Alison Cross and Paula Violiare the co-founders of Baby Buddha, a Canadian company producing stretchy baby carriers. Read our article to learn about how they are creating a healthy and sustainable company they love to work for…
Describe your business.
When we started Baby Buddha we dreamed of developing baby gear that parents could feel good about – from the way things were made and the materials chosen to the way they maximize quality of life. Those already familiar with our stretchy baby carrier know we’re achieving that. Baby Buddha is parent-led design, baby-tested and vetted by an industrial designer. We’re very much a part of our local community and we feel responsible to it and the planet.
Tell us a bit about where you live.
We live in Vancouver, BC. Vancouver is a great community and a beautiful place to be every single day…despite the rain. Some days we’re so busy we only dream we can smell the ocean but other days we’re on the beach or in the mountains or hanging out on Commercial Drive, an artsy multi-cultural district, at an outdoor café. Many Vancouver shopping districts are along streets and parents do a lot of walking. The sidewalks are bustling with babywearing parents. You really get the sense of a growing attachment parenting community. The best thing about being a parent in Vancouver is the free community play centres offered in every neighbourhood. They are great places for children to play, to meet other people and to get advice from health nurses.
Tell us a bit about your family.
Alison ‘Joy’ Cross
My partner Bob and I were leading a creative and wonderful life when we realized it was the perfect moment to have a child. During my pregnancy I took time away from my work in the film industry and went for long stays at silent meditation retreats to really embrace this transformation in my life. From woman to mother. At the end of one retreat, the orange-robed Buddhist monk who taught meditation sent for me and told me to be peaceful and calm with my new baby. If I remembered this advice, my child would live as Buddha did. He told me that the mother is very important to guide the child and if I meditated my child would be calm. I really believed this until I had a colicky baby, who would only stop crying when she was bounced. Bob, I and took turns bouncing baby Coco, until I developed tendonitis in both wrists and needed help. Thankfully help came in the first stretchy baby carrier that I made to mimick our bouncing sessions. The colic lasted until she was 3 months old, and despite my patience, I would never call her a calm child. However, I am totally in Love with her.
Coco, now 3, is a raging artist who expresses herself in every medium. She creates food sculptures, dresses herself very creatively, loves all things “tutu” and when no one is looking loves to experiment with crayons by colouring on any surface. Who knows maybe this is her special gift to the world?
Bob has been endlessly supportive and patient as the partner of a mompreneur. During the week, he’s the director of photography on The L Word and was guest director for season five. At home, he’s a babywearing dad who believes in the success of Baby Buddha. He has helped with everything from photo shoots to saving inventory from a flood! We couldn’t do it without him!
Paula Violi
I am happiest when I am creating or playing outdoors! After completing an industrial design degree at Emily Carr in Vancouver, I knew that I wanted to work with textiles. Whatever work I did also had to be sustainable, ethical and feel good. Meeting Ali and starting Baby Buddha has been a great fit.
I have an incredible network of family and friends who extend far and wide into Canada, the US and Europe. They frequently request updates on the growth of my “Baby Buddha”. I have many children in my life including my niece and nephews and the students I teach.
How long have you been in business?
The seed of Baby Buddha Baby Gear Ltd. has been germinating since Alison had Coco three years ago. Alison began "babywearing" immediately, creating a beautiful mother-daughter bond. A choosy client, when she couldn't find a sling that was comfortable, easy to use and stylish she decided to make her own, unexpectedly embarking on a sling-sewing career. Alison wanted help getting her idea to market and that’s when she and I, an industrial designer, met. We realized that together we could create a baby carrier with integrity. We incorporated in 2005 and after much proto-typing and testing, the first Baby Buddha Slings were in stores by September 2006. Basically the phone hasn’t stopped ringing with orders since.
What inspired you to start your business?
Happy people and happy babies. Alison was “slightly” obsessed with creating the perfect baby carrier and creating products we believe in became our goal. We both loved the idea of creating work for ourselves that felt good…not compromising on creativity or ethics. It’s our goal to be a business that is socially, ecologically and economically sustainable and to enjoy our work everyday.
What is the most challenging thing about manufacturing/selling baby carriers?
Who knew how long it would take to get the Baby Buddha to market? We were in development for a long time because we had super high expectations for quality, safety and style. We wanted the Baby Buddha to surpass Canadian safety standards. Ultimately we didn't settle for serged seams; we safety stitched them. Also we engineered our tube slings to create structurally safe pouches for baby to ride in. As an industrial designer I know that when you make choices based on function you often end up with a better looking product and that was certainly true here. We set some tough criteria for ourselves and we’re happy to say we met them.
