Photo credit:  Bozena Budzynska

MOMPRENEUR OF THE MONTH: JENNIFER MURPHY, CHAPTER ONE ORGANICS

We love to feature great Mompreneurs whenever we get the chance because we know how much hard work goes into being one; it truly takes talent to juggle motherhood and a successful business while keeping your sanity in-tact.  This month, we are featuring Jennifer Murphy, founder of Chapter One Organics.  Are you a Mompreneur? We'd love to hear your success story and feature you on Tastybaby.com.  Email us your story!

My love of fashion started at an early age.  In high school, I served on a fashion advisory board and modeled for a department store. I dabbled a bit in design in college, with an emphasis on business, and after a long stint in retail management and consulting, I finally decided to put all my skills to use and become my own boss.  I combined my life experiences, love of fashion, and my desire to make a difference and founded Chapter One Organics.

I also had great inspiration from my family.  My grandparents not only raised 6 children and worked for decades to provide donations for school children in Jamaica, but they also served as foster parents for 52 babies!

I started Chapter One Organics to make clothes and provide employment in the US.  I have focused on producing fun, modern and organic cotton baby and toddler clothes from sustainable materials, water-based inks and low-impact dyes. As an approved member of Co-op America, our clothing is made in the US by women who have had significant barriers to employment and are now earning fair wages and establishing careers.

My belief is that we not only have to care what our clothes are made from, but also about who is making them and under what conditions.  My decision to manufacture in the US has created many challenges and a slower start, especially by choosing to work with a non-profit organization.  We actually had to help them upgrade certain parts of their facility to make our clothing come to life.

These start-up challenges are all worth it when I meet with and talk with the women whose lives are changing for the better because of their work with Chapter One Organics.  We have such amazing and capable people in our country who need real work. My ultimate hope is that consumers realize this and begin to care. 

I also wrote a children’s book called The Green Eaters - A Dream Comes True, under the Chapter One Organics umbrella. While researching the clothing line, I became more aware of the toxic effects of the pesticides used to grow cotton.  In turn, I learned more about organic farming and the devastation factory farming has brought to our ecosystem. After noticing there were not many books addressing these issues for children, I started writing.  I was inspired by on my own childhood surrounded by family farms and the animals in my book are happy, natural and free, the way nature intended.

The Green Eaters - A Dream Comes True is printed on at least 30% recycled paper and the publisher uses both wind and solar power to produce within their facility in Canada.  At Chapter One Organics, we like to keep things close to home and support organizations who really are trying to make a difference. 

The development of my company has been a wonderful education for me and I am thankful everyday that through our work we are providing positive opportunities for others. We, as human beings, are all connected to our earth and everything inhabiting it, and I want my products to reflect that.

Please visit my site at www.chapteroneorganics.com and please support your local family farms!