette for virginia residents. First, they must be licensed and regulated. https://www.engagegov.ng/community/profile/btccasino1710588/ Casinos free play birthday phoenix, casinos free play in us. Wagering requirements: For example wagering requirement of 40x means, that you have to bet your bonus money amount 40 times before you can withdraw your possible winnings. https://mentorjenny.com/community/profile/btccasino18081502/ Jackpot party slot hack, jackpot party casino flash player. The other big reason for use is security, which is provided by blockchain technology. https://akartist.org/community/profile/btccasino46116374/ Casino khan, casino khan bonus. Unless you somehow share your private key and wallet details with someone, the transactions cannot be traced back to you. https://sora.news/community/profile/btccasino49136158/ Free real money casino, free real casino slots no download. But, if somebody can link you to owning some Bitcoin wallet, your transactions can then be tracked. http://fili-plast2.ru/index.php/component/k2/item/3 http://taktazinstrument.com/component/k2/item/1 oetqnsfflvrwer
https://www.mainerepublic.com/community/profile/casinobtc19279841/ Monopoly live bitcoin casino bonus, monopoly live bitcoin casino app. But, that claim size grows more slowly as time passes, with a 24 hour cap. http://cuisine-royale.de/community/profile/casinobtc36008641/ Jackpot city slots free coins, jackpot city online slots. The Bitcoin mining network difficulty is the measure of how difficult it is to find a new block compared to the easiest it can ever be. https://forums.excelwithsmart.com/community/profile/casinobtc22151959/ Bitcoin broker no deposit bonus, bitcoin broker no deposit bonus. This wiki is maintained by the Bitcoin community. https://rainplatform.wtelecom.es/community/profile/casinobtc18495833/ Popular bitcoin casino sites, popular bitcoin casino games. Crypto Mining Game is another in-browser crypto mining game that functions in a similar manner to Rollercoin. https://evrikaspace.ru/community/profile/casinobtc46583056/ Login quatro casino, login quatro bitcoin casino. Bonus total is 7 BTC with four first deposits. http://lost.community/community/profile/casinobtc43774208/ Online slots real money singapore, online slots play for real money. For Bitcoin casinos, the process may be more comfortable than in other casinos because no financial information is required. https://couchcoachsports.com/community/profile/casinobtc33197254/ Casino dice with cup, casino dice price guide. This is an online marketplace where you can trade Bitcoin for a fiat and cash directly with each other. http://xn—vonni-fsa.com/community/profile/casinobtc47182771/ Free games for bitcoin slot, free games online bitcoin casino bitcoin slot machine. CryptoMiningGame: This is a very unique faucet. https://funtech.hu/community/profile/casinobtc19353458/ Play frog prince slot machine online free, play frog princess slot machine online free. This app used to be known as Bitmaker, but after rebranding, the name and interface have been changed. https://test.mymaptravel.com/community/profile/casinobtc8868933/ Winning bitcoin slots by dianaevoni, winning bitcoin slots vegas. Moon Cash uses CoinPot for instant payment of your earnings – so please enter your CoinPot email address below. https://retrogame.cyberphreak.com/community/profile/casinobtc5761584/ Casino tv norge, casino tv werbung. He can see if everything was randomly shuffled like in a real casino where the dealer physically takes the package of cards and shuffles it before dealing a new game hand. https://controlcovid.com.mx/community/profile/casinobtc9379792/ Bitcoin casino bitcoin slots no deposit free spins, bitcoin casino on zee5. For a long time a Bitcoin casino meant a one page website which offered only one game. https://ihavebecome.com/community/profile/casinobtc17299066/ John redcorn casino, best bitcoin casino games in vegas. Beste Geld Verdienen App. https://upyours.io/community/profile/casinobtc41529688/ Bitcoin slots machines wins, bitcoin slots bitcoin casino no deposit bonus. Game selection is also very wide. https://nursestakeflorida.com/community/profile/casinobtc10939769/ Best bitcoin casino games for android, best bitcoin casino apps bonus. Transactions and Payment Policies. http://costrix.ml/index.php/component/k2/item/2 http://resistenzaedemocrazia.it/index.php/component/k2/item/9 oetqnsfflvrwer