What is the most rewarding thing about manufacturing/selling baby carriers?
Alison
The most rewarding thing about making a baby carrier is the positive response we’ve got. I would have stopped doing this a long time ago if it were about making money. I make the stretchy baby carrier because parents really love it. We have a really simple product, 3 easy to use pieces with no buckles or rings - it makes carrying your baby easy and that’s what parents want. The feedback and testimonials are unbelievable proof that we are doing a great thing, and that feels more satisfying than all my years of film work.
Paula
Baby Buddha has really demystified babywearing for a lot of new moms and dads. New parents face this huge learning curve and we realized that showing new parents how to use the Baby Buddha really empowered them. We’ve participated in some great grassroots baby events in Vancouver, done in-store demos, been to new-mother groups, doula events and even baby showers. Parents who’d never heard of babywearing are amazed at how quickly their babies are soothed when they’re in the Baby Buddha. And parents who already have a collection of other slings and carriers have sold the whole lot once they’ve discovered the comfort and versatility of the Baby Buddha.
Tell us about your personal babywearing journey.
My passion for babywearing started in 2003 while studying Thai massage and meditation in Thailand. I lived in a Lahoo village where every member of the tiny community took turns carrying the village babies. The babies were tied around an adult’s torso with a longyi (a square piece of woven fabric used as a skirt). The babies were so exceptionally happy, I knew something very special was going on and knew that I would do the same with my own baby. I moved into a young family’s guest hut and slowly got to be a participant in the community babywearing roster. Soon I would be handed a baby when I appeared in the village. Last year we traveled to Thailand and I wore Coco in the Baby Buddha and the Thai people really got excited to see that this tradition was being picked up in the west.
How do you balance your personal and professional life?
Balance is something we are always talking about and working towards but truthfully it is a challenge when you have a small business. Alison and I are both creative types, but we have different skills. There have been times when her skills have really been in demand and she has been working around the clock and vice versa. It’s always our goal to get enough sleep, to maintain our personal yoga and meditation practices, to get outdoors to ski or hike, to travel and to nurture our relationships with friends and family but it doesn’t always work that way. Baby Buddha is our baby too and we need to nurture it and it takes time and energy but it’s growing and we’re trying to create a company that takes care of us.
What do you see for the future of babywearing?
Babywearing is the best possible start you can give your baby! The benefits are obvious for both baby and wearer. Being in a Baby Buddha carrier is just like being swaddled, which as nurses tell us, is how new babies are most comfortable. Our carrier is as close to being back in the womb as possible. Infants are close to mom’s heartbeat and less colicky. Older babies are more integrated, as they’re at eye-level. They see everything the wearer sees, and therefore learn faster.
Babywearing creates the closest possible connection you can have with your baby after birth and we hope it signals a move away a technology-based society where people are increasing isolated. A happy baby in a Baby Buddha carrier is all the advertising babywearing needs!
Describe your favorite babywearing memory/moment(s).
After learning I was pregnant in 2004, I looked up baby slings online and discovered amazing web sites like Rev. Jan’s and the babywearer – and at that moment I knew I was not alone and parenting was going to be about community and wonderful new areas of exploration. Another favorite moment was bringing Coco, 7 months old at the time, to a 5 day yoga retreat/camping event. Some of the other participants and organizers didn’t think I’d get much yoga done and told me I should go home. To everyone’s amazement Coco and I fully participated in every class from meditation to yoga to chanting. At the end of a class, instead of lying down, I would sit in a seated meditation posture and Coco would fall asleep.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge in getting carriers into the hands of new parents?
Education. We know how beneficial it is to wear your baby but there are people out there who either don’t have that information or have walls up against it as some crunchy-granola idea. We’d like to see more mainstream healthcare professionals sharing the benefits of babywearing with their patients.
Cost. One of the biggest challenges is making quality baby carriers accessible to all parents. Presently the cost of making a product in Canada that uses locally milled or organic fabrics and pays fair wages is high. Our hope is that as more people believe in the philosophy of sustainability and commit to buying locally, the cost of these products will drop for everyone.
Describe a typical day in your life.
There are rarely any typical days. We’ve just been to LA to celebrate the gala opening of the Lword. Today we rented bikes and rode along Venice beach stopping at every playground along the way, and there are many! Right now I am flying home from LA to Vancouver, with a few days to prepare before we go to Cuba. Coco is nearly 3 years old now and has traveled to 12 countries. Last year we celebrated her birthday in Laos and this year it will be in Havana.
Anything you'd like to add?
when you’re done with your baby carrier pass it on to your sister, friend or neighbour! Let’s make babywearing accessible!
