# A History of Cloth....



## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

Ok...so not from the dark ages but in the more recent history of the "new cloth".

I'm curious as to who/what were the original WAHM diapers out there...how did "hyena" become coined, when were elbees new on the block and when did they become the Dior of diapering, what was Tuesday Bear..ya know all the juicy details of our little cloth diapering world!!

Thought this would be a fun new thread!!


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## Knittin' in the Shade (Feb 14, 2003)

My oldest is 5.5, and when he was a babe WAHMs were just starting to come out, Jennifer at Poochies was my favorite, followed by Molly Togs and SOS (some things are classics, LOL!) Then there was Jody Mack with the infamous $200 Honeyboys







Tuesday bear was the original WAHM congo (conglomerate, coined by Teddy-aka Teri Eddy, who was the mastermind behind Tuesday Bear) The Midday Faire mamas are the best of the original TB WAHMs, and when things got dicey for Teddy and she pulled the plug on TB, they tried to start a new TB, but if I recall someone (who isn't with those wahms now) went on a power trip, and the MF mamas left and started Midday Faire, which rocks in it's own right now









Elbees got hot I'd say last spring or so? It was after wool exploded and everyone wanted wool everything, they're super trim and nice under soakers (I'm told, I've never used one, LOL!)


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## meco (Mar 1, 2004)

I







the flash on the old Tuesday Bear site...And Tuesday Bear. I wish it would come back.

It became Tuesday Noon until the disagreement. Now Midday Faire.

And soakers. Mine is only 22 months, but it seems that market has exploded in the last year. All of a sudden there were soakers all over. Beforehand they were a lot harder to find!


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## Jillbob (Aug 29, 2004)

I started using clothe almost 4 years ago. I'd say almost all of the wahms that were around then are gone. Born to love was around. I still have Laurie Loos and Nanas Nappies. A mama that used to post on another board I did had a great cloth info site but it's gone. It was almost like starting from scratch when dd came along. Wool wasn't nearly as huge as it is now, and back then it was mostly just 'crats and stacinator. The first month or so I was on MDC, I could not for the life of me figure out "hyena" and "hyena cart" was just as confusing. I don't remember there being any got-to-have wham diaper back then, if there was it was way out of my price range :LOL I don't remember there being pocket diapers back then, although I was very anti anything resembling an AIO back then (they were sooo expensive compared to fitteds). It's funny to see how things have changed. I have no problem with dropping $50 and up on a wool cover now but 4 years ago $20 for a 'crat seemed outrageous.

Interesting thread, making me think of the old days (man I feel old :LOL)


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## Mom2Lily (May 18, 2003)

Can anyone comment on the history of fb's? I know they have gone through a few design changes...who wants to take on that time line...lol

love the thread and was just thinking about this last night!


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

This is great!!

Now...what about fluffymail...how did that come about? When did they become impossible to get?

And I'd love to hear more about the infamous Jody Mack and her Honeyboys!!

Keep'em coming ladies!!


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## spatulagirl (Feb 21, 2002)

I wanna know who invented the first fitted? The first AIO? What about WIO?

And something recent... who was the first person to use OV? OC? what else?


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## Izzybee (Feb 20, 2004)

Great Thread!!


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## guerrillamama (Oct 27, 2003)

Ex-CDer dons black trenchcoat and slinks back into diapering forum; huddles in shadows at back of room and calls out in tremblling voice:

What about the term "hyena"? I have been meaning to ask this for a year.


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## jmreinke (Jan 1, 2003)

I started cd'ing 3 1/2 years ago, and Heavenly Heiny's were all the rage. Anybody remember Heavenly Heiny's? Oh, and I had a Babykicks (maker of joey bunz) hemp fitted one size diaper. I didn't appreciate it then, but I think it was actually pretty cool - she doesn't make those anymore.

Manyducks was big. Fuzzi bunz had rounded tabs. Previous to that, they were all fleece, both inside and out. There are some that still say the original all fleece ones were the best.

Luke's Drawers were also pretty hot. People actually used and liked Bumkins AIO's.

Motherease was widely used then too. But then ME pulled the plug on letting WAHMs distribute them, so there was a big backlash against ME for a while.

That's some of what I can remember off the top of my head. I first started at Parent's Place diapering board, but they changed their format, and I still have never gotten the hang of it, so I haven't been back. I came here and have been very happy!


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## cj'smommy (Aug 14, 2003)

I could have sworn that Heather had something about the evolution of the Hyena on the diaper hyena but I can't find it now. I also just noticed that she doesn't run the site anymore.

Anyone esle remember this?


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## mamma2kaden (Nov 7, 2004)

Very interesting thread.
















ing


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## mehndi mama (May 20, 2003)

Okay, I can answer a few questions here. Kendell from Freshies! coined the term "hyena". She was commenting on how all the MDC diapering mamas were so ruthless in their stalking of hard-to-get diapers, and said in a joking way that they're just like a pack of hyenas, closing in for the kill....and the term stuck. So you have miss Kendell to thank for that one!
Hyena Cart is a more recent invention of Karen Fegelman from Kool Sheep Soakers. She figured out how to program a simple shopping-cart system that would not oversell, and that would be super-affordable and easy for a WAHM to use. And it is - she's revolutionized the stocking of one-of-a-kind diapers and such!

