Saving the planet, one baby at a time
Waterford, September 18, 2008 - Selling cloth diapers was the last thing on Kelly Wels' mind, but that's where she has found prosperity.
"I owned an internet business selling boutique baby clothing and it wasn't a success. One of the clothing brands carried a cloth diaper line. A few potential customers e-mailed me to see if I could carry the cloth diapers. My initial reaction was that no one used cloth diapers anymore - this is a joke!"exclaims Wels.
"However at that point, I had nothing to lose and purchased a small shipment."
Within four days the diapers were sold out and the start of a new internet business was born.
You may be thinking "this is a joke," too, but these aren't your mother's cloth diapers.
"When most people think of cloth diapers, they think of pins, prefolds and plastic pants," says Wels. "Today's modern cloth diapers look and work just like a disposable, if not better."
The most popular diaper has three components. It has a soft, fleece layer next to the babies skin that wicks the moisture away, keeping baby's skin dry. The outer layer, which can be made of many fabrics, is infused with a waterproof barrier.
These two layers act as a pocket for the absorbent insert which holds the moisture. There are no pins; fastening is made with Velcro or snaps.
All three layers are machine washable.
Most brands are adjustable, allowing customers to use them from birth through to potty training.
Moms can choose from many, outer-layer fabrics such as cotton, bamboo, hemp, fleece or a polyester blend depending on their personal preference.
"Most customers tend to go with the quicker-drying and easy-to-care-for man made fibers, but we offer natural fibers for the customer who wants a more-green alternative," Wels say.
She explains that she has two types of customers.
"The first customer is eco-conscious and lives a more-earthy lifestyle using natural products in their household. These customers will usually choose the natural fiber products such as hemp or bamboo," says Wels.
"The second, is now looking at cloth diapering as a means to trim their family budget and typically purchases a one-size system."
Wels' seven-year-old business is run out of her home, which is nestled in the woods overlooking Keoka Lake.
When walking into her cabin-like dwelling, there is a wrap around porch and many windows with beautiful views of the lake.
Wels, an energetic young mom holds her baby and plays with her daughter; there are no signs of a business on the main floor.
Entering her basement is a different story. It is lined with floor-to-ceiling shelving units which hold 30,000 diapers, soaps and other baby supplies from 30 different vendors.
She finds her work challenging, yet flexible.
"With three children, I don't work typical hours," says Wels. "I work a lot while the children are sleeping or at school. It especially works well because I can attend most of the kids school functions and keep my baby out of daycare, while still being able to contribute to the household income."
Although Wels is not tied down to a typical retail store, an internet business still demands a great deal of time to make it successful. Orders just don't roll in.
"It takes aggressive marketing and unique knowledge of how the internet works to be successful. Without this knowledge it is very easy to have no orders at all," explains Wels.
"In 2004-2005, the competition on the internet was fierce and we had to re-invent the wheel, so to speak."
In 2006, Wels changed the focus of her business and started adding multiple websites that specialized in specific product lines.
She has one employee who only works on search engine optimization, so that when the wording, cloth diapers is "googled" her site is on the first page, bringing her more internet hits.
Wels also has someone who only works on the website, updating products, while keeping it inviting and user-friendly.
She has three additional employees who help with inventory, orders and bookkeeping.
"Since 2006 our sales have increased greatly. So far in 2008 our gross sales have already exceeded 2007 sales. By the end of 2009 we project that sales will at least increase by another 25 percent," she adds.
Her four websites, FuzziBunzOnline.com, OneSizeDiaperStore.com, BulkClothDiaper.com and KellysCloset.com have served over 24,000 customers.
She believes that hard work and perseverance have been the key ingredient to her business and is well on her way to becoming the most trusted website for cloth diapers..
"I honestly credit this to the hard work of myself, my employees, my husband and the group of people I have taking care of the sites," she says. "I have seen similar internet businesses who sell the same product lines open and close within a year. It certainly isn't easy and I have been through a lot of bumps in the road to get where I am today."
Wels grew up in Bethel and attended Bethel Schools. She graduated from Telstar High in 1991 and received a horticulture degree from Southern Maine Technical College in 1995.
