Katie Danziger : How did you start Nomie Baby?

As they say, "Necessity is the mother of invention."  This was true for me when my littlest spilled on her car seat and I struggled for too long to get the cover off, only to read the care instructions, which said, "Do not machine wash."  I couldn't believe that something that children are in everyday couldn't be thrown in the washing machine.  I looked for a better way, and my search came up empty, so I knew that an idea was born for an easily removable, washable, and waterproof cover for car seats.  I figured if I had this problem, it was likely that most other moms and dads were having it as well, so I knew that I had something.  Now the trick was to get it from an idea onto the shelves. The first step was to design something that was easy to use, comfy to sit in, and didn't leak, and to contact an attorney to get a patent filed!  I was careful not to talk about my idea with too many people, but I did need to find the right material, which was the hardest part, since it didn't exist.  I knew exactly what I wanted, so I made my own prototype with a fitted sheet, glue, and Velcro, and brought it to a pattern maker to create a real working pattern.  Then I had to find the right fabric, which was much more difficult than I thought.  I finally found a fabric sourcing company, and together we were able to develop exactly the fabrics I needed, a soft outer layer, an absorbent inner layer, and a wicking fabric that keeps the water away and is treated to prevent leaking.