As for who invented the first fitted diaper? Well, it must have been a LOOOOONG time ago, because my mom sewed some for me when I was a baby 30 years ago. She even made snap-closing AIO's! So I think innovative mamas taking their diapers & cutting them to shape & putting elastic & fasteners on them has been happening probably for as long as the elastic and fasteners were in existence.
I believe the first commercially availabe fitted diaper sewing pattern available was the Better Baby Diaper, although the Kwik Sew diaper pattern may have been done before that. Poo Pockets was the new pattern when I was sewing diapers 9 years ago, and the waterproof fabric of choice at that time was Ultrex - PUL was practically unheard of!


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## SaraMama (Sep 19, 2004)

Wow! I'm loving all this info! I've not been in the cding world long and it is great to hear some history!

Thanks mamas!


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## guerrillamama (Oct 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mehndi mama*
Okay, I can answer a few questions here. Kendell from Freshies! coined the term "hyena". She was commenting on how all the MDC diapering mamas were so ruthless in their stalking of hard-to-get diapers, and said in a joking way that they're just like a pack of hyenas, closing in for the kill....and the term stuck. So you have miss Kendell to thank for that one!


Thank you Kendell! And MehndiMama!

[Curiosity satiated, the exile slinks back into the shadows from whence she came, and silently returns to her home in the sposie underworld...]


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## Greaseball (Feb 1, 2002)

:


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## meco (Mar 1, 2004)

There has to be more
















I did some research, this is not firsthand knowledge. MotherEase was the first company I found out about...

Quote:

Catherine McDiarmid's BornToLove.com (Canada) was one of the first major diaper sites to emerge in 1997. BornToLove.com is recognized for its extensive articles and listing of other diaper WAHMs who design and sew their own products or sell cloth diapers and covers from larger cloth diapering companies.
http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/5...th-diapers.htm

EC?









Quote:

In some Native American tribes, mothers packed grass under a diaper cover made of rabbit skin, as it was done by the Incas in South America.* In warmer tropical climates babies were mostly naked and mothers tried to anticipate baby's bowel movements to avoid any mess near the house.*
http://www.gpoabs.com.mx/cricher/history.htm

How is this for cleanliness?

Quote:

It's hard to believe, but in Elizabethan times, babies were treated to a fresh diaper every four days! Little sons and daughters of royalty were more fortunate - and changed once a day. The diapers themselves were squares of cloth held on with string tied around the baby's stomach.

When the pioneers pushed westward in covered wagons, mothers made all their children's diapers, carefully rolling and hand-stitching the edges. Wet diapers were seldom washed, just hung by the fireplace to dry.

The first all-cotton diapers were made in America. A 21 by 40-inch rectangle was folded and tucked and pinned. Mothers might buy six to seven dozen diapers to keep up with their baby.
http://webhome.idirect.com/~born2luv/history.html

Prefolds?!?

Quote:

During the Eisenhower era (1950's), there was another big change in the diaper. Mrs. Hellerman - owner of a diaper service in Milwaukee - went to the Kendall Company, which made Curity® brand diapers, with a new invention. It was a fold that put extra cotton layers in the centre of the diaper and made it about the right size for most babies. The fold was sewn shut, and the prefolded diaper was born. No more family folding parties! A few years later, Kendall Company began making the prefolded diaper in a smaller size especially for diaper services. They fit newborns from a "premie" to a baby 10 pounds.

I can find NOTHING more than this. ONE of us needs to start interviewing WAHMs and CDers to find out the history and record it!!!!







What a book that would make for hyenas


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## natashaccat (Apr 4, 2003)

I started visiting MDC almost two yrs ago. At the time fuzbombs were very popular and knitted soakers (KS and LTK the biggest names at the time) were hard to find. SOS and Sugarpeas also very popular and hard to find.


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## carolsly (Oct 5, 2004)

My mom used prefolds with my sister. DSQ ones! She bought them used from a local diaper service in Oregon. My sister will be 27 in July. In 1978 she cloth diapered and nursed..people thought she was nutso. You know what..she was cheap..and today she can loan my sister and I enough money to help purchase houses, laptop computers for college and many other things.. Mom used pins and those aweful pull on pants. She saw my CD after I brought Lillian home..I had the OSFA Under the Nile with the snaps. I had Bumkins covers, and an Aristocrat. My mom was in awe! She was so funny..not only did she not put my baby down (she is a totally AP parent) when I couldn't hold her..she petted my cloth diapers..only a truely crunchy mama would do this HA HA.


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## Rising Sun (Sep 15, 2003)

Carolsly, I'm jealous!

Okay, when my 11.5 year old was born, the coolest thing that I found was the gerber prefolds that had velcro tabs! I didn't have to pin them.

For my regular prefolds, I had didee clips. They were cool, but I pinned most of the time.

I used dry pail, but people thought that was insane. I ... gasp.... bleached my diapers every time I washed them.