Vancouver’s Chinatown
Describe your business.
When we started Baby Buddha we dreamed of developing baby gear that parents could feel good about – from the way things were made and the materials chosen to the way they maximize quality of life. Those already familiar with our stretchy baby carrier know we’re achieving that. Baby Buddha is parent-led design, baby-tested and vetted by an industrial designer. We’re very much a part of our local community and we feel responsible to it and the planet.
Tell us a bit about where you live.
We live in Vancouver, BC. Vancouver is a great community and a beautiful place to be every single day…despite the rain. Some days we’re so busy we only dream we can smell the ocean but other days we’re on the beach or in the mountains or hanging out on Commercial Drive, an artsy multi-cultural district, at an outdoor café. Many Vancouver shopping districts are along streets and parents do a lot of walking. The sidewalks are bustling with babywearing parents. You really get the sense of a growing attachment parenting community. The best thing about being a parent in Vancouver is the free community play centres offered in every neighbourhood. They are great places for children to play, to meet other people and to get advice from health nurses.
Alison and Coco
Tell us a bit about your family.
Alison ‘Joy’ Cross
My partner Bob and I were leading a creative and wonderful life when we realized it was the perfect moment to have a child. During my pregnancy I took time away from my work in the film industry and went for long stays at silent meditation retreats to really embrace this transformation in my life. From woman to mother. At the end of one retreat, the orange-robed Buddhist monk who taught meditation sent for me and told me to be peaceful and calm with my new baby. If I remembered this advice, my child would live as Buddha did. He told me that the mother is very important to guide the child and if I meditated my child would be calm. I really believed this until I had a colicky baby, who would only stop crying when she was bounced. Bob, I and took turns bouncing baby Coco, until I developed tendonitis in both wrists and needed help. Thankfully help came in the first stretchy baby carrier that I made to mimick our bouncing sessions. The colic lasted until she was 3 months old, and despite my patience, I would never call her a calm child. However, I am totally in Love with her.
Coco, now 3, is a raging artist who expresses herself in every medium. She creates food sculptures, dresses herself very creatively, loves all things “tutu” and when no one is looking loves to experiment with crayons by colouring on any surface. Who knows maybe this is her special gift to the world?
Bob has been endlessly supportive and patient as the partner of a mompreneur. During the week, he’s the director of photography on The L Word and was guest director for season five. At home, he’s a babywearing dad who believes in the success of Baby Buddha. He has helped with everything from photo shoots to saving inventory from a flood! We couldn’t do it without him!
Paula Violi
I am happiest when I am creating or playing outdoors! After completing an industrial design degree at Emily Carr in Vancouver, I knew that I wanted to work with textiles. Whatever work I did also had to be sustainable, ethical and feel good. Meeting Ali and starting Baby Buddha has been a great fit.
I have an incredible network of family and friends who extend far and wide into Canada, the US and Europe. They frequently request updates on the growth of my “Baby Buddha”. I have many children in my life including my niece and nephews and the students I teach.
How long have you been in business?
The seed of Baby Buddha Baby Gear Ltd. has been germinating since Alison had Coco three years ago. Alison began "babywearing" immediately, creating a beautiful mother-daughter bond. A choosy client, when she couldn't find a sling that was comfortable, easy to use and stylish she decided to make her own, unexpectedly embarking on a sling-sewing career. Alison wanted help getting her idea to market and that’s when she and I, an industrial designer, met. We realized that together we could create a baby carrier with integrity. We incorporated in 2005 and after much proto-typing and testing, the first Baby Buddha Slings were in stores by September 2006. Basically the phone hasn’t stopped ringing with orders since.
What inspired you to start your business?
Happy people and happy babies. Alison was “slightly” obsessed with creating the perfect baby carrier and creating products we believe in became our goal. We both loved the idea of creating work for ourselves that felt good…not compromising on creativity or ethics. It’s our goal to be a business that is socially, ecologically and economically sustainable and to enjoy our work everyday.
What is the most challenging thing about manufacturing/selling baby carriers?
Who knew how long it would take to get the Baby Buddha to market? We were in development for a long time because we had super high expectations for quality, safety and style. We wanted the Baby Buddha to surpass Canadian safety standards. Ultimately we didn't settle for serged seams; we safety stitched them. Also we engineered our tube slings to create structurally safe pouches for baby to ride in. As an industrial designer I know that when you make choices based on function you often end up with a better looking product and that was certainly true here. We set some tough criteria for ourselves and we’re happy to say we met them.
What is the most rewarding thing about manufacturing/selling baby carriers?
