The Story Behind My Nappy Grab Bag by Becky Mantin

Find out more about the clever Nappy Grab Bag and how it came to be! Written by the creator, Becky Mantin.

I’ll be honest, I never thought I could ever find a job that excited me as much as presenting does. Despite being surrounded by entrepreneurial family on both sides, starting my own business was certainly never a road that I thought life would take me down.

The idea for the Nappy Grab Bag came about completely by chance; my youngest son Tom was just a few days old and my husband Jack decided to take our older boy Rory to a soft play centre. I eventually persuaded him to take a change bag – (he’s a very fuss-free rugby boy who will only carry something if it’s either a giant kit bag or if it fits in his pocket!) – only to find a few hours later that the wipes had been left out of it – and let’s just say that it was an occasion that wipes were certainly needed!

As they were getting out of the car and my husband recounted the amusing but less than pleasant story, it suddenly occurred to me how crazy it was that, in such an advanced, convenience-crazy world, there was no grab & go solution to nappy changing. Why was it not possible to buy a complete, all in one nappy change kit so that you’d know that you had everything each time?

We all lug around a heavy, over flowing change bag which takes time to pack, to check and is incredibly cumbersome – and, in my experience, it’s still no guarantee that you’re not going to forget or run out of something! What us parents needed was something that we didn’t have to think about, that could be chucked into our normal handbags or stuffed into a pocket. Something that would allow us to be a bit spontaneous and, if nothing else, allow us to get out the house a bit faster – in itself, a small miracle!

That was it really. A moment experienced in some form by parents the world over every day — and one that could so easily have been forgotten. For some reason though, I didn’t forget it. Without quite meaning to I just kept mulling it over. And after six months, I took the plunge and presented the idea to a product designer and suddenly the ball was rolling!

My new product – the first in a range of ‘parenting convenience’ products – is called a Nappy Grab Bag. It’s a single use, all-in-one nappy change kit that fits in your back pocket. Grab and GO! Each Nappy Grab Bag containing organic nappies, wipes and Weleda changing cream packed up in a hygienic, biodegradable changing surface with integrated dirties pouch, which can then be rolled up and sealed with the pull off adhesive strip for disposal. So simple!

This link to our YouTube channel gives you a more in depth and visual tour of the Grab Bags

Many will ask why it’s called a Nappy Grab Bag… Well it was the name that flashed into my mind right at the beginning and it just stuck. I met my husband doing a round-the-world yacht race in 2007 – romantically, we were on the same boat – so have spent a fair amount of time at sea. On any boat, there is a small bag which is always packed up with survival essentials that you ‘grab’ should you have to suddenly abandon ship. This kit is called a Grab Bag. So in my mind, what I had suddenly dreamed up was a Nappy Grab Bag.

I’m incredibly lucky to have gathered an extraordinary team of people around me; product designers, brand managers and retail experts to name just a few! The world of manufacturing and fulfillment is about as far as you can get from the world of TV so it’s been a steep learning curve and I constantly seek guidance from the experts that surround me. The essence of the product, however; its eco-credentials, how and when it’s used, the dimensions and feel of the mat, the number of wipes it contains, what the brand stands for; that’s all come directly from me and I remain fiercely protective over the fine detail.

The journey from idea to shelf has been a huge adventure; juggling a demanding career and a lively, all-consuming family life. Lots of plate spinning – and frequent plate dropping – but it’s also been mentally stimulating and a lot of fun. Thankfully, the reception I’ve had from retailers, focus groups and parents has been overwhelming. I hope you are as excited about this brave new world of parenting as we are!

Thank you so much for your support

Becky
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Becky Mantin has appeared on ITV Weather, Channel 5, Sky and This Morning on ITV as a reporter. Becky has gone to set up her own business and create the hugely popular Nappy Grab Bag whilst continuing to appear on ITV.