Inside Kindercarry

BWI of STL Gateway leadership had the opportunity to tour Kindercarry Headquarters, home of the popular Kinderpack. Melissa (also known as Mel) was an amazing host. We had the opportunity to see quality control in action! Each Kinderpack is inspected before being packaged, fine tweezers and a lint roller are some of the tools we spied in the QC area.

Quality Control - Each carrier is inspected before being hand packaged

Kindercarry has 3 full time seamstresses and a fourth person who cuts out the foam pieces that are in each KP. Did you know that each piece of fabric is cut by Melissa herself!?!  Can you guess how many pieces go into a Kinderpack!?!?  From pieces of foam, buckles, webbing, snaps, fabric… it all adds up to a mind-boggling seventy-nine components that are hand assembled.

Mel tells the VBEs about the table on which every Kinderpack has had pieces cut!

On the lower level we entered the heart of the operation --- the fabric room!! It was a fabric paradise :-)  Bolts and bolts, boxes, cut out pieces neatly stacked and waiting for their future as a baby carrier.

VBE Beth checks out rolls of Koolnit in the hallway

Kindercarry has recently streamlined the variety of materials used in the Kinderpack as a result of the new testing regulations. The very popular Koolnit could be seen in rolls all around. Previously only available in Red, Navy, Royal, White, and Black, we got an EXCLUSIVE on a brand NEW custom color of Koolnit!!  Coming soon to a Kinderpack near you, Aqua Koolnit! It matches the Aqua canvas that has been used on previous Kinderpacks (like Night Owls and Flags Duo). Keep an eye on future stockings for a glimpse at this exclusive color!!! Can you spy it in the picture below?!

Fabric! Fabric! Fabric!

Our trip was planned on a Thursday so we could see where the real excitement happens. Across the country, Moms were F5'ing their computers while we watched a stocking of limited edition Knitting Stripes 2 and Full Panel Rockets. The atmosphere at Kindercarry headquarters was pretty chill as we watched them fly off the computer.

Stocking Time! Knitting Stripes 2

Mel makes the stocking "Go Live"

Mel shared some sound business advice with us as we grow the BWI of St. Louis Gateway chapter, and we are thrilled to be able to add four Kinderpacks to our growing lending library. The growth of Kindercarry into their new facility and the opportunity to see the Kinderpack creation process was very exciting! We hope to offer tours of Mel's facility to members in the future! She has made extra efforts to keep her products made locally, by hand, all while supporting other small family businesses and local to St. Louis as often as possible!

VBE Nicole receives custom fitting from Mel

VBE Beth receives custom fitting from Mel

We went in wearing wraps and came out in buckles! Thank you Mel!

VBEs Cecelia, Nicole, and Rachael

VBE Beth, VBE-iT Carrie, VBE Cecelia, VBE-iT Leigha

BWI of STL Gateway with Melissa of Kindercarry
L to R: VBEs Cecelia std/std, Beth std/plus, Rachael tod/std, Calista tod/std, Nicole std/std, Kindercarry Melissa, and VBE Jamie tod/std
First Row: VBE-iT Carrie std/std and Leigha Preschool/Std

New Library Carriers!