Show Transcription

Bailey Bouwman  00:00

 Jessica has joined me today from the east coast of the United States. This mama is the owner and creator behind Dapper Derrieres she’s going to explain her brand story and her goals for the future. Stick with this because this is another amazing coffee from Mama who has amazing potential. And you’ll want to be in on the ground floor for this one.

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  02:28

My name is Jessica Brooks and I am the owner and creator and designer. everything that has to do with Dapper Derrieres and Brooksys products. I started out with the nameDapper Derrieress, because I wanted something cute and funny, and something that stood out and could be remembered. But then I had a couple of friends that were like, Well, you know, Dapper Derrieres that’s not really easy to pronounce. It’s not easy to spell. And they’re like, why don’t you teach us your name? And I thought, well, there’s already shoes with the name of Brooks. And I said, Yeah, but Brooksys is easy to remember and easy to recognize. So my husband actually his family used to call him brooksie because he’s a junior . We went with Brooksys.

Bailey Bouwman  03:31

That makes sense. So you’ve changed your name since like the last email that I chatted with you?

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  03:37

Well, it’s not haven’t really changed it. I jus tDapper Derrieres is what I am registered as with the state and for tax purposes. But on my diapers, work seizes the nine that you see on the divers. Okay . So it’s like, Brooke sees doing business as dappered areas or vice versa, actually, I think.

Bailey Bouwman  04:00

So when people are talking about your diapers, you want them to call you proxies, proxies, diapers.

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  04:08

If either one is fine with me, I’m hoping to move just to Brooks’s. It’ll probably be the first of the year when I do that, though.

Bailey Bouwman  04:16

Okay, cool. clarify that. So how did you get into cloth diapering? And what made you decided to even make your own?

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  04:22

Well, my husband and I, we have three children. Our oldest is 15 and a sophomore in high school. We recently started homeschooling her. Our middle daughter is eight she will be nine next month and our son will be two in February. And we actually started cloth diapering with him. We decided that with this pregnancy and with this child I was going to start staying home because my husband got a promotion at work and It enabled us to set enabled us to allow me to stay home. So we decided to stay home with him and diapers are insanely expensive and very wasteful and I for the first couple of months, I think he was about two months old when he actually started cloth diapering. We had spent way more money than I would like to admit to on diapers because I’m very specific with diapers. I don’t I don’t like all the chemicals that they use. I don’t like my son would break out with them. So I was very picky about which diapers we used. And to be quite frank, not all diapers are creativity. Well, some of them are really cheap and they create horrible rashes and some of them are very good that’s in the background screaming. So, at about about three months of age, we started cloth diapering and I tried quite a few different brands and different designs. I tried pocket, trod covers and inserts and found my love with lm ones and then I got this horrible cloth diaper addiction in a whole bunch of money, uncle’s diapers, and my husband was like, why don’t you just make diapers? You know how to sew your sister makes costumes. She was going to school for costume design. So we come from a family of people who know how to make things and are very handy. So I said Well okay, yeah, I can try that. And my sister and I talked about it and we drew up a few designs and ordered some fabric and started stitching something together now, mind you, my first few diapers weren’t us, I still have them and they are they were they are still functioning but they’re not. I would not give them to anybody because they’re the scenes are bad and the stitching is a little off. But they were my first try diapers and diapers not easy to make. No they’re not they’re not easy to make there’s a lot of work that actually goes into making divers and so that’s how we got started with making divers I have all in ones I have fitted I have covers my covers actually what what makes them different from other brands as I have pocket on the front and backs to hold an insert in place. So you can slot it up into the front and back so it holds whatever type of answer you want to use in its place so they don’t move or you could just use it as a cover over a fitted I use them as covers for my not Tom fitted well no My only one diaper has a pocket in it. Okay, so lock my all in one diaper it it kind of resembles a thirsties natural all in one with a it’s got a tongue on it for extra absorbency but the back of it instead of it being sewn into the pole and close there’s a pocket opening there kind of like what you would see with a blueberry dapper but it’s not open on both hands. So the back of it has a pocket that you can stuff for extra absorbency while the front is closed off. So it’s Yeah, I really I like I like the pocket feature for extra absorbency especially for heavy wetters

