Posted on 18th Jun 2011 @ 7:35 PM

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LolliDoo offers easy alternative to disposables

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Lollidoo Diapers, created in Newman Lake, are great at retaining moisture but also allow air to flow through easily.

When the makers of LolliDoo cloth diapers were deciding which fibers to make their product out of, they considered everything from coconut to hemp to soy. They settled on fleece made from recycled plastic bottles.

While consumers might think fleece is more appropriate for winter jackets than baby bottoms, the fabric works great for diapers because it repels moisture yet allows air to flow through, says Melissa Morgan, of Newman Lake, who owns the business with Alison Manus, of Tucson, Ariz.

The women operate the 2-year-old business through Newman Lake-based Go Green Sustainable Industries LLC, which also provides sewing services for other companies. Morgan and Manus met through an online mothers’ group in 2004 and started developing their diapers two years later. Manus approached Morgan saying that she wanted to “mainstream” cloth diapers.

There are more choices on the cloth-diaper market than people realize, Morgan says.

“There’s a whole host of cloth diapers currently, and we each have our respective brands. It is the M.O. of the cloth-diaper mom to have the cloth-diaper stash that contains a whole array of cloth-diaper choices,” she says.

The name “LolliDoo” is a combination of the nicknames both women had for their favorite blankets as children.

Manus handles some of the company’s business matters and tie-dyes some of the fabrics. Morgan’s husband, Carl, helps cut the fabric and developed a snap press that will install multiple snaps, saving time in the production process.

LolliDoo diapers are recyclable, organic, and all-American made. While some people opt to use traditional white cloth diapers to help the environment, that particular type can be made from polyurethane laminated fabric, a nonbiodegradable substance, Morgan says.

“I knew that the materials they were using in cloth diapers were not as sustainable as they should be … That led me on this big quest for the perfect fabric,” she said.

The durable, plush fleece LolliDoo uses for its diaper shells is milled by Malden Mills, in North Carolina, and the liners are made from organic cotton, says Morgan. The diapers are made in two styles—pocket or fitted—and come in a variety of colors. While they are made in one size, a series of snaps and adjustable legs make them able to fit everyone from newborns to toddlers. LolliDoo’s overnighters even contain a pocket in which absorbent pads can be inserted.

The company also sells a stay-dry liner; diaper covers, an alternative to plastic pants; and more, including feminine hygiene products. LolliDoo is working to develop kits and is in the process of developing training pants.

The cost of the diapers ranges from $22 to $75. Liners are sold separately for $9 a pack. “The typical American family spends about $60 to $70 a month on disposable diapers,” Morgan asserts. “Over the course of a diapering experience, you can spend $2,000 to $3,000 on diapers or more.”

LolliDoo sells its products through www.lollidoo.com and through 30 online and brick-and-mortar retailers across the U.S. and Canada. It currently is negotiating with a distributor in Europe and is seeking more outlets in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area, Morgan says. It also has held several “diaper parties,” through which parents can touch and feel the diapers before buying them.

While cloth diapers only account for 2 percent of the diaper industry, Morgan sees that as an opportunity for growth. LolliDoo typically produces between 200 and 250 diapers a week, and demand is growing. Morgan does some of the sewing in her home-based production facility, and the business works with five seamstresses who are independent contractors. She’s seeking more sewers due to increased workload, she says.

“We’re growing very quickly at this point,” Morgan says.

The company’s mission is not just to provide diapers, but also to help parents make more sustainable lifestyle choices, says Morgan, who made the switch from disposable to cloth diapers after her second child was born.

Morgan, who had a series of jobs before starting LolliDoo, is studying to be a lactation consultant. “Our mission is more than just to sell diapers. We really want to provide education, (to show) young families that the consumer choices that they make really have a greater impact than what comes out of their wallets,” she says. “We want them to think beyond the consumeristic nature of the society that we live in.”

For information on the company, visit www.ggsillc.com or www.lolliplace.com. To browse its products, visit www.lollidoo.com.