In 2016 Amanda Little, along with her 3 co-founders (one being her husband), launched ABBY&FINN, a diaper subscription service that offers parents environmentally friendly diapers that grow with your child and don't cost a fortune. Sounds perfect, right? We caught up with Amanda to chat diaper duty, motherhood and of course, how she stays organized.
Can you share how ABBY&FINN got started?
ABBY&FINN started when my husband, Lance, and I realized we were spending over $180 a month with another diaper subscription company to diaper our two girls, which seemed crazy! We wanted to use high quality products that were free of harmful chemicals and gentle on our kids’ sensitive skin, but didn’t think it needed to be so expensive.
Our girls also regularly didn’t finish a diaper size when we bought in bulk, which meant we were left with a “diaper graveyard” – a bunch of diapers that were too small and couldn’t be used or donated due to open packaging.
We worked with our good friends and neighbors, Matt and Kyle, to create a diaper subscription that actually grew with our kids and gave parents the ability and convenience to mix sizes in the same box at an affordable price, while being delivered right to the front door.
After diving into the world of diapers, we learned that 1 in 3 U.S. families experience diaper need. Helping these families provide the essentials for their children became central to our company’s mission. For every subscription bundle purchased, we donate diapers to our non-profit partners who use the diapers as incentives for participation in family programs. To ensure our commitment is never trivialized, we included it in the brand name; FINN stands for Families IN Need.
With so many diapers on the market today the choices can be overwhelming. What should parents look for when shopping for diapers?
We are parents ourselves and we get it! The choice can absolutely be overwhelming. I think finding a brand that is transparent about its products and the ingredients used is important. With some brands, it’s really hard to find out what exactly is in their products, even though ingredients like chlorine, dyes, fragrances and latex can commonly irritate the skin, cause an allergic reaction and be considered toxic. As a company, we want parents to be informed and empowered to make the best decisions for their family.
No matter what way you look at it, diapers are a big expense for those first few years of life. Often times the more eco friendly, responsibly manufactured diapering options are more expensive than your typical big box brands. However, if you have a baby with sensitive skin, those generic, less expensive brands just might not be an option. Someone shouldn’t have to choose between quality and affordability. So I think finding a diaper that fits with your budget is an important consideration. Along those lines, I would also recommend looking at price per diaper as an average across all sizes, because you will often find that the some brands have an attractive price per diaper in the smaller sizes, but then the price grows exponentially when you get to the larger sizes.
Finally, flexibility within a brand is important. I remember when my two girls were in diapers, we would buy in bulk to save money only to find that they would go through a growth spurt and then the diapers would no longer fit and we couldn’t use them. When we started ABBY&FINN, we knew we wanted to have a flexible subscription where you could mix sizes in the same box to avoid that pile of unused diapers.
At the end of the day, we are all trying to do the best for our loved ones, our planet and ourselves. I’m proud to say that at ABBY&FINN, we want to support parents and make them feel confident in the decisions they are making for their family.
ABBY&FINN is not only better for the environment - the company also donates diapers to those in need. To date, how many diapers have been donated?
To date we have donated over 1.3M diapers! Our diapers are distributed to our non-profit partners across the U.S. who generally use the diapers as incentives for participation in family programs.
As the mother of two children who are now out of diapers, what advice do you have for new moms?
I recently read a quote, “there is no such thing as a perfect parent. So just be a real one.” As moms, I think we feel pressured to live this seemingly flawless, effortless lifestyle. That just isn’t realistic, and to hold ourselves to this standard only lends us to ultimately feeling disappointed. I would recommend staying true to your own priorities, standards and values; not those that are imposed on you by others. Let’s be kind and empathetic to each other and not be so quick to judge.
We understand the need for moms to stay organized. Can you share what helps you keep it all together between work, kids and personal life?
This is something I’m constantly working on and adjusting to, especially during COVID when school schedules could change at any moment. It’s very much a team effort with my husband and requires a lot of communication. We have really been utilizing a shared family calendar on our phones to help schedule work and personal appointments around each other. For someone who constantly gets sidetracked and forgets about things, this has been really helpful for me!
While the kids are at school I try and get as much work done as possible. Once the kids are home I make a conscious effort to set work aside and focus on being together as a family. Once the kids are in bed, I generally go back to wrapping up work. It’s definitely a long day, but I also feel fortunate to have the ability to have a flexible work schedule.
On any given day, what can we find in your ToteSavvy?
These days I am working from home, so don’t leave the house much, but my ToteSavvy has been so useful for family trips to the mountains and I can fit so much in it! In my ToteSavvy you can find my laptop, chargers, kid’s iPads and headphones, ABBY&FINN hand sanitizer spray and wipes, snacks, water bottle and a book!
