 |
|
 |
 |
|
Interviews Interview with Catherine Bolden from WillowPads!
I recently had the honor to interview Catherine Bolden from WillowPads! She has as amazing line of organic hemp and cotton products for both mama and baby.
How did you get started cloth diapering? My siblings and I were cloth diapered, pins and all. I knew when I had my daughter several years ago that I wouldn't use anything else, but I needed a more practical way than pins and rubber pants. I had seen other babies wearing disposables, and the gel and chemicals really turned me away. I knew that I wouldn't want to wear plastic and paper, so I wouldn't put my baby into it. What inspired you to start your own business? I started making my own cloth menstrual pads, after thinking that if my baby wore cloth, why not me too? So I tinkered with lots of designs, testing them out on anyone willing, and decided to make them not just for myself, but for others too! Later on, I got request to make diapers too, and we grew from there. I have always been more natural-minded, but didn't know where to start when I had my daughter. Now after having two more babies, I wanted to spread the word! Cloth diapering and cloth menstrual pads are the most comfortable way to go, and so much better for the environment. I discovered hemp early on, and love the wonderful qualities of it! Its a great fabric all around, and I love how soft and durable it is! How do you manage being a mom and running a business?
That's a great question! I find bits and pieces of time throughout the day. Much of my work gets done after kids are in bed, or napping. We are beginning to venture into homeschooling, and its been fun to involve my five year old daughter, Piper, with some of the workings. She has taken to helping me a lot and loves to see what we are working on. Its become a great time to bond, on top of a big help! Why hemp. What are the benefits ? Hemp is an amazing fiber. As a grass, it grows really fast (much faster than cotton). It is naturally anti-microbial and anti-viral, extremely absorbent and really durable, making it the perfect fabric for soaking up liquids of all kinds, and keeping them contained! Hemp fabric can also be really soft, especially when its fleeced. Hemp fabrics and fibers have been used for hundreds of years, all over the world. Civil war uniforms were many times made from hemp fabric, as well as the original type of jeans. Its been used for soft sweatshirts and so many other places for years. Only in the last half of the 1900s did hemp fabric lose popularity in the States, due to growing restrictions and the hemp plant's resemblance to the marijuana plant. Why should women use cloth menstrual pads instead of disposable? There's so many reasons! Cloth is so much more comfortable, so much softer on sensitive skin. Cloth is easy to use, you never run out, and you end up with so much less garbage to take out! I think its important to support our earth as much as possible-I like knowing that I leave the least trace possible-this is one way I can support my children's future, by encouraging other women to do the same, while never compromising their own comfort! Who does all your sewing?
I sew most of our products, as well as one other stay at home mom that does sewing during busy times, and I get lots of help from my husband and four children (ok, not the three year old, he loves to "help" empty my shelves!) What can we expect in the future for Willopads? We have started a big expansion for 2008! We just recently added organic black fabric as an option for our menstrual pads, and its been a huge hit! You can expect to see an All-In-One version of our pad later this year, as well as super yummy soft baby blankets! |
|
Account Functions |
Cloth Diapering Information
|
Store Information
|
|
|
|
|
