Most of life's messy problems can't be flushed down the toilet. But now, thanks to Kimberley and Jason Graham-Nye, dirty diapers can be disposed of with one simple swish. Co-founders of gDiapers in Portland, Oregon, this husband and wife duo, both 36, manufactures a flushable, compostable baby diaper that decomposes in 50 to 150 days (vs. up to 500 years for a disposable diaper). The diapers are also more breathable, reducing the risk of diaper rash.
The Graham-Nyes started out as customers after discovering a flushable diaper in Jason's native Australia. Says Kimberley, "It was better for our baby, better for the earth, and it worked for us as parents." Recognizing the product's potential, they bought the rights and, in 2004, introduced this new generation of diapers to the U.S.--following an international move and $3.3 million in startup costs. With the launch of fun and colorful prints, gDiapers are as fashionable as they are environmentally friendly. Evidently, this innovative alternative to disposable and cotton diapers--now sold in Whole Foods Market and smaller, independent retailers--has been good for the bottom line, too. Last year's sales exceeded $1 million.
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This article was originally published in the January 2007 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Green Team.
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