If parents today aren’t thinking green, they’re probably thinking about saving some green.
Brighton resident and entrepreneur Sarah Munoz hopes her new Main Street boutique, Baby Bootys, which sells cloth diapers, will appeal to both the environmentally conscious and the cost savvy. The store opened Jan. 24.
Munoz said the store grew out of her own interest in cloth diapers. She is a mother of four (5, 3, 2 and 7 months) and, after the latest birth, she said she wanted to use cloth instead of disposable diapers.
“I started looking for cloth and I read everything I could online but I wanted to touch them, to feel,” she said. “I started looking through the Yellow Pages, there’s not a store in Denver, in Colorado really, that you can go see cloth diapers.”
Munoz, a former elementary school educator, assumed she wasn’t the only one having the same problem.
“I couldn’t find them and I thought I’m sure other people have this problem,” Munoz said. “They want to do it but it’s not easy to get it.”
She said her interest in diapering her youngest son in cloth was three-fold. She points out the environmental impact of disposable diapers filling up the landfills. She says they are healthier for babies because of the chemicals used to make disposable diapers absorbent and she also believes there is an obvious cost benefit.
Munoz went to the store after her youngest son was born looking for diapers for him and his older brother (17 months at the time). The best she said she could do with the cheapest type of diapers was $70 for about three weeks worth.
So Munoz said she instead decided to make an investment of about $300 for her kids. It’s a decision she was so happy with, she wanted to create a place for people to come and examine if it’s the right choice for their child, too.
“I wanted to make a place where it was easy for people to come see the diapers, talk to someone about them, someone who has used them,” Munoz said. “Because I think there’s a fear about cloth diapers or a misconception that it’s the old pins and rubber pants that are so not comfy and hard to use.”
Munoz points out, while they still have the more traditional pre-fold cloth diapers (attached with a nifty connector instead of a pin), she points out today’s style is a lot more trendy, stylish and colorful with Velcro to attach them.
“All you have to do is put them in a dirty duds bag or a wet bag and every couple days, you throw them all in the washer with the bag, wash them up, dry them. They’re ready to go for the next time.
Munoz said, for a newborn set, a parent can get a child into a basic set of cloth diapers (36 diapers and six covers) for $89.
“You could essentially start cloth diapering with everything you need for $89 and that would last you until your baby was about 12 pounds,” she said.
From there, you would gradually move up in sizes. But Munoz estimates one could cloth diaper their child for two years for under $200.
Her husband, a crane operator, brought her dream to life. He transformed the empty storefront into a quaint boutique with a secluded playroom so she can bring her children to work everyday. Munoz’ oldest children have even gotten into the spirit – opening their own hot chocolate stand in the store.
The store also will offer a variety of other mom and earth-friendly products including baby slings, organic skin care products and organic clothing. Munoz is proud to point out they’ve gone out of their way to retail products mainly made my other moms and Colorado manufacturers.
She also wants the shop to be a resource for moms. Next month, she’ll launch a Baby Momma group. Munoz will clear out the displays and moms will have a chance to bring their young children, regardless of whether they use cloth diapers, and talk with other moms while the kids play.
She thinks moms will come to Brighton to find the store.
“I first thought we should go downtown Denver, be where it’s at but when I did my research and found there’s not a store anywhere, I thought ‘I’m going to keep it close to home.’
“It’s a destination store so people looking for baby items will drive and especially if it’s the only one in the area.”