Vendor Interview- Emmaroo Designs
Tell our readers a little bit about yourself and your work.
We are a mother and daughter team working in Portland, Oregon. Our products are designed for children and made for busy parents. Each of our handsewn items was first designed to fill our own needs . We are busy moms ourselves and each item we design is something we needed and could not find anywhere else.
The first thing we wanted was a waterproof changing pad that could be tossed into a purse for quick trips which didn’t require an entire diaper bag. When we discovered laminated cotton fabric it really brought everything together. This fabric is certified safe for children and tested to contain no harmful chemicals. We designed the pad to fold up and added bright plastic snaps to hold it together when not in use.
This naturally led to matching waterproof bibs. We added a waterproof pocket to catch food spills and designed it to snap on the side so as not to catch the little one’s hair. We design each of our products to be practical and easy to use. We also want them to be as beautiful as possible because parents and children deserve to enjoy items they use every day. We believe that form and function are not separate ideas.
One of our main goals is to make a product that will not have to be replaced. We hope that parents will use them for each of their children and then pass them on to friends or family. Or even save them for the grandchildren.
What are some sources of inspiration for your work?
Our first inspiration is our two year old daughter/granddaughter. We are also inspired by the fabrics and patterns that we find in local stores and online. We strive to make beautiful and functional products of the highest quality. .
What was the best thing you did with your summer?
We participated in multiple street fairs around the Portland area during the summer. We just started our business this year so this gave us a great opportunity to get out and show our products to a lot of different people. The feedback and comments we got allowed us to refine our products to make life easier for the parents of small children. We also got to meet and get to know many other members of the crafting community. The friendliness and advice we received from everyone was overwhelming and really made our summer.
Are you showcasing anything new at the winter UCU show?
We have added bright cotton wrap skirts and waterproof art smocks for toddlers to our line of bibs, changing pads, sun hats and rain hats.
What are you most excited about for UCU?
We want to widen our market. This is a great chance reach out and show our line to people who are looking for exceptional handmade products for children and parents. We are always excited to see what other handcrafted goodness is being sold at this kind of event.
See more of Emmaroo Designs here and at the show this weekend!
