Where to Shop Wednesday: FuzziBunz

FuzziBunz is one of the most widely known cloth diapering names. Tereson Dupuy is the inventor of FuzziBunz and founder and CEO of Mother of Eden. She invented FuzziBunz in January of 1999 after her son was suffering from chronic diaper rash. She couldn't find a solution that was easy or convenient. So became the birth of modern cloth diapers. Some people refer to Tereson Dupuy as "the mother of the modern cloth diaper."

If you aren't familiar with FuzziBunz, here is a brief overview of their diapers and products: Pocket diapers with a fleece lining and snaps. Super fun colors. One Size (Birth to Potty Trained) and Perfect Size (sized XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL), Trainers, Nursing Pads, Hanging Diaper Pails, Diaper Totes, Diaper Sprayers, Mama Pads, Inserts, Detergent, Changing Pads, Mattress Pads. Did I miss anything?

FuzziBunz diapers are amazing diapers. Their products are amazing. And their company is amazing!

Here is a list of the organizations they have helped:

• Aid for Orphans (Ukraine)
• Amani Baby Cottage (Uganda)
• Healing Hands of Haiti
• Malayka House (Uganda)
• Miracle Diapers (USA)
• Raising Malawi 
• The Home of Hope (Malawi)
• The Crisis Nursery (Uganda)
• Autism Speaks

FuzziBunz has given to several different organizations through the FuzziBunz Gives Back Program.   They have provided thousands of cloth diapers to several orphanages around the world. These include orphanages in the U.S., Africa, Haiti, and the Ukraine.  They also raised funds to donate formula and cereal for these babies. Then in their free time (not sure where they find it!) they have sewn blankets and other items to give these precious children something of their own. It that doesn't give you warm fuzzies about this company, nothing will!

When natural disasters hit here in the US and over seas, they also raise funds and help out as they can. Being a Louisiana based company, they see their fair share of natural disasters. During the floods and tornados of 2011, they helped collect and send baby supplies including diapers to families who lost everything.

They have also raised over $13,000 for Autism Speaks through the sale of their Light It Up Blue diaper. If you purchase this diaper $1 of each Light It Up Blue Diaper sale will be donated to Autism Speaks. Tereson's son Eden was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at 8 years old so this charity is very dear to her and her family.

What if every company cared this much? They care about their products, their employees, their customers, and their world!

Doesn't shopping feel good?!

Where to Shop Wednesday: gDiapers

gDiapers are incredibly versatile diapers. The company was started by Jason and Kim Graham-Nye while living in Australia. When they found out that regular disposable diapers were the third largest contributor to landfills in the world while only 5% of the population uses them! That fact gets me too! How does it not make everyone want to use reusable diapers!!

They decided right then that disposables weren't an option. They were living in a drought stricken area of Australia so they had to be extremely water conscious so they couldn't do 100% cloth either. So what's an eco responsible couple to do?! They heard about a company in Tasmania (very near Australia) that made flushable diapers and from their the idea was born. Fast forward to gDiapers.

They are a hybrid: part reusable (the shell) and part biodegradable disposables. You can also use hemp cloth insert inside to make it 100% reusable. They are great for traveling. Did I mention they are super cute?!

gDiapers is involved with many different charities and organizations.

Here is a list of the many different non-profit organizations gDiapers helps out:

Who knew shopping could feel so good?!

Where to Shop Wednesday: Happy Heinys

Happy Heinys was started in January 2002 by Linda Byerline after the birth of her third child, who was born prematurely. Her doctor suggested cloth diapers to her after the birth of her child and she desired different options than what she found available and so was born Happy Heinys!

For those who aren't familiar with Happy Heinys: They make several different kinds of cloth diapers but their most famous for their one size pocket diapers. They have options for Hook and Loop (velcro) and Snaps. Many moms (and dads) are huge fans of the Hook and Loop option. Happy Heinys is made exclusively in the US (except for Hemp products).