I still have a few of the gerber prefolds.

24 years ago, I diapered my little sisters... my mom was lazy, so I had diaper duty.... and I used prefolds, flatfolds and pins. I also used gerber pull on rubber pants. I thought the new ones were cool cause they came in colors... light pink, light yellow, and light blue.

How frightening is that?

Teri - nak


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## Izzybee (Feb 20, 2004)

Carolsly, your mommy sounds like such a wonderful person


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## Piffle (May 4, 2004)

I started with cloth early summer 2002! I had no idea about wahm diapers but soon found out about them!! hehe. Luke's drawers was big then. She always had instock.

Sugar Peas was crazy! You could never get a one!! I can remember getting up at 6:00 in the morning once to see if I could get somthing from her site!! Her fitted hemp diapers went for $22-25 used on ebay!

Fuz gardens were the big rage too! I miss fuz gardens!

I can remember most wahm did not have anything instock and you could rarely get a custom spot!

Honeyboys were very popular. I think El bee opened fall 2002 and by the spring you couldn't get anything from her and the list was long. SOS was impossible to get.

Ah, the good old days!


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Interesting read Ladies!


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

This is great!


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## meco (Mar 1, 2004)

I miss the fuz gardens too.....

And someone tell me more about these $200 Honeyboys?!?


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meco*
I miss the fuz gardens too.....

And someone tell me more about these $200 Honeyboys?!?

I want to know too...and what about fluffymail? How did that come about?!


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## meco (Mar 1, 2004)

http://thediaperhyena.com/WAHMcongo.htm

Ohhh there was the TB screen


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## Muggins&Doody (Feb 5, 2003)

I started CDing in Jan 2002, and some popular dipes were Fuzzi Bunz, ME OS, Heavenly Hineys, Lukes Drawers, Poochies, Cuddlebuns, Cloud 9, Mommyhearts, Ivy Rose and Toadies.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mom2Lily*
Can anyone comment on the history of fb's? I know they have gone through a few design changes...who wants to take on that time line...lol

love the thread and was just thinking about this last night!

The original Fuzzi Bunz were fleece outer AND inner (with a PUL layer sandwiched in between). I'm not sure when they came out. 2000, I think? Maybe 1999, or earlier. They had rounded tabs. After that they came out with the PUL outer FBs, which were white. They also started making serged FBs with print outers (cotton, not pul prints), which were like, limited edition. When I started CDing DS in Jan 2002, I had some white ones, and a couple blue ones. I think they also had red and yellow at that time. Pointed tab Fuzzi Bunz came out in mid 2002.


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## Muggins&Doody (Feb 5, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meco*
I miss the fuz gardens too.....

And someone tell me more about these $200 Honeyboys?!?

The original Honeyboys made by Jody Mack were the original hyena dipe. They were ultra hard to get and she used to auction them on WAHMall (now Kitty Bids), and they went for over $200 sometimes.


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## meco (Mar 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jloveladycmc*
I want to know too...and what about fluffymail? How did that come about?!


there is a tidbit here
http://thediaperhyena.com/WAHMcongo.htm


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## meco (Mar 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Muggins&Doody*
The original Honeyboys made by Jody Mack were the original hyena dipe. They were ultra hard to get and she used to auction them on WAHMall (now Kitty Bids), and they went for over $200 sometimes.



















wow, are you serious? I would pay $182.50 for that Kiwi Pie diaper laundry cover but wow!


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## Muggins&Doody (Feb 5, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jloveladycmc*
I want to know too...and what about fluffymail? How did that come about?!

Fluffymail started last Oct, and they weren't even hard to get at first! You could mosey on over there and get whatever you wanted. They even had a message board and you could request custom orders. One time they put all their fitteds on sale for $10/ea because they were just sitting there. :LOL I think after the $10 sale, everyone realized how much their stuff rocked and it became hyena food.


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## Muggins&Doody (Feb 5, 2003)

<b?eco]









wow, are you serious? I would pay $182.50 for that Kiwi Pie diaper laundry cover but wow!







[/QUOTE]

Yeah it was crazy. There was one person that won most of the auctions. She must have spent like, $2000 or more, just on Honeyboys.


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## Nada (Oct 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mehndi mama*
Kendell from Freshies! coined the term "hyena". She was commenting on how all the MDC diapering mamas were so ruthless in their stalking of hard-to-get diapers, and said in a joking way that they're just like a pack of hyenas, closing in for the kill....and the term stuck. So you have miss Kendell to thank for that one!

That is a VERY cool piece of information!








:

Nada


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## Jennisee (Nov 15, 2004)

Quote:

Fluffymail started last Oct, and they weren't even hard to get at first! You could mosey on over there and get whatever you wanted. They even had a message board and you could request custom orders. One time they put all their fitteds on sale for $10/ea because they were just sitting there. I think after the $10 sale, everyone realized how much their stuff rocked and it became hyena food.
Oh, what I wouldn't do for a time machine! I love my two FCBs that I got off the TP. I don't even care that I'm putting a dinosaur print and a tool set print on my girlie girl. I just love the diapers so much!

