Family - Owned business specializes in organic bamboo baby essentials

Family-owned business specializes in organic bamboo baby essentials

Baby U R Precious receives mentoring from Orange County Institute for Women Entrepreneurs

Babies spend most of their time doing three things- eating, sleeping and…burping.  Having a supply of wipe cloths to clean up the baby burp-up is an essential item in any parent’s diaper bag.

When Erin Riddle gave birth to Rylynn, Erin’s mom, Lynda Drake, knew just what to do.  Having been a seamstress for over 30 years, it was natural to sew burp cloths for her first granddaughter.  Erin, following in the entrepreneurial fashion of her family, wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, so they came up with a plan.  Together, they decided burp cloths, blankets and bibs could be a good online business that Erin could operate from home.  Baby U R Precious, or BURP, was born in March of last year.

Baby U R Precious is a unique boutique business that uses only bamboo velour fabric rather than bamboo cotton to create items for babies and toddlers.  Bamboo velour is an excellent fabric to be used directly against the skin and that is why Baby U R Precious uses it exclusively for their hooded bath towels, bibs and burp cloths.  Bamboo fabric is a natural textile made from the pulp of the bamboo grass.  It’s been growing in popularity because it has many unique properties and is more sustainable than most textile fibers.  The company says the velour is three times more absorbent than any organic/woven knits currently on the market.  “Bamboo velour is used for diapers, burn victims and feminine products- so this shows it wins on absorbency,” said Riddle.  BURP’s website lists other advantages as well, pointing out that bamboo plants are quick growing and do not typically require the use of pesticides and herbicides to thrive.

Starting a business is sometimes challenging; starting one while one of the founders is still working and the other is tending to a newborn is seemingly impossible.  Besides the obstacle of finding the time to operate the business, funding it is challenging as well.  While it’s great that BURP has been self-funded since its inception, it has been taxing on Erin and Lynda.  The great thing is that both ladies excel in customer service, product quality control and creativity, important traits to compete in an industry as crowded as the baby/toddler/infant market. 

BURP is receiving a pat on the back from an SBA Resource Partner, the Orange County Institute for Women Entrepreneurs (IWE).  The IWE, funded in part by the SBA and hosted by the Rancho Santiago Community College District Foundation, provides its clients with no-cost, personalized business consulting, mentoring and support.  “Lynda and Erin are a great example of the true spirit of entrepreneurship,” said Sallie Salinas, IWE’s director.  “They take full advantage of SBA resources, commit their time and capitalize on the strength of their partnership for Baby U R Precious to be a successful venture.  Most importantly, they are a role model to anyone in business.  They remain fluid in a changing economy, are tenacious business women and never waver in their enthusiasm for their product line.  IWE is very proud of BURP and are pleased to be part of their winning formula.”  BURP has completed the IWE’s Right Start business series, taken a QuickBooks course through the SBA and continues to meet with IWE counselors on a monthly basis for guidance and wisdom.  This effort is paying off- BURP was featured in OC Register’s Jan Norman’s blog on small business and nominated by the Orange County Business Journal for a Family-Owned business award.

Baby U R Precious involves themselves in the community by their BURP Ministry.  Both Lynda and Erin conduct and host monthly sewing parties that sew burp cloths for less fortunate moms and babies around the globe.  They work with Saddleback Church’s global PEACE trips that distribute the burp cloths to Africa, Argentina, Chile, Camp Pendleton and Casa Teresa in Orange.  Baby U R Precious also gives 10% of the proceeds of each product sold to Casa Teresa.

For more information about Baby U R Precious, visit www.babyurprecious.com

For more information about SBA, visit www.sba.gov

For more information about IWE, visit www.ociwe.org

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