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From Taylor to tailor, Cheeky Butts is born
National Indigenous Times

ISSUE 104, May 4, 2006: A great idea by a hard-working mum could provide an economic base for Indigenous women in every part of the country.

Thirteen years ago Deborah Taylor was a young mum of two children. A self-taught seamstress, she made doll’s clothes for her children, including nappies.

Unable to find cloth fitted nappies that were functional and reasonably priced, when Deborah’s mum suggested she make the doll’s nappies in larger sizes, the seeds of ‘Cheeky Butts’ were sown.

For 13 years Deborah improved the design, the fabrics and the fit, and expanded the range. Her hobby has now become a small business destined to grow and she wants other Indigenous women to enjoy the benefit.

While Deborah is now focusing on outsourcing the manufacture of the nappies in bulk and organising a party-plan system, she is also keen to offer licensing arrangements to women around the country.

Anyone with sewing experience can purchase a license and Deborah provides product patterns.

The nappies can then be sold in the person’s community or returned to Deborah for on-sale.

Deborah sees the licensing as a way for Indigenous women, particularly in regional communities, to turn their hobby into cash.

“They could make a couple of nappies a week and sell them in their own community or I can sell some of the products for them,” she says.

“Once you pay for a licence that’s it - I don’t ask for anything else. The nappies have to be up to standard but if they need help I’m there.”

Deborah currently has three licensees. The licensing arrangements also mean that each nappy is individual and one-of-a-kind.

“They can incorporate their artwork, using fabric paint, on their nappies, and the market loves it. I love that Cheeky Butts has cheeky nappies!”

But cheeky nappies aren’t the only products up Deborah’s sleeve.

The Cheeky Butts range now includes washable nappies in various styles and fabrics, nappy covers, nappy bags, mama pads (ladies menstrual pads) and training pants.

And if that’s not busy enough for you Deborah also produces a range of hemp and honey skin care products which are also proving to be extremely popular with people who like good skin care without all the additives and preservatives.

And she hopes to develop her range more extensively when she can find some time away from the sewing machine!

And it seems that time is the only thing holding Deborah back.

A mother of seven (David 17, Kascha 15, Alex 13, Lauren 9, Kaliska 9, Dominic 5 and Matthew 2), Deborah and her partner Jayson Taylor live in Ipswich, Queensland.

Deborah, a Kamilaroi woman, works from home and says Cheeky Butts has become a seven-day a week commitment.

“I still haven’t worked out the time management!” she laughs.

“I work every day of the week. I get up, get the kids to school and then sort out what I need to do each day.

“Usually at midnight I’m still on the computer answering emails and sending off orders. I do everything myself.”

“Everything” encompasses designing all the product patterns, ordering fabric from overseas (“a constant ongoing process”), cutting the fabric, sewing, labelling, despatching orders, bookkeeping, marketing the products… the list goes on.

“Each nappy and product requires a different process. And because there are different fabrics and prints, whenever I finish a product I’ve got to list it on the online store.”

Deborah sells her products through her website (www.cheekybutts.com.au), on eBay and through baby expos.

The website is another labour of love that Deborah has designed herself.

The business is all down to this dedicated woman’s hard work - she has received no help along the way and has been frustrated by the lack of financial assistance for Indigenous businesses.

She speaks highly, though, of workshops run by First Australians Business, an organisation to aid Indigenous people in starting viable companies.

“They have been really good - I walk away with my head buzzing, making plans.

“They teach you about different ways of marketing, what is effective, how to find your target market and then hit that target market.”

And Deborah’s advice to other people planning on starting their own business is to remember that you are on your own!

“Make sure you can do it yourself. If you’re waiting for any government help you’re not going to get it for a long time - there’s that much red tape!”

But red tape be damned, Deborah has big plans.

“In five years time I’d like Cheeky Butts to be a lot bigger than it is and employing a lot of people.

“I’d like to be a wholesaler rather than a retailer and have the products in all the baby stores.

“I also hope to have the party plan system up and running, targeted particularly to Indigenous mums.”

• If you would like to know more about licensing arrangements, contact Deborah on 0423 002 441 or email info@cheekybutts.com.au

• The benefits of cloth

Deborah Taylor from Cheeky Butts has a vision that sees the demise of disposable nappies and the re-emergence of what is called ‘the modern cloth nappy’.

Her mission statement reads “Cheeky Butts will provide an environmentally friendly economic alternative to disposable nappies and other similar products for mothers and babies”.

Her nappies are reusable, washable, multi-fitting and a healthy alternative to disposable nappies. They reduce the incidence of nappy rash, save natural resources and reduce landfills.

The nappies are also highly cost-efficient when compared to the equivalent needed to nappy a baby to toddler years in a disposable item. Use of these products will save the consumer thousands of dollars in the first few years of a baby’s life.

Cheeky Butts nappies are made from hemp and bamboo fabrics, both of which Deborah says are four times more absorbent and much more hard-wearing than cotton.

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