*Wait, a minute. Maybe by raving about FCBs, I'm increasing my competition... Never mind! They suck! Don't waste your money!* :LOL


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## BowNessMonster (Mar 5, 2002)

LOL! Yep, the ladies were getting their ruffs up over some SugarPeas and I posted "GEEZE! You ladies are like HYENAS!!!!" :LOL If I recall, someone had like 18 of them, and those who had none were getting real snippy









I remember the HoneyBoy's of the Jody Mack era...my oh MY, absolute perfection! And boy did I drool over Fuz, but that price tag







: and that was before the Fuz prices increased too, and the CDN dollar was disgustingly low...it was like $80-90 CDN for a 'Bomb.

I remember thinking my snap tape was 'innovative' back in 2001







:

Poochies were still around when I got online during my pg, and I also recall spending many hours drooling over Luke's Drawers and at BTL. I just didn't 'do' online shopping (heck, I was still a newbie to email then LOL) so it was all fantasizing. The first thing I bought online was my Maya Wrap, and I was soooo nervous using my CC online :LOL

eta: sort of off-topic, but I also remember that Catherine from Compleat Mother died on Sept 11, 2001. Finding her mag when I was very early in my pregnancy was what started me on my road to natural mothering, including cloth diapering







Thanks Catherine!


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

Ok...bumping this to get more history!

Anyone else have some great tidbits?! What about GMAR?!


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

I know there's got to be more mamas!!


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## vanilla (Aug 11, 2004)

One of my best friends has a 6 yr old. She remembers when FB and stacinator started, She was a tester for stacinator covers. She saw my fb and didn't recognize them, but she was really surprised to hear how big they had become- she used to email with Thereson... That's all the history I know. I'm new







:


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## mum2tori (Apr 7, 2003)

When I started CDing over three years ago (summer of 2001) the hot WAHM diapers were Lukes Drawers (a popular place to windowshop, she always had stock and amazing selection), Poochies (they were on there way "out" though), Manyducks, gavies (lower-case g :LOL), HeavenlyHineys AIOs, Mommyhearts, HoneyBoys and Cloud9 Softies. IvyRose were hard to get because she was on maternity. FuzziBunz were popular... the white ones with rounded tabs were just becoming the standard. It was hard to find the tan fleece outer/inner versions. I still like the round tabs better than the pointy tabs. They didn't pop apart at the thigh as easily.

Motherease was still "expensive" while most WAHM diapers were about $10-12 for fitteds and AIOs were $14. An Aristocrat was an "investment" at about $20-25. Oh how that's changed. :LOL

Popular places to "hang out"... ParentsPlace diapering board and CDReivews on yahoo groups. Many a catfight would break out on CDReivews. I didn't know about MDC then. Amitymama was popular too but was on an extremely slow server.

Let's see maybe I can add to the Jody Mack/HoneyBoy story.







Jody was the only one making a fleece with front tab AIOs. They were very distinct. Fleece was all the rage then. Summer of 2002 was the height of the insane WAHMall auctions. Many a Friday night was spent watching for a few (either it was $30 or $40) BIN auctions that Jody would post. WAHMall would get so slow with so many people frantically refreshing.

One woman outbid almost everyone on any HoneyBoy auction. Over about two months time she bought almost 30 HoneBoys. Ranging in price from $70 to a whopping $275.00 for one. I have a complete list of what she bought because it was so mindblowing at the time. It was in excess of $3000.00 total. Some of the diapers she won weren't new either. I remember a couple of them were in okay shape not even excellent. Some of the new ones did have amazing appliques too.

Jody created a pattern that was made available for purchase and suddenly EVERYONE was making them and selling them.







She eventually sold her biz and it became a cottage biz. There was some backlash against the new owner and then wool became popular. And fleece has fallen out of favor some.

















Early 2002 most wool was only commerical covers i.e. Aristocrats soakers, Bumpy and Biobottoms covers. There was Stacinator, KangarooKorners and Fuzbaby and not a lot more WAHM wise. Sherry of Heavenly Hiney sold her PUL AIO biz to her parents and started making wool covers. Natural Simplicity was born and she did several applique wool jersey/flannel covers. Slowly over the year wool became popular. Tuesday Bear was born in 2003 and appliqued wool covers became the rage. Summer of 2003 was the beginnning of the real wool soaker craze. Summer 2004 became the wool "Longie" craze.


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## Jennisee (Nov 15, 2004)

Ok, so what's NEXT? What does everyone predict will be the next big thing? I would like to find someone who sells longies with matching or coordinating accesories--button-up cardigan, sweater vest, hat, scarf, that sort of thing. Not necessarily sure I could afford it, though.... :LOL


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

Renate...the knitting nana does awesome hat/sweater/longies sets! I'm pretty sure she's closed for orders until after the holidays, though Butterflymom has posted great pics of the buggle in some of her sets. Just gorgeous! I think her user name is molly54.

As for the nexr big thing..it's already started, but organics definately!