She and her husband Scott have three children; Olivia, age 10; Hanz, age 8; and Riley, who is 12 weeks old.
Wels was recently given a Congressional Award by Senator Olympia Snowe. She was recognized as a woman in business, providing her customers a environmentally-friendly alternative to disposable diapers.
September 04, 2008 - More Moms Ditch Disposables Diapers for Cloth
Snowe Honors Waterford Business with Mention in Congressional Record
Washington, D.C., August 5, 2008 - Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship U.S Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) recognized Kelly Wels of Kelly's Closet Inc. in Waterford with a mention in the Congressional Record as a testament to her successful online cloth diaper business.
"Maine is a state known for its innovators and entrepreneurs, and Kelly Wels is a member of that proud group," Senator Snowe said. "Her perseverance, tenacity, and business acumen are a testament to what a small business can accomplish. In eight years, Kelly has helped transform the way parents purchase diapers and has expanded their possibilities to a great degree. I wish Kelly and all the employees of Kelly's Closet continued success as they grow, innovate, and expand their business."
Kelly Wels founded Kelly's Closet in 2001 when there were few options for parents looking for cost effective, sanitary and environmentally friendly diapers for their children. It soon grew to its present position as an online purveyor of four specialty baby boutiques and diaper shops which include KellysCloset.com, FuzziBunzOnline.com, OneSizeDiaperStore.com, and BulkClothDiaper.com.
Senator Snowe submits a statement for the Congressional Record each week highlighting a small Maine company that has excelled through its innovation and community service. Diane Jackson, a representative from Senator Snowe's office, formally presented Wels with the Congressional Award on behalf of Senator Snowe on July 25, 2008, at Kelly's Closet office in Waterford.
Waterford, Maine, January 2008 - CLOTH DIAPERS MAKE A COMEBACK - Kelly Wels of Waterford in the basement of her home, from which she operates "Kelly's Closet," and online cloth diaper business.
Two Leading Parenting Media Outlets Feature FuzziBunzOnline.com
WATERFORD, Maine, January 3, 2008 - FuzziBunzOnline.com, the Web's most complete and exclusive collection of the widely-popular FuzziBunz® pocket diapers and accessories, was recently highlighted in two leading parenting media outlets, Wondertime and Babble.com.
Published by Disney Publications, Wondertime included a link to FuzziBunzOnline.com in its article titled, "Waste Management," which ran in the December 2007 issue. In the brief article, the award-winning FuzziBunz® pocket diapers were selected as the editor's choice in its "Green Stuff We Love" section. The magazine was distributed to approximately 300,000 subscribers.
Additionally, Babble.com, a hipster online parenting e-zine with nearly 600,000 unique visitors each month, picked FuzziBunz® pocket diapers as the "Babble Best" cloth diaper in December 2007 and linked to FuzziBunzOnline.com as the place to buy FuzziBunz® pocket diapers. In this lengthy article that reviewed various cloth diaper brands, FuzziBunz® pocket diapers were selected as its top choice because of their leak-proof, stain-resistant and trim-fitting design, among other top qualities cited by the writer. The full article is available online at Babble.com.
"We're seeing over and over again that FuzziBunz® pocket diapers are the reusable diaper of choice by parenting writers - many of whom are moms too. We're grateful for all the positive attention FuzziBunz® garners for the cloth diapering industry and we, at FuzziBunzOnline.com, are honored to be featured as a leading retailer of this ingenious invention," says Kelly Wels, CEO/founder of Kelly's Closet, Inc., a purveyor of online cloth diapering and accessories boutiques including the FuzziBunzOnline.com store.
FuzziBunzOnline.com, founded in April 2007, continues to boast the web's leading selection of FuzziBunz® diapers and accessories. As of the New Year, FuzziBunzOnline.com also is carrying one of the largest selections of the newly redesigned FuzziBunz® pocket diapers, which were released by the manufacturer in December 2007.
FuzziBunz® diapers are 100 percent reusable and are the original pocket diaper. There are no pins to poke, no Velcro to scratch or stick and no crunchy plastic pants to rub against baby's delicate skin. For more information about FuzziBunz® or to purchase a FuzziBunz® pocket diaper or accessory, please visit www.FuzziBunzOnline.com.