Alison
The most rewarding thing about making a baby carrier is the positive response we’ve got. I would have stopped doing this a long time ago if it were about making money. I make the stretchy baby carrier because parents really love it. We have a really simple product, 3 easy to use pieces with no buckles or rings - it makes carrying your baby easy and that’s what parents want. The feedback and testimonials are unbelievable proof that we are doing a great thing, and that feels more satisfying than all my years of film work.
Paula
Baby Buddha has really demystified babywearing for a lot of new moms and dads. New parents face this huge learning curve and we realized that showing new parents how to use the Baby Buddha really empowered them. We’ve participated in some great grassroots baby events in Vancouver, done in-store demos, been to new-mother groups, doula events and even baby showers. Parents who’d never heard of babywearing are amazed at how quickly their babies are soothed when they’re in the Baby Buddha. And parents who already have a collection of other slings and carriers have sold the whole lot once they’ve discovered the comfort and versatility of the Baby Buddha.
Tell us about your personal babywearing journey.
My passion for babywearing started in 2003 while studying Thai massage and meditation in Thailand. I lived in a Lahoo village where every member of the tiny community took turns carrying the village babies. The babies were tied around an adult’s torso with a longyi (a square piece of woven fabric used as a skirt). The babies were so exceptionally happy, I knew something very special was going on and knew that I would do the same with my own baby. I moved into a young family’s guest hut and slowly got to be a participant in the community babywearing roster. Soon I would be handed a baby when I appeared in the village. Last year we traveled to Thailand and I wore Coco in the Baby Buddha and the Thai people really got excited to see that this tradition was being picked up in the west.
How do you balance your personal and professional life?
Balance is something we are always talking about and working towards but truthfully it is a challenge when you have a small business. Alison and I are both creative types, but we have different skills. There have been times when her skills have really been in demand and she has been working around the clock and vice versa. It’s always our goal to get enough sleep, to maintain our personal yoga and meditation practices, to get outdoors to ski or hike, to travel and to nurture our relationships with friends and family but it doesn’t always work that way. Baby Buddha is our baby too and we need to nurture it and it takes time and energy but it’s growing and we’re trying to create a company that takes care of us.
What do you see for the future of babywearing?
Babywearing is the best possible start you can give your baby! The benefits are obvious for both baby and wearer. Being in a Baby Buddha carrier is just like being swaddled, which as nurses tell us, is how new babies are most comfortable. Our carrier is as close to being back in the womb as possible. Infants are close to mom’s heartbeat and less colicky. Older babies are more integrated, as they’re at eye-level. They see everything the wearer sees, and therefore learn faster.
Babywearing creates the closest possible connection you can have with your baby after birth and we hope it signals a move away a technology-based society where people are increasing isolated. A happy baby in a Baby Buddha carrier is all the advertising babywearing needs!
Describe your favorite babywearing memory/moment(s).
After learning I was pregnant in 2004, I looked up baby slings online and discovered amazing web sites like Rev. Jan’s and the babywearer – and at that moment I knew I was not alone and parenting was going to be about community and wonderful new areas of exploration. Another favorite moment was bringing Coco, 7 months old at the time, to a 5 day yoga retreat/camping event. Some of the other participants and organizers didn’t think I’d get much yoga done and told me I should go home. To everyone’s amazement Coco and I fully participated in every class from meditation to yoga to chanting. At the end of a class, instead of lying down, I would sit in a seated meditation posture and Coco would fall asleep.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge in getting carriers into the hands of new parents?
Education. We know how beneficial it is to wear your baby but there are people out there who either don’t have that information or have walls up against it as some crunchy-granola idea. We’d like to see more mainstream healthcare professionals sharing the benefits of babywearing with their patients.
Cost. One of the biggest challenges is making quality baby carriers accessible to all parents. Presently the cost of making a product in Canada that uses locally milled or organic fabrics and pays fair wages is high. Our hope is that as more people believe in the philosophy of sustainability and commit to buying locally, the cost of these products will drop for everyone.
Describe a typical day in your life.
There are rarely any typical days. We’ve just been to LA to celebrate the gala opening of the Lword. Today we rented bikes and rode along Venice beach stopping at every playground along the way, and there are many! Right now I am flying home from LA to Vancouver, with a few days to prepare before we go to Cuba. Coco is nearly 3 years old now and has traveled to 12 countries. Last year we celebrated her birthday in Laos and this year it will be in Havana.
Anything you'd like to add?
when you’re done with your baby carrier pass it on to your sister, friend or neighbour! Let’s make babywearing accessible!
Vancouver’s Chinatown
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