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## clothcrazymom (Sep 13, 2003)

When I started cding 17 years ago I used Curity gauze flats and Nikky wraps - the Nikky's were very cutting edge and we thought they were very very expensive at like $8-9. I had 4 covers and remember that being more than most had. My friends used prefolds and thought I was nuts to use flats. Some of the mama's at LLL had wool Nikkys but most thought they were totally nuts to use wool! Oh and I had a few friends that used diaper service and they had prowraps or something like that and they were bright colors...quite innovative for that time.

When I started ttc this time around (2001) I started looking around for Curity flats again and found that they weren't around any longer. Some women I knew on email lists were into cloth diapering and making diapers. I remember Jordana and Tracy (can't even remember their biz names now) They were making fitteds. Jordana was into making things with fleece that were embellished. Malden Mills fleece was the new thing of the day. Jody would put up the auctions and I remember when they were affordable and easy to get, and then went way up high. Lots of similar things started showing up. I remember thinking that the prices were just absolutely outrageous for diapers and covers (in the maybe $8-12 range? LOL) So I joined a sewing list and made my own. Then in late 2002 I decided to buy some fitteds and fell in love. My first real "hyena" diaper was a SugarPeas. That's when Carrie was making them all I think. I remember somehow browsing her site and she just happened to stock and I grabbed some things. I thought it was just the greatest thing ever...until I ended up getting others. (still have lots of SP wool covers though) I think the next diaper I bought was a Liz's cloth.

Jennifer was making diapers back then too...can't remember her biz name either. There really weren't too many around. There sure have been a LOT that have come and gone along the way!

I can remember thinking Bumpy wool cover prices were absolutely outrageous even though I got them at $15!

Hmmm trying to think of some of the others. That was at the point when Mother Ease sent out the letters that they were going to sue WAHMs too. And there was a big uproar about Mother Ease.

Oh and since poly fleece was the thing there was lots of talk about wicking and repelling and stripping. I had a hard time getting all the terminology. I remember having a hard time understanding how wicking is good sometimes and bad others.

And for fabric co-ops Holly and Mona were the big co-op queens when I was making our own diapers. And then Lori had some co-ops going.

I don't know if organics are the next big thing....it does seem to be becoming the way though. I think it's sortof funny because I started out with only natural fibers and organics and so many were into the poly fleece. Trim seems to be a big thing lately.

When I first came here...the big thing was Fuzbaby stuff. And I remember that I just loved to look at Kathleen's stash - she had some amazing stuff!

And I remember when you could easily get something at Mosaic Moon.

ok I've rambled on long enough.


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## Izzybee (Feb 20, 2004)

clothcrazymom, why did ME want to sue WAHMs?


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Izzybee*
clothcrazymom, why did ME want to sue WAHMs?

i want to know,too!


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## clothcrazymom (Sep 13, 2003)

Someone else can probably do better with the details.

I think it was for copywrite infringement or something like that. My understanding was that basically WAHMs started making and selling their own fitteds and covers and ME took the stand that they were copying their product and sent out cease letters. I know that several WAHMs were frightened by this and stopped selling. I think there was some sort of agreement that came out of the whole thing...but again I wasn't up on all the details. I really didn't pay too much attention at the time.


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## art4babies (Mar 6, 2004)

:


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## Carli (Jan 5, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *clothcrazymom*
Someone else can probably do better with the details.

I think it was for copywrite infringement or something like that. My understanding was that basically WAHMs started making and selling their own fitteds and covers and ME took the stand that they were copying their product and sent out cease letters. I know that several WAHMs were frightened by this and stopped selling. I think there was some sort of agreement that came out of the whole thing...but again I wasn't up on all the details. I really didn't pay too much attention at the time.

I remember this. I believe ME was concerned with tradedress (is that one word?). I think 3 WAHMs got the letter. I remember one of them but can't remember the others.

Pam and her Sweet Pickles were also really hot way back when.


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## mehndi mama (May 20, 2003)

I thought the big ME stink was when they decided to no longer sell wholesale to WAHM distributors. You had to be a retailer with a business, and so that put a lot of small-time distributor mamas out of business/pocket money (I guess they used to sell sort of like how OTSBH slings does - any mama can become a distributor, and keep literature around saying "if you want any of this stuff, call me & I can order it for you")
However, I could see ME taking legal action, too - theirs was the first one-size snap-on fitted, and they did get a patent on their design. So if they were sending cease and decist letteres, that was likely the reason - patent infringement. (Makes the whole Fuzzibunz patent thing seem kind of old-hat, eh? :LOL)

I started the wool_soaker_group yahoo group sometime in early 2003, if I remember correctly. I couldn't find a group of soaker-knitting mamas ANYWHERE, not to mention decent patterns (at the time, the LTK pattern was the only good pattern out there - you ladies have it so good now, with all the choices available!), so I just opened up a yahoo group in hopes that others would be searching for the same thing. I believe the group gave a number of knitting/pattern WAHM's their start - I remember Pam & Karen joining fairly early on







It wasn't until after Karen from Kool Sheep started pulling in $40+ auctions on her soakers that other knitting mamas started thinking "wow, there could be something to this!". At that time, my soaker pattern was still just the free version, and I gave Morwenna permission to use it as she saw fit. She has done some major tweaking with it, so it's truly her pattern now, but I feel very proud that I had a little bit of a hand in getting Mosaic Moon off the ground







I started working on my pants pattern from a request from Morwenna, too - so I have her to thank for kicking me in the butt to get my own pattern to where it is now, too.

