text: Birth of idea gives Nappy Company healthy future - Wales Online
  BusinessBirth of idea gives Nappy Company healthy futureA WEST WALES entrepreneur has cottoned on to a good business idea, selling and renting modern reusable nappies. ShareByWalesOnline00:00, 28 APR 2004Updated20:07, 31 MAR 2013Business ShareGet business updates directly to your inbox+ SubscribeThank you for subscribing!Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid EmailA WEST WALES entrepreneur has cottoned on to a good business idea, selling and renting modern reusable nappies. Caroline Davies, 35, of Porthyrhyd, Carmarthenshire, has set up the Cotton Nappy Company, which sells modern cotton nappies and runs a nappy rental and laundering service for parents. The business was recently recognised as best new deal business in the Carmarthenshire Enterprise Business Awards. Ms Davies set up the company after having her own daughter Bronwyn, now aged two, and finding that cotton nappies were better for the child's eczema. She now provides a cotton nappy service laundering for 25 customers in an area covering Carmarthenshire and Swansea. Initially she washed the nappies herself but as her customer base rose she contracted out the laundering. Having just moved into profit she is now looking to expand the client base for the nappy laundering service to 50. She said there was a "vast difference" between modern cotton nappies and the old terry type secured with a safety pin. The modern nappies contain a biodegradable pad which can be thrown away when soiled, contained within a cotton nappy that is comfortable for the child. "It is fabric on the outside so it is not as stiff as a disposable nappy," she said. "It does up with velcro like a disposable." As well as being well-suited to babies with sensitive skin the reusable nappies avoid the wastage of disposable nappies. Ms Davies began test trading in January last year under a scheme run by Carmarthen Job Centre and Antur Teifi, before launching the business fully in June last year. She was also helped in setting up the business by Coleg Sir Gar. Cledwyn Davies, the college's enterprise development manager, said, "We are delighted at Caroline's success in winning this award and that a Knowledge Exploitation Fund entrepreneurship scholarship has played an important role in helping her establish this innovative and environmentally friendly business."Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterBusiness NewsletterFollow @BusinessinWalesSubscribe to our Business newsletterEnter emailSubscribeMore OnCarmarthenCarmarthenshireSwansea