Happy Heinys is very involved with giving to those in need. Here is a quote from the owner about how she started helping orphans around the world:

“Happy Heinys has actually been working with several different orphanages in Africa, Kenya, and Haiti over the last 8 yrs.”, states Linda Byerline CEO. Byerline continues, “It all started 8 yrs ago when we received a picture of an infant no more than 3-4 months old sitting on a small glass pitcher. We soon learned that these babys sat on these homemade potties for hours each day due to the lack of diapering products available. Those who were lucky enough to have a diaper actually had an old worn rag wrapped around their diaper area. As a mom this broke my heart!” Byerline continued, “We quickly realized that we were in the best position to take care of these babies behinds and we have done so ever since. As other companies sell off their seconds, Happy Heinys sends them to babies in need all over the world.”

If the thought of infants sitting on glass pitchers doesn't stir something deep inside of you, check your pulse!

Here is a list of organizations Happy Heinys has helped:

• 9/11 Red Cross Fund
• Aid for Orphans 
• Timothy House in Haiti
• International Federation of Human Support
• Autism Speaks
• Guatemala Stove
• US Natural Disasters : San Diego Fires and Hurricane Katrina

Most recently, Happy Heinys, has started their own charity called The Heiny Project. 100% of the money collected goes toward providing diapers for families in need. The families take a 1.5 hour course of how to take of the diapers and then receive a certificate to purchase $250 worth of cloth diapers.

Shop for your baby and help other babies!

Introduction to Where to Shop Wednesdays

In June of 2011, I began to get a little stir crazy. I had a 4 month old baby and was now a stay at home mom. Becoming a SAHM meant a big pay cut for us. We thought we were ready for it but we weren't. It was also a huge adjustment to me not bringing home money. We are also normally a charitable couple but all of a sudden we needed every cent we were earning. I figured we couldn't be the only people who had this huge change to our normal life by having a baby and one person of the couple deciding to stay home. 

Late one night after getting our daughter to bed, I was browsing on of my favorite sites: Made By Survivors. They are an incredible organization/business that empowers women. Some women have been rescued from sex slavery and trafficking and others live in poor communities with no rights. They teach and train these women to become artisans and then the items they make are sold around the world. So you buy a beautiful necklace and you empower a woman you will never meet. It's  incredibly powerful for these women, yet so simple for the consumer. 

I started thinking, why couldn't there be a online store or better, physical store that did this geared towards parents. Every baby needs essential items and almost every baby gets gifts. I started researching and planning and then told my husband of my grand plan: I wanted to open a store that sold all things baby but only from companies who were charitable. I also wanted the company to give back. The planning was bumpy but I had some good advisors. After realizing bank don't like to give money to start ups we scaled back and it became simply a cloth diaper store with room to expand. And that is when Teal Elephant was born. 

The name was chosen because Teal was in the green family and our company was "green" just not 100%. Elephant was chosen because elephants are matriarchal animals. If a mother elephant dies, the other female elephants help raise the orphaned elephant. They also work together so no one is left unprotected. These facts amazed me and I fell in love with elephants.

My business would have been open one year on paper this month. I am in the process of closing it because I figured out that I love cloth diapers but I don't have the passion that is needed to help push a business along. I won't say it was a waste of time (maybe a little money here and there). I learned a lot about business and a lot about myself. I met some amazing women and mothers and I loved it. 

Even though I am closing it, I still have a interest in businesses that are charitable. If I know a company gives to others when I purchase there items, I will pay more and I will have a deeper following to that brand. 

I figure there are some other mama elephants that like to shop and like to help people. When money is tight people want to make their dollar stretch as far as it can go. What if we looked at that a little differently? What if we shopped for items that we needed that also helped people in return?

Each Wednesday I will give you a different business that I love that gives back. The first few will be cloth diaper related because, well, I already know about them. 

I have to give credit to an amazing website I found last year in the process of all the business research. They do this same thing except it's almost daily and it is more in depth than I will be doing. It is MilkShake. Check them out and bookmark them (and me too!!) and let your shopping help empower people!!

What is your favorite business that gives back?