Does anyone here remember AMU (alternamoms.com)? That was a good 5 years ago or more, and Phan (of Phan's Butt Sweaters fame) was in my LLL group - I learned to make sweater soakers from her. As far as I can recall, Peanut Butter Kisses were the big WAHM diaper at AMU, and Kerry's Herbals Miracle Salve was the end-all-and-be-all of diaper rash treatment.


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## mum2tori (Apr 7, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *clothcrazymom*
Jennifer was making diapers back then too...can't remember her biz name either. There really weren't too many around. There sure have been a LOT that have come and gone along the way!

I can remember thinking Bumpy wool cover prices were absolutely outrageous even though I got them at $15!

I think you are talking about Jennifer of Poochies?

Yep! I remember thinking I'd got an awesome deal on a couple of Bumpy's for like $12-15 each in excellent condition because they were "so expensive". :LOL

Quote:


Originally Posted by *clothcrazymom*
Oh and since poly fleece was the thing there was lots of talk about wicking and repelling and stripping. I had a hard time getting all the terminology. I remember having a hard time understanding how wicking is good sometimes and bad others.

And for fabric co-ops Holly and Mona were the big co-op queens when I was making our own diapers. And then Lori had some co-ops going.


















Remember when everyone found out that Malden Mill would sell the fleece "cheaper" by the roll and everyone was frantically trying to grab the "smaller" yardage rolls. Lots of MM co-ops back then. And the deperate attempts at getting MaldenMills microfleece in a "true" white not an "off-white" or cream. They could mafe it in a Windpro but never could make it (even a custom milled order) in a true white Micro.

Then the Snap-press co-ops started. The sign of "great" diaper WAHM was did she offer poly-resin snaps. Now its hard to find very many WAHMs that use Aplix anymore. Especially side-aplix (my personal favorite














).

Can't forget the "trademark" wars of 2002-2003.














"Who created the first pocket diaper? Is this diaper a copy of that one? Is the "front tab" design trademarked? Cease & desist letters." On and on...


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## Carli (Jan 5, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mehndi mama*
Does anyone here remember AMU (alternamoms.com)? That was a good 5 years ago or more, and Phan (of Phan's Butt Sweaters fame) was in my LLL group

I remember Phan from the Inside The Web Amity's forum! Gosh, what has happened to all these wonderful women?


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## Frogmorest (Jan 31, 2004)

wow! I am just lovin all the info!

I started cd'in in february of 2002 and remember the Honeyboy auctions!!!! At that point I swore I would never even spend 20$ on a diaper or cover... little did I know ... lol!


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Frogmorest*
wow! I am just lovin all the info!

I started cd'in in february of 2002 and remember the Honeyboy auctions!!!! At that point I swore I would never even spend 20$ on a diaper or cover... little did I know ... lol!









:

me, too!! I vividly remember in Aug. (one month into cd'ing) that I couldn't phathom someone spending $45 on a KP wool cover.







And didn't even know what a hyena was...then I found MDC and now let's just say my limit of what I consider outrageous has increased significantly!







: :LOL And my DS bum is dressed in better/more expensive things than all the clothes in my closet (clearance rack at kohl's and old navy!)!!

This is just great info ladies...puts a really neat perspective on where the "new cloth" has come from.

The trademark wars interest me a lot...since wasn't it disposable companies who really came up w/ the "front-tab" design that spurred all of these mama's to reconfigure the cloth of old into something that was more user friendly and better fitting?! Just a thought....


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## Goddess3_2005 (Oct 20, 2004)

Hmm the next big thing, Silk Fleece Diaper covers and liners.







These are awsome, but the fabric to make them is impossible to buy right now, so that may be awhile off.









I was also wondering about acrylic soakers, I have heard that these are just as nice as wool, but they just need to be washed each time. Would this be a better option for a NB I wonder because of the blowouts?


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## Knittin' in the Shade (Feb 14, 2003)

Quote:

I remember Pam & Karen joining fairly early on It wasn't until after Karen from Kool Sheep started pulling in $40+ auctions on her soakers that other knitting mamas started thinking "wow, there could be something to this!". At that time, my soaker pattern was still just the free version, and I gave Morwenna permission to use it as she saw fit. She has done some major tweaking with it, so it's truly her pattern now, but I feel very proud that I had a little bit of a hand in getting Mosaic Moon off the ground
Yep, I remember all of this







Did ya'll know that Karen (KSS) was the very first mama who had my pattern, I wrote it up for her in one of the sizes (can't remember which) and her KSS pattern is largely based on mine? She wrote me a while after I sent it and asked if she could use it (with her modifications) and KSS was born









I think the next big thing is going to be a return to simplicity, with flats, prefolds and simple aplix wraps. The pendulum has to swing back in the other direction sometime, LOL, cause it seems like the community has been going towards the "all-out, deocrative, over the top" trend for a while.


