Is it just me or are wahm diaper prices on the rise?

[momgoddess]

Originally Posted by boysniris I would love a link for how I could buy something at a wholesale price for 10 yards or fewer Coops are one option, but otherwise you'd have to buy a 25 - 30+ yard roll of fabric to buy at wholesale price (at least from what I can tell) which is not always practical for a smaller WAHM w/lower volume. ETA --> that want to offer more than 2-3 fabric choices

Most standard bolts of fabric are 15-20 yards. But it depends on what it is. For hemp and bamboo, they may have to be special ordered. The major wholesale distributors of fabric and notions in the US are www.eeschenck.com and www.checkerdist.com I used to work for one of them. I understand being a small WAHM, that's what I was and could never afford to invest enough to buy in quantities wholesale to make my business actually profitable. However the one WAHM I'm thinking of that has a very popular business and sells fitteds for $45 each..I'm sure is "big" enough and getting her fabrics at cost. So, I guess it might boil down to knowing you have a popular product and that people will pay the cost, so the price goes up and up. That to me seems a little like greed. But it's not my place to judge.

[boysniris]

I'm thinking mainly about Malden Mills fleece...I haven't been able to find wholesale pricing anywhere. I must not be looking in the right places

[Rainshine Designs]

I just purchased 200 yds of bamboo fleece directly from the mill. After shipping costs are factored, it's still almost $10/yd! However, most small WAHMs can't outlay for that much at one time.

Originally Posted by momgoddess The prices make me wonder if they buy their supplies at wholesale, as any cottage industry business should so that they can make an adequate profit while still keeping products affordable. Some of the prices, like $45 for fitted diaper...I wonder if the business is buying supplies at retail cost or what. (I used to work in fabric and notions wholesale distribution directly with fabric stores, quilt shops, manufacturers and cottage industry businesses) and I used to have a WAHM diaper business. If you have a business license or have your business registered with your state (depending on how your state does it) then you can buy any and all fabrics and notions etc at wholesale cost, which is half the cost of retail. So, if bamboo for instance is about $10/yard retail cost, then a business would get it for about $5/yard. Retailers of fabric make 100% profit. However, then you must account for the time/labor it takes to make the item. However, a WAHM should not be paying retail for anything and expect to turn a profit. It wouldn't work.

[boysniris]

Thank you for the links Valerie

[Kissed by the Moon]

The problem is always that for the little guys you can't afford to buy as much of the same in bulk so it ends up being more. The large diaper companies are producing way more so they get the quantity discount. I'm sure they also have more hook ups and know where to go to find cheaper materials that smaller wahm may not.