Last Friday, I had an opportunity to meet with gDiapers and their VP of Marketing (Kate) at their headquarters here in Portland. It was such a neat experience for me because I've followed gDiapers story since I moved here and have now become a fan of their product. Isabella is just starting to use them now and also on the verge of being potty trained (that's a whole separate blog entry).
gDiapers headquarters is in a huge Victorian home on a corner lot near our famous "Trendy Third" (23rd street) and totally inconspicuous. Not even a company sign infront to be found. I really got the feeling of being at the grass roots level of the company because it wasn't at all what your typical "corporate" headquarters office feels like. I should know because I used to work at Intel (hundreds of grey colored cubes in a sterile environment).
While I was there I very briefly met with Jason Graham-Nye, the founder and shook his
hand politely :) He's an Aussie so he had a nice accent and was pretty tall. All I know of him is from his "about" page and what I've read on his blog. I think what he and his wife have done with their company has been amazing and inspiring! I like to give props to entrepreneurs who work hard to get their business off the ground and have become successful because as a new entrepreneur myself it is darn hard work!!!!!
And did you know that...
*50 million disposable diapers go into landfills every day in the US, where they sit for up to 500 years.
*Disposable diapers are made of petroleum based plastic,
which is why they don’t break down. It’s also the reason diaper rash
is so common. Diaper rash is caused by moisture trapped by heat.
Disposables are ultra absorbent, but they don’t breathe.
Here's what I know about gDiapers so far and I'll have to post about my personal experience using them with Isabella later...
Overview of gDiapers
*gDiapers are the best of cloth and disposable in an earth-friendly hybrid diaper
*gDiapers consist of a reusable, cloth outer pant—a little g— and a plastic-free refill that you can flush, compost or toss
*gDiapers break down in about 3 months as opposed to plastic disposable diapers that take up to 500 years
*gDiapers are breathable, just like sports clothing, so babies stay dry and are far less likely to get diaper rash
a few key points comparing gDiapers to cloth
*gDiapers are more convenient than cloth and require much less washing, therefore less energy
*They’re also more absorbent than cloth and there’s less mess
*gDiapers are breathable, just like sports clothing, which means less diaper rash
*And they’re really cute!
compared to disposables
*gDiapers are radically better for the environment than traditional disposable diapers
*gDiapers are cradle to cradle certified which means that everything
that goes into a gDiapers refill is reabsorbed by the planet in a
neutral or helpful way
*gDiapers are plastic-free, so the break down in about 3 months instead of 500 years
*gDiapers can be flushed, so they don’t have to go into the landfill (they can also be home composted - wet ones only)
*gDiapers flushable refills contain :no plastic, no elemental chlorine, no perfumes, no inks or dyes, no latex, no guilt
If you use or have used gDiapers please comment here with your feedback and also be entered in our drawing to win Earth Mama Angel Baby's Organic I Love My Mama Gift Basket AND Organic Angel Baby Shampoo (perfect for Mother's Day) value over $50!