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## meco (Mar 1, 2004)

Very cool.









A bubble huh?









I like the simplicity, but it seems prefolds and flats will never be the same after seeing them in technicolor! But that would be a nice direction to go towards....


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## Goddess3_2005 (Oct 20, 2004)

It is so hard to get products in big name stores. They require expensive safety testing and have super strict standards, from lables ing to product packaging. When I was doing slings I was working with Toys R US to put my my product in their stores, but finally gave in after I found out the hundreds of thousands of dolars it would cost me to get in their store. Someone would have to get a huge Like 500,000$ loan to get in stores like that.


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## Jennisee (Nov 15, 2004)

Holli, I completely agree. I think that if FB were on the shelf next to the sposies, people would see how cute they are, and be able to do the math in their head, and cloth would go mainstream. And even if people didn't think they could afford the start-up, that's what registries are for, right? What would truly make me happy would be to see commercials on TV. Can't you just picture parents all across America going to the store to get the cute, cloth diapers they saw on TV?


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## radish (Sep 19, 2002)

Quote:

I love this thread! But, I don't think we'll return to simplicity. I mean, there are an awful lot of WAHMs whom we are supporting with our lust for cool and unique diapers. It would be devastating to them I think if we all gave it up and went back to flats and aplix.
ITA! Great post!

I remember when Karen sold my IRL friend Sybil/bubbles one of her first soakers for something like $10, it was a "tester" (beautiful greens and blues - Koolaid I think).


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

I don't know that the new cloth would ever end up in mainstream stores like TRUS or Wal-mart...but there is definately a market for such things at places like trader joes and whole food markets. Or even the small mom&pop B&M natural foods markets. If the clientele of those stores saw a very baby AIO...cloth would definately peak their interest. You can't get any easier than a bum-ware or VB AIO...just put them on and go!!

Wow...a KSS for $10 as a "tester"....mmmm wish I'd been her IRL friend! :LOL


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## clothcrazymom (Sep 13, 2003)

Well I really hope that it comes to be that there will be cloth diapers readily available. I know that there are quite a few WAHMs that have tried...some with limited success in boutiques and such. But at this point many of the them out there can't even keep up with the online demand they have.

Ok so then there were also all the arguments on the diaper sewing lists about pattern copywrite and what someone could or couldn't make and sell. Also with licensed fabrics.

Geeze I wish I still had my old computer with all the old diaper links so I could list a bunch of the old WAHM shops for you all. I'm sure there are still some of those lists out there. I also used to have tons of fabric co-op links. Hmm I wonder if paypal history goes back several years - maybe I could come up with some of the names from that LOL!

The Jennifer I was thinking of was the one that ran one of the AP email lists. She also used to run the diaper sewing list. Is that Poochies? I'm pretty bad at remembering who was using what names back then since I didn't really get into buying the WAHM stuff until down the road...I was just on the sewing lists with lots of them. And by the time I started buying from WAHMs many of them were gone and there was a whole new group around.


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## kyle98sean02 (Mar 28, 2003)

6 years ago I was cding my first ds. The "it" diapers were poochies were made by Jennifer, cuddlebuns made by Susan, lil cabooses made by Carli and SOS's. Fuzzibuns were all fleece and were still a one mom wahm business. They had the big round tabs. Those made for a huge night time diaper butt LOL. Aristocrats were the big luxury cover. I hung out at the sewyourowndiapers yahoo group and then at cdreviews. I found the mothersnature auction site and was in heaven. I remember the first time wahm's found suppliers for pul and everyone was in love. Ahhh a stroll down cloth diaper lane, this has been fu. I second a book on the history of cd's. I would buy one


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## Carli (Jan 5, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kyle98sean02*
6 years ago I was cding my first ds. The "it" diapers were poochies were made by Jennifer, cuddlebuns made by Susan, lil cabooses made by Carli and SOS's.

Hey, we go back a long way!








Do you remember when sewdiapers became sewyourowndiapers? I believe it was ran by a woman named Debi???

And I must toot my own horn here, I did the first PUL co-op for WAHMs...ha! I researched and researched that "Mother Ease fabric" (back then we didn't even know what to call it). Funny thing is, with the shortage of WAHMs back then, there were only 125 yards ordered and that was considered a HUGE co-op. Can you imagine what it would be like now if we found a new fabric and did the first co-op? We are probably talking about a few thousand yards!


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## LoveBaby (Jul 22, 2004)

Bumping in response to the new "history of cloth" threads!!


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## Jennifer3141 (Mar 7, 2004)

Thanks for bumping this thread so the newbies can read it. It's fascinating and I still remember last summer when the first WAHM I was buying from sold her business. I felt so betrayed until someone whispered to me that it happens all the time!!! :LOL

Jen


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## amysuen (Dec 7, 2004)

Yes, thanks!


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## omgrown (Nov 8, 2004)

I also wanted to say thanks for the history lesson! I've been slacking a bit on CDing my 5 mo old but after reading this thread, I'm ready to get back on the wagon. I'm ready to try out some new WAHM dipes and help become part of CDing history :LOL
It'll be fun to see where things have gone a year from now.