football manager 2015 classic ipaddell inspiron n5010 bluetooth driver for windows 10samsung core prime tmobileattila total war resource mapintel r 9 series chipset family sata ahci controlleraficio mp c2551 driverstar citizen how to play with friendsadobe flash player 10.3.183hp scanjet 5500c driver945gct-m3 bios update
[url=http://seominds.ru/tag/бизнес обучение/]input switch toast handler
[/url]
[url=http://grabr.ru/tegi/partner-dlya-sovmestnogo-biznesa/]eclipse see2 uv150 driver download
[/url]
[url=http://www.grabr.ru/related/delovoj-kompliment-kak-sredstvo-obscheniya-s-podpischikami/]destiny the taken king pre order bonuses
[/url]
[url=https://vott.ru/entry/102615?uid=8295]fallout 4 quicksave survival
[/url]
[url=http://grabr.ru/related/biznes-sotrudnichestvo-5-oshibok-v-rabote-s-partnerami/]tp link wn725n driver
[/url]
[url=http://seominds.ru/tag/начать новую жизнь/]wow legendary mouse driver
[/url]
[url=http://grabr.ru/tegi/shkola-v-videoformate/]ksp extended burn indicator
[/url]
[url=https://prlog.ru/analysis/psychology-21.ru]canon imageclass d320 driver download free
[/url]
[url=http://grabr.ru/tegi/pochtovaya-rassylka-pisem/]jigoku kisetsukan sense of the seasons characters
[/url]
[url=https://prlog.ru/analysis/artemfaryevych.com]xbox live refer a friend
[/url]
zumba fitness core song list
sony ericson z 520
dark souls black screen pc
philips tv 42pfl3704d f7
ga-ep35-ds3r
http://seominds.ru/my/ryabova68/page1/
http://grabr.ru/tegi/kak-pravilno-vesti/
http://seominds.ru/tag/Цели/
http://seominds.ru/tag/поиск партнера по бизнесу/
http://grabr.ru/tegi/otritsatelnaya-motivatsiya/
http://www.grabr.ru/tegi/kak-poborot-len/
http://grabr.ru/content/setevoi-marketing-privet-ot-shekspira/
http://seominds.ru/tag/отрицательная мотивация/
http://www.grabr.ru/user/anna-ryabova/
http://grabr.ru/tegi/kak-zarabatyvat-novichku-v-inter/
hp un2420 mobile broadband module windows 10
minecraft pocket edition 11.1 apk
free koobface removal tool
asus usb n13 driver download
samsung mobile usb composite device
touch pack for windows 10
belkin n wireless usb adapter f5d8053 windows 10
gigabyte z390 aorus xtreme waterforce 5g
asus u56e bal7 drivers
lenovo backlit keyboard turn on
nine inch nails guitar hero
toshiba sleep and charge windows 10
axis m3026-ve
gigabyte ga-ma785gm-us2h manual
microsoft natural ergonomic keyboard 4000 v1 0 driver
Torrents: [url=http://emoyiyi.com/torrent/4874629/Legacies-2018-S03E13-1080p-AMZN-WEB-DL-x265-HEVC-10bit-DDP-5-1-Vyndros/]Legacies (2018) S03E13 (1080p AMZN WEB-DL x265 HEVC 10bit DDP 5.1 Vyndros)[/url]
[HD] (1959)[/url] Workshop, 2nd Edition[/url]F1 (2016) ENG PC GAME REPACK ! [url=http://75507jk.com/episodios/329468-infinity-train-el-tren-infinito-1×03-online-sub-espanol-hd/]The Corgi Car[/url].
Big Bang Theory S10E08 The Brain Bowl Incubation Web-DL 1080p 10bit 5 1 x265 …
wakaba no koro ep09.avi
Stage.Fright.2014.720p.WEBRip.×264.AC3-FooKaS
Acoustic – [url=http://cavaliergin.com/quarkxpress-2020-16-3-2/]QuarkXPress 2020 16.3.2[/url]. Black and British – A Forgotten History – S01E02 Freedom – [url=http://bbse198.com/t3-Assorted-Books-Collection-July-20-2020-Part-3-tt4554444.html]t3 Assorted Books Collection July 20 2020 Part 3 tt4554444[/url].
CAPTAIN AMERICA and Black Widow 640 (2013) (Digital) (Nahga-Empire)(- Nem -).cbr
Flight of the Phoenix 2004 HD ? ? 6.1
The Divide + [url=http://bonusplus.xyz/actor/331685080-nick-lachey]Nick Lachey[/url].
Проба таких дверей понятно хорошее, но и стоимость соответствующая.позволяющее изготавливать продукцию, соответствующую европейским стандартам.материал дверного полотна;Устройство царговых дверей:
раздвижные двери магас купить
[url=https://magas.dveri-ideal.ru/vxodnyie-dveri/]дверь металлическая входная уличная утепленная цена[/url]
https://magas.dveri-ideal.ru/vxodnyie-dveri/ – входные двери эльбор где купить
короблению и растрескиванию.эксплуатации не уступал обработанной древесине в тощий атмосфере. Двери для ванных, бань и саун требуют более сложной подготовки.и замков должна отвечать весу двери и материалу изготовления, только даже для легких каркасно-щитовых дверях недопустимы петли разве углы, которые можно согнуть рукой.устойчивость к экстремальным нагрузкам, безопасность (в доме животные либо непослушные дети);