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  09:24

but I wanted something that was easy to use. I don’t like stuffing divers takes too much time. So I did not enjoy doing that. I didn’t want something that that was the main way you had use it. So this way, I have the tongue that has extra absorbency in it and then also have the back opening if you need to stuff

Bailey Bouwman  09:51

and it’s probably just the minority of people who need to add absorbency to an all in one cloth diaper like I have never most of my just keep My kids aren’t heavy enough letters. They’re just regular kids that we just use diapers regularly. Right? I just, but it’s in our fan pocket diapers, it’s a good option for those people who have those crazy wetters or who need just even a little booster in there to make it through a nap. Exactly. Yeah. When I tried to make cloth diapers, I found the most challenging part the elastics. What What do you find the most challenging part about making cloth diapers?

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  10:28

Yeah, I would have to agree. When I my first go around, I wasn’t quite sure how to do elastics on my sister did show me quite a few pointers on that. Now my elastics are actually enclosed. Yeah. Okay, so you don’t see them on the outside of the dopper. I think my biggest struggle with the elastics was the back elastic. When until I finally figured out how to get it. exactly the way I wanted it. It was trying.

Bailey Bouwman  10:59

Can’t be completely easy. Right? Right. Yeah. So what what makes you What’s your passion to do this project to become to be diaper carriers to be proxies? Why do you do this day in day out? Why are you looking at selling cloth diapers? Because I

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  11:20

they’re better for the environment for one. We A few years ago, we really got focused on our footprint. Okay, yeah, and what we leave with the earth. So we decided to completely go chemical free, and we went to organic and non GMO and just try to be more healthy. And the claw stoppers just kind of go with that. And I enjoy making them I get lost in time when I sit down. And when I go over there, it’s like it’s more than just a hobby, I truly enjoy doing the designs and buying new fabric and coming up with new items. I’ve actually started fiddling with a trainer because my son will be two in February, you can tell me when he’s gone to the potty. So it’s about time to start potty training. So I’m actually got a trainer that I’m working on. There’s a few things that need to be adjusted on it, and then it’ll be ready to go on to mom. It’ll be ready to go on on my shop. But I just my husband gets angry with me because he said, he says I get lost in time and don’t pay attention to anything else.

Bailey Bouwman  12:40

So Dapper Derrieres has become not just not just your business, but it’s like your self care.

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  12:46

Yes, I it’s therapeutic. I love it. I can zone out for a little bit and recenter and get me Tom.

Bailey Bouwman  12:59

That’s that’s a big reason why a lot of people get into any of their businesses and a great reason to get into business. What do you find to be your biggest challenge even though it’s something you really enjoy?

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  13:11

My biggest challenge is probably my toddler. Boy, he’s the only one that I’ve been home with. I went back to work right after having our daughters so they never No need to be home. He however, has never been without me. So when I sit down to sew or when I go over to sketch some different designs out or when I go to cut fabric he’s wanting to me to hold him he’s wanting me to pay attention to him. So I usually either put him in a carrier or give him fabric play with. He’s gotten to the point where he wants to learn how to use my sewing machine. ready for that yet.

Bailey Bouwman  13:59

I have seen that they do sell like little kid ones. So bright creations here in the north. She has like a little one for her toddler. But I know what you mean because I have a 20 month old and a three year old and it Yeah, they are definitely my biggest challenge with getting anything done. workwise

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  14:15

Yes, they are. And we we recently started homeschooling. 15 year old so I yeah, I’m glad she does a lot of her stuff independent study because I just some days I feel like I accomplish absolutely nothing. Yeah, that’s okay.

Bailey Bouwman  14:33

Yeah, there’s always tomorrow. Always tomorrow. Exactly. They’re only little for a little while and Greg sees what makes Brooks’s different than another work at home mom, why should someone buy from you instead of another mom?