Sarah
mama to Gavin 10/22/04


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## pixiedust (Dec 24, 2004)

what a fun thread to read.


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## quinnNjesse (Nov 24, 2004)

when i was pg with my DS a friend told me about how cheap cding could be. She showed me how to use prefolds with bummi covers. That was Dec 2001.

She also told me about fuzzibunz and I checked them out, but was FLOORED with the price. Plus I didn't know how to buy stuff on line. SO I, instead went to the kushies (Kooshies in the states at that time, right?) outlet here in canada (stoney creek, ontario) and bought myself a BUNCH of small and large fitteds and AIO's FOR no more than $6/each (canadian). Ya, they were seconds, but you couldn't tell.

I cd'd my son in those for a year. Then we moved, didn't have a washer blah blah...and my DD was born in summer 2004. Now I use "real" cloth dipes!

anyone know how kushies started? And why the HECK there are so many of them on ebay? Is it cuz you can buy them in the stores?


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## nakagain (Feb 12, 2004)

Cool thread. I started cloth diapering in late 2002 and I bought a FCB without a problem. Shortly after that they went hyena. Funny thing my dd couldn't wear it becuase she reacts to hemp and my new baby isn't quite big enough for it. I'm been back and forth about selling it. Its only been wore twice and it was bought in 2002. mmmmmm

Anyways, when I 1st started I couldn't imagine paying so much for diapers so I make them myself. Since I run co-ops I can see the cycle of whats hot in materials. Its funny.


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## nakagain (Feb 12, 2004)

I forgot to mention...one of the hotest things right now in the world of cloth is DIY PUL. I have a HUGE co-op for that right now. When moms realized they can get there own material lainated...wow. It's going to take me awhile to get the material all cut when it comes back. How cool is that in the world of cloth?


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## stacey0402 (Aug 16, 2003)

I remember when TuesdayBear was just one wahm (Teddy herself) and she sold her covers on Tuesdays...of course. Then it became a group thing. When that broke up there was brielfy [email protected] or something like that. Now the mommas have formed MiddayFaire.


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## jazzpurr88 (May 20, 2003)

I have a fleece outter and inner FB. It was the first diaper I bought off Ebay. I love it and it still works, no wicking (have never used it at night though). I've sold all my other FB's and only have the one. Anyone have any idea how old it is? I bought it in August or September 2003.


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## bendmom (Sep 4, 2003)

Wow, I can't belive all that happened in the world of diapers! I started cd back in 1999 and was relatively new to the net. I found a website called mothering, but it was so small and rinky dink. It had the auctions, recipe board, discussions, but nothing like it is now. When I went to get diapers, it was really just ME and bumkins, aristocrat covers where so expensive! My SIL coveted hers and wouldn't let me have it when her son grew out of it. She probably still has it stshed away! I was able to buy a ton of ME AIO from a site that sold organic baby and kids clothing, toys, all kinds of stuff. They wouldn't use ME name though, which I thought was weird. It was like " we have a certain brand diaper that we carry, but you have to contact us about ordering, you can't get them online" No one would mention the name of the dipe, you had to call about it. My SIL tried to get me to go in on this co-op thing. It was the first co-op to get the MM fleece, but I thought it sounded rediculous to make your own cd.

When #2 came last summer I immediately went to the site that I bought ME from 5-6 years ago, but the site no longer exsisted. I finally found ME at their own site and thought it was strange no one was carrying them. When I started lurking mothering again a few months ago, I saw this diapering board and was blown away! No one would talk about ME though and now I know why, and why no one carries them, and why they wouldn't even name them when they did. Very interesting!


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## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Thanks for resurrecting this thread! It's so fascinating to read all of this history.

FWIW, I agree that fitteds have been around a looong time. My step-father's step-mother (my step-step-grandmother?







) saw Iain's diapers recently and told me she made her own fitteds for her girls - this is 40-50 years ago! She said she bought birdseye in local shops (what else was there? no Internet or co-ops, I guess







), and was really surprised that I have dipes made with the same stuff (VB AIOs)!

So now I understand the story on MDF's splash page, too!


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## Mama Bear (Aug 4, 2004)

I am loving all the info!!!
Thanks mamas


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

This is so fun! I started cloth diapering in 2000 and when I came here shortly after, FB's and ME were all the rage. Remember the reverse bug print on the FB's? Those are practically collector's items now. Honeyboys and other WAHM diapers were way out of my price range. Happy Heinys were starting to be popular because of the cute prints.


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## my2girlz9901 (Feb 25, 2004)

wow I just found this I know it's super old but had a past from the past reading it LOL. Diapers have changed so much over the 6 plus years I have been part of the CD world. Me and the hubby are working things out and if things go well then I wanna have another baby got that baby bug again LOL. I know things are going to change so much from now until then looking forward to seeing how things get better. My very first diaper back in March of 2002 was a Sugar Plum and some Bumkins first for my son I bought when preggo with him was a Grannys Ark still have that diaper in his baby box actually. I miss when Pam and Wanda made GA's they kinda just died off after they sold the biz. Anyways bored at work and had a good time reading this.


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