ok.. I said I’d write up something about this, so here it is

We had a stall at this year’s Stringy Bark festival – as we did last year.  Much better position this year though!  I hope we get the same stall again next year.

Unlike last year, when most people thought they were dolls nappies (largely because we had a few newborn nappies and displayed one on a doll), and that the pads went inside a nappy…. we had several people that knew what cloth was, and several who seemed very receptive to the idea.  So we got to hand out lots of flyers and business cards. If nothing else, we’re helping to get cloth out there, which is great. Of course having the other WAHM with me who sold only fitted nappies – the talk and advice was very heavily centered on fitteds   but I managed to promote pockets a little, and sold one when I was the only one at the stall   On the first day we had some people come in going “Ohhcloth gives nappy rashes” or “costs too much in water bills”… so on Sat Night I made up a nappy myths poster to hang up…. but of course nobody else came in complaining of things like that   But it’s laminated for next year.

A huge thanks to Meg from bamboo fabric Store for letting me use some of her posters.  I’m sure they helped make the stall look a bit more interesting and give some food for thought to people who were still undecided.

The pads were looked at…..I heard several comments, and we even had a woman come in and start going on about all the bad memories they brought up and basically ran from the stall…. But as with the nappies, several women seemed interested in the idea, and I sold a few, and handed out some brochures on what cloth pads were….. so again, a good bit of promotion for cloth!

We took a pic of the stall on the first day, but forgot on the second, when we’d set it up better – d’oh!  But it was nice and colourful, with pads and nappies hanging everywhere

It was really hot (like 33C on the Sunday), so there weren’t as many people there as there were last year (other stallholders were complaining too).  But it wasn’t bad.  I don’t particularly enjoy markets…. all the set up (took from 7am until about Lunchtime until I was happy with everything enough to sit down and have a break)… so next year we need to be better organised.  I suggested making wooden trays and displaying the stock on there, so we just have to bring them and plonk them on the table.  My pads in baskets idea was not so good, I noticed hardly anyone looked at them, and only really looked at the hanging ones – so that’s obviously a better approach.  But yeah, not too fond of markets… all that time and energy is a lot different to sitting at the computer in my jammies   but it gives people a chance to see and feel cloth, and it can attract people who might not otherwise see it.  I remember seeing cloth pads for the first time at a market… and had I not, I don’t know if I’d have tried cloth….