About Kelly's Closet, Inc.
Kelly's Closet, Inc., is the online purveyor of three online specialty baby boutiques, KellysCloset.com, FuzziBunzOnline.com and BulkClothDiaper.com. KellysCloset.com offers one of the Web's largest selections of cloth diapers and accessories. FuzziBunzOnline.com offers an exclusive collection of Mother of Eden products and accessories, including the patented FuzziBunz® diaper system. BulkClothDiaper.com offers deep diaper discounts on various cloth diapering brands. Kelly's Closet Inc., has been a trusted name in cloth diapering, having served more than 21,000 customers since opening its first store, KellysCloset.com, in 2001.
Our five favorite non-disposables. FuzziBunz® Pocket Diapers were chosen as the Babble Best!
Green Stuff We Love - Eco Friendly Gifts to Give and Get
FuzziBunz® Online was featured in the August 2007 issue of Pregnancy Magazine as being the place to shop for FuzziBunz® Pocket Diapers.
Pregnancy Magazine - August 2007 - Page 100
WATERFORD, Maine, July 27, 2007 - FuzziBunzOnline.com, the Web's most complete and exclusive collection of the best-selling FuzziBunz® pocket diapers and Mother of Eden accessories, is featured in the August 2007 issue of Pregnancy magazine, a leading authority on all topics of interest to expecting and first-time moms. Pregnancy is distributed to nearly 250,000 pregnant and new moms in the U.S. each month.
In a full-page article titled, 'Diaper Me Different,' several popular cloth diapering online boutiques are featured, among them, the recently launched www.FuzziBunzOnline.com store.
'We're honored to be mentioned in the pages of an esteemed publication that caters to the needs and interests of first-time moms. We're hopeful that this prominent feature on cloth diapering will introduce more moms to alternative diapering options, thus encouraging more moms to visit www.FuzziBunzOnline.com to learn about how easy and fun cloth diapering with FuzziBunz® pocket diapers can be,' says Kelly Wels, CEO/founder of Kelly's Closet, Inc., a purveyor of online cloth diapering and accessories boutiques including the www.FuzziBunzOnline.com store.
www.FuzziBunzOnline.com, founded in April 2007, has already made a name for itself as one of the leading sellers of FuzziBunz® pocket diapers. Its popular-selling Fuzzi Bundles(tm) enable customers to choose from more than 20 tastefully coordinated FuzziBunz® color combinations, adding flare and style to any FuzziBunz® pocket diaper collection. Additionally, www.FuzziBunzOnline.com offers an exclusive Wee Guarantee(tm), which is a 30-day money back guarantee on any FuzziBunz® pocket diaper purchase. Since April 2007, the Wee Guarantee(tm), has encouraged hundreds of moms to trial FuzziBunz® diapers risk-free.
FuzziBunz® diapers are 100 percent reusable and are the original pocket diaper. There are no pins to poke, no Velcro to scratch or stick and no crunchy plastic pants to rub against baby's delicate skin. For more information about FuzziBunz® or to purchase a FuzziBunz® pocket diaper or accessory, please visit www.FuzziBunzOnline.com.
About Kelly's Closet, Inc.
Kelly's Closet, Inc., is the online purveyor of three online specialty baby boutiques, www.KellysCloset.com, www.FuzziBunzOnline.com and www.BulkClothDiaper.com. KellysCloset.com offers one of the Web's largest selections of cloth diapers and accessories. www.FuzziBunzOnline.com offers an exclusive collection of Mother of Eden products and accessories, including the patented FuzziBunz® diaper system. www.BulkClothDiaper.com offers deep diaper discounts on various cloth diapering brands. Kelly's Closet Inc., has been a trusted name in cloth diapering, having served more than 22,000 customers since opening its first store, KellysCloset.com, in 2001.
