By LEAH DENNISON
Staff Reporter
ldennison@c-dh.net
Some women take a break from work after they have kids. When mother of four Marie Sawyer had her youngest daughter, she started her own business. Her incentive was green-but it wasn’t money.
Marie Sawyer encourages parents to go green by using cloth diapers.
Photos by Leah Dennison
Sawyer’s company Green Pixie Baby specializes in “green” parenting supplies, including cloth diapers, bamboo clothing, natural wooden toys made with toxin-free oils, cloth diaper cleaning tools, organic baby washes and bubble baths, locally handmade baby mobiles, alternative plant-based laundry detergent, and reusable multi-compartment lunchboxes-of which, Sawyer pointed out, Green Pixie Baby is the first retail carrier in Tennessee. Sawyer-who holds a full time job besides-spends her lunch breaks at The Shop Around the Corner, 117 North 3rd Avenue in Franklin, selling her products and offering consultations and demonstrations to families interested in cloth diapering.
19-month-old Lilliana, Sawyer’s youngest daughter, is “our mascot and our model,” she said. “We try everything out on her first,” before they decide whether to carry it.
Sawyer’s family had “gone green” already by recycling and reducing their water usage, so when Lilliana was born, Sawyer said they decided to incorporate their green lifestyle into caring for their family’s newest addition.
Sawyer said she tries to supply and support American and local products as much as possible. Green Pixie Baby’s products are available on their website at greenpixiebaby.com, and at their retail space in The Shop Around the Corner. Sawyer also has limited-stock locations in Murfreesboro and Spring Hill, to which she can deliver items for pickup.
Cloth diapering benefits babies, the environment, and family finances, Sawyer said.
According to the Real Diaper Association (www.realdiaperassociation.org), which Sawyer recommends as a great resource for parents, babies who are diapered in breathable cloth are much less likely to develop diaper rash, which is often caused by trapped moisture.
The RDA reports that disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and make up 50% of a family’s household waste. 92% of disposable diapers end up in a landfill, and according to the RDA, most are still there-it is estimated that they take from 250-500 years to decompose.
While cloth diapering does require an initial investment, advocates say that in the long run, it is less expensive than using disposable diapers. Sawyer suggests a “start-up kit” of 24 cloth diapers for one child.
“That will have you doing laundry every 2-3 days, instead of constantly,” she said. Cloth diapers can cost $10 to $30 apiece, but the average family spends nearly $1500 per year, per diapered baby on disposables.
Savings are even better with families who reuse the cloth diapers for multiple children. Plus, Sawyer said, used cloth diapers still have resale value on craigslist and ebay.
It might seem like a conflict of interest for Sawyer to point out her products’ reusability and resale value, but advocating cloth diapers is more about passion than a plump paycheck.
“I don’t make a whole lot of money doing this,” said Sawyer, “I do it because I want the best for my children and for our Earth.”
Green Pixie Baby will participate in the Green Living Expo, held Saturday, August 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Factory at Franklin. Their booth will feature a “take one, leave one” basket for the free exchange of gently used cloth diapers
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