The Birthstory of Monkey Foot Designs Wet Bags

Monkey Foot DesignsSince I began cloth diapering in 2005, there haven’t been many products or brands that have hung around.  Sure I may find a favorite diaper here or there and use it for many months but I’m always turning over my inventory.

However, there is one brand that has remained in my collection from the first try.  And collection I have! Monkey Foot Designs wet bags. Yep,love them irrationally and they make me happy.

Happy?  Yes, of course.  When you’ve tried dozens of wet bags, pail liners and even the occasional grocery store bag and all fall short of perfection then, yes the one that does work will make you happy.

What exactly makes Monkey Foot Designs wet bags so different than other brands?

• Easy to grab, strong zipper
• Thick, yet supple, waterproof lining
• Fabric choices that not only look great but feel great.  Plus, they hold up to heavy laundering.
• Strong snap on the strap. I have loaded the XL wet bag with 20 cloth diapers and it’s stayed buttoned!
• NO LEAKS ever (smell or moisture)
• Very competitive prices for all sizes of wet bags
• New inventory is consistent and readily available

Honestly, I mean it when I say I have tried more than a dozen other competitor products and every time I end up going back to MFD.  I have 2 other big name brand wet bags in my stash but one has a terrible zipper (that has now broken) and the other has a lower quality waterproof liner.

So, now that you know why I love Monkey Foot Designs wet bags let me step back and let Kris, the genius behind the products, tell you how they came to be..

Tell us about your family: I am married (almost 10 years) to my super supportive husband, Frank, and we have three incredibly active and inspirational children aged 6, 4, and 2. We also have one dog, Cody, who turns 12 this year.  We live in a small mountain town in NH and are outside biking, hiking, running, skiing, or playing every chance we can.

When did you start using cloth diapers?  We started CD with our first child right after she was born– I always knew that it was something that I wanted to commit to and have been a strong advocate ever since.  We have CD all of our children and will miss it once our littlest guy is PT this year!

Why did get into the business of making/selling of wet bags?  While I was pregnant with our first child, I started an online business selling modern fabrics, belts and hand bags.

When I started CD, I wasn’t fond of the fabric choices available for wet bags, so I decided to try making some bags with some of the fabulous fabric that I had on hand.  I also wanted to make the bags more functional, so I added a snap strap, and sealed the lining seams (to prevent leaking).

I posted my bags on my blog and within a few weeks I received inquiries from several shops – the rest is history!

What makes your product(s) unique? Why should a buyer choose your product(s)?  When I ask my customers why they love MFD bags, the top 2 reasons given are (1) They work! and (2) They are made with the most stylish and durable materials of any of their other bags.

When designing the bags, I choose top quality boutique style fabrics, strong YKK zippers with long zipper pulls (so handy when you’re trying to zip one-handed!), strong snaps (so you can attach your bag to a stroller, bag, etc), and a lining material that will withstand ~ 1000 launderings with proper care.

I also heat seal the seams of the lining to prevent leaking of wet items. This greatly extends the usefulness of these bags beyond the CD years – they are fantastic for swimming, toiletries, gym/yoga clothing, etc.  The lining is also food safe, so I offer snack bags in my line.

I am also very proud that after thorough testing of several leading wet bag brands, NASA chose MFD bags to be used by the astronauts on the space station! (interview: http://info.nhpr.org/nh-womans-home-business-heads-stars)

Do you have more products coming out soon?  I plan to roll out 3 more products this year to be available for wholesale to my stockists:  an XXL hanging wet bag, a diaper pail, and kitchen wet bags.  I have been making these as custom orders for the past 2 years and the response has been wonderful!

What is your go-to advice for parents new to cloth diapering?  I found that a simple system worked best.  From ages 0-3 months we used Kissaluvs and ProRaps and from that point on, Fuzzi Bunz (size medium) and GroVia.

I tried different systems but always went back to these because they worked the best for our children.  When you find something that works, stick with it! J  Another tip is to make cloth wipes out of old receiving blankets – they are easy to make (and free!).

How can we connect with Monkey Foot Designs?

[2 stores for your convenience:]

www.monkeyfootdesigns.com and http://www.etsy.com/shop/monkeyfootdesigns

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monkey-Foot-Designs-LLC/177866030386

Twitter: https://twitter.com/monkeyftdesigns

Autumn Beck

Autumn is a wife, mother, homeschool teacher, friend and most important a follower of Christ.