Press Release
Contact:
Kelly's Closet, Inc.
kellyscloset@diapershops.com
Kelly's Closet, Inc., Opens the Web's Most Complete Collection of
FuzziBunz® Diapers and Mother of Eden Accessories
FuzziBunzOnline.com Offers Unique Wee Guarantee(tm) Packages, Tastefully Selected Fuzzi Bundles(tm) and Large Selection Seconds and Overstocks
WATERFORD, Maine, April 09, 2007 - Kelly's Closet Inc., the purveyor of online cloth diapering and accessories boutiques, today announces the opening of its newest e-store, FuzziBunzOnline.com. FuzziBunzOnline.com will offer the Web's most complete and exclusive collection of the best-selling FuzziBunz® diapers and Mother of Eden accessories.
FuzziBunzOnline.com is differentiating itself from the pack with the launch of two signature lines - both carefully tailored for moms and dads who love the style and color that FuzziBunz® brings to the once routine diapering process.
Fuzzi Bundles(tm) - FuzziBunzOnline.com has tastefully coordinated 20 fun color combinations to add style and harmony to any FuzziBunz® diaper collection. Each Fuzzi Bundle(tm) comes with three color-coordinated FuzziBunz® diapers and six micro-terry inserts. The diapers and inserts are attractively packaged and come with washing and how to use instructions. Customers can choose from a wide variety of Fuzzi Bundles(tm) including:
- Aloha Girl - Hot Pink, Lime Green and Turquoise FuzziBunz®
- Creamsicle - Peach, Butter and White FuzziBunz®
- Fruit Lupes - Orange, Yellow and Green FuzziBunz®
- Strawberry Kiwi - Lime Green, Red and White FuzziBunz®
Wee Guarantee(tm) - To encourage parents to trial FuzziBunz® diapers risk-free, FuzziBunzOnline.com will be offering a Wee Guarantee(tm) FuzziBunz® Program, which is an exclusive 30-day money back guarantee on first quality FuzziBunz®.
'With all the bold, stylish and always adorable color choices offered by Mother of Eden, our goal in creating the Fuzzi Bundles(tm) is to bring something new to the cloth diapering experience by making a parent's choice on what diaper to use and what colors to select a little easier,' says Kelly Wels, CEO and founder of Kelly's Closet, Inc. 'We also know that making the choice to cloth diaper your baby can be a difficult decision for new parents. Our exclusive 30-day money back guarantee means anyone can try FuzziBunz® risk-free.'
FuzziBunzOnline.com also will be offering a large selection of second quality FuzziBunz® diapers. All FuzziBunz® factory seconds are new diapers with slight defects and will be offered to customers at a discount. The e-store also will be offering significant discounts on overstock items, which include discontinued FuzziBunz® colors and prints.
"Our complete collection of Mother of Eden products makes our store a one-stop shop for a parent's cloth diapering needs, offering a simplified shopping experience and comfort in knowing that our customers are choosing from the latest Mother of Eden products available today. After all, our mission is to provide choice, variety and knowledge to empower parents to make the best possible decision when it comes to diapering their baby," adds Wels.
Tereson Thomas, the CEO of Mother of Eden and inventor of the widely popular FuzziBunz® diapers, welcomes the launch of the licensed FuzziBunzOnline.com e-store. 'It's refreshing to see Kelly's Closet taking the initiative to develop the fun and creative Fuzzi Bundles. Kelly's Closet is a long-time, loyal FuzziBunz® retailer and Kelly's creativity and initiative is welcome and appreciated.'
FuzziBunz® diapers are 100 percent reusable and are the original pocket diaper. There are no pins to poke, no Velcro to scratch or stick and no crunchy plastic pants to rub against baby's delicate skin. For more information about FuzziBunz® or to purchase a FuzziBunz® diaper or accessory, please visit www.FuzziBunzOnline.com.
About Kelly's Closet, Inc.
Kelly's Closet, Inc., is the online purveyor of three online specialty baby boutiques, KellysCloset.com, FuzziBunzOnline.com and BulkClothDiaper.com. KellysCloset.com offers one of the Web's largest selections of cloth diapers and accessories. FuzziBunzOnline.com offers an exclusive collection of Mother of Eden products and accessories, including the patented FuzziBunz® diaper system. BulkClothDiaper.com offers deep diaper discounts on various cloth diapering brands. Kelly's Closet Inc., has been a trusted name in cloth diapering, having served more than 21,000 customers since opening its first store, KellysCloset.com, in 2001.
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