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  14:46

My products all the materials I use are CPS ca i think that’s Yeah, they’re all certified all certified organic materials that are Use our service certified for safety. The design, the design of my doctors, the fit of them, they’re really tram, they are super absorbent, and reasonably reasonably priced. There. I mean, I met them. So they’re obviously my favorite but someone to purchase my buffers, not only because they’re extremely well put together and they work extremely well. But because that’s, of course, my family. And that enables me to stay home with my kids. And that allows us to grow more as a family and show my children that it’s possible for a mom to stay home and still provide for their family other than, you know, keeping the house clean and making sure dinner’s ready and supporting my husband in what he does. It’s more than just that I can also port some financially with my doctors. So when someone buys from me, they’re not only buying a great product, they’re also putting food in my children’s mouths. My reason for people purchasing my diapers, not only are they um, they’re amazing. I mean, if I didn’t make them, I would buy them because they fit extremely well. My son is a long, skinny child. So when I, the first cloth diapers I bought, I mean, oh my goodness, they are humongous on him. And even the newborns were huge. He’s just a little skinny Mini. So it took a while for me to find diapers that fit him the way I wanted. And did and function the way I wanted them to.

Bailey Bouwman  16:59

That’s like a huge challenge. At the end, there’s so many options to try to find the right cloth diaper that works for your child can be overwhelming, but eventually you find the right. Yeah. So where are you expecting to take your business in the next couple of years? Where do you want to grow? How do you want

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  17:15

to I would like to find a manufacturer and mass produce them. I would like to send my design to manufacturer and have someone mass produce them last started, I looked for manufacturers. But financially, we’re just not there yet. And with a new product, it made more sense to just make them at home. And next year, hopefully next year, we will be able to do a couple of I want to try to do at least one mommycon to introduce my product to a mass. Sorry, my mom went wanting

Bailey Bouwman  18:01

to a bigger audience that we’re looking for. Yeah, yes, I

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  18:04

think your audience. So I would like to do that. Hopefully next year, it’s about I’m only in my first year. So if not next year, then definitely the year after. And within five years, I would like to have a manufacturer mass producing them. And in stores. I do have one local store here in Knoxville, that at the first year is going to start stocking my diapers is the only one close to this area. Finding the right manufacturer and believing in your dream. And it’s a big relationship. This this is not just here, do this for me. This is somebody that you have to commit to and you have to have a good relationship with them. Because if you don’t, it’s not gonna work.

Bailey Bouwman  18:55

Yeah. And I think definitely like as a cloth diaper consumer, I’ve always been a little bit naive to that relationship building in that process. I talked to Tia at baby blue cloth diapers a couple weeks ago and she said it took her like over a year to just find the right factory. It was such a important relationship for her and a challenge.

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  19:15

It is it is a it is a big challenge. And I don’t want to send my product overseas. That’s a big thing to me. I don’t want to stand my merchandise overseas just to have it come back over here. It’s really important to me to have it based in the United States and have the factory base in the United States. Because that brings jobs to the community that I’m invested in and that provides food for the children in that community and you know, anything else that the parents need for their kids? That’s that’s a big deal to me, because that boosts our economy.

Bailey Bouwman  19:52

So what’s your best piece of advice you give to a mom?

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  19:56

Oh, just step Back in breed, because nothing is ever too overwhelming, nothing is ever too bad that we cannot persevere through it. We may not like it at the time. There is nothing in this world that there is nothing in this world that God will not guide us through that we cannot overcome. So it’s gonna be okay. At the end of the day, it’s all going to be okay. One of my favorite passages is Isaiah 52. It says stand up, shake the dirt off.

Bailey Bouwman  20:50

Yes. Yeah, that’s definitely me through a lot. going to be okay, just check it off. All right, where can people find you on the web and how can we connect with you online?

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  21:02

I have a Facebook page is facebook.com slash Dapper Derrieres. And I have an Instagram account is also Dapper Derrieres. And I have an Etsy shop that is also named Dapper Derrieres. All right,

Bailey Bouwman  21:24

I will include all those links in the show notes. If you guys can’t find them yourselves. Gonna find you on

Jessica, Dapper Derrieres  21:32

and I will send you pictures over or have that way you can see them and look at them. Yeah. And also, you can test them out yourself.

Bailey Bouwman  21:45