We were lucky to catch up with Yenny Sanders recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Yenny, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

When I first moved to the United States from Colombia in 2015, I was excited to grow my family and start a new career where I could fulfill my passion for helping others. After pursuing a degree in health sciences, I was accepted into the school’s nursing program—and pregnant with my second son. The program officially started when he was just two weeks old. I knew being a mom of two and a full-time student wouldn’t be easy, but I was determined to make it work.

What I didn’t expect, however, was that two months in, I yearned to be more present for my baby. I wanted to experience all the exciting milestones of those early days that I had missed with my first son because of work. After much thought and several discussions with my husband, I left the program to be a stay-at-home mom.
I loved every second of being there for my baby, but something still wasn’t right. I felt that yearning to reach others and do something for the greater good. Looking at my innocent son, I knew I wanted to do my part to make the world a better place—for him and other children, too. I started to wonder if there was a way to do both…

That’s when I started to think about sustainable clothing. Despite its growing popularity, I didn’t agree with the morals (or lack thereof) behind the increasingly popular fast fashion. I felt strongly that style shouldn’t come at the cost of the place we call home. As I learned more about the risks of the harmful chemicals used in many conventional fabrics, especially for babies’ delicate skin, the idea for Cuddle Sprouts began to take root.

With my baby in my arms, I worked with my husband to draft up a business plan and started to build a small team, one member at a time. Two years and a lot of hard work later, we launched Cuddle Sprouts in October 2023.

I tell this story not only to shine a light on the unexpected journey that led me to Cuddle Sprouts, but in hopes of sharing a powerful message to all the moms out there. There’s no shame in wanting to be there for your children—just as there’s nothing wrong with following your heart and making a career for yourself. So if you’ve ever felt pulled between being a mom and pursuing your dreams, I hope my story reminds you that you can do both.

Because as much as Cuddle Sprouts is on a mission to empower moms to confidently dress their little ones in clothing that is better for babies and the planet, I’m also on a mission to empower moms to chase their ambitions, too.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I credit my time pursuing a degree in health science and, later, nursing for my shift toward more conscious consumerism. I couldn’t believe how many things in the world that we accepted as normal were both harming human health and wreaking havoc on the planet.

When I became a stay-at-home mom, my desire to provide the best for my family intensified. From using natural cleaning products to buying more organic food, I paid more attention to what we put in and on our bodies, including clothing.

Finding clothing that met my high standards for sustainability, quality, and comfort, especially for my baby, was a particularly challenging task. Adorable yet timeless and truly eco-friendly options were few and far between. I’m sure any mamas out there understand the desire to give your baby nothing short of the best, and that’s what led me to Cuddle Sprouts.

However, I didn’t want to be “just another” baby clothing brand—and I didn’t want to take shortcuts or fall into the practice of green-washing, either. I spent countless hours researching the best fabrics, designing cute and practical styles, and learning the nuances of the clothing industry. There was a lot to learn, but I let my dreams of being an advocate for ethical fashion (and my love for my children) guide me every step of the way.

But my vision for Cuddle Sprouts expands beyond wanting the best for my children. It’s about playing a part in empowering parents to confidently dress their children without worrying about the lingering impact chemicals and harsh additives will have on their children’s skin or the environment. It’s about proving that style and sustainability can co-exist. That comfort and quality can go hand-in-hand. That we don’t have to sacrifice the well-being of our children or the planet for the sake of fashion.

I’m proud to say we were one of the first baby clothing brands to make our clothes using TENCEL™ Lyocell fabric, a highly sustainable and certified EU Ecolabel fabric crafted from plant-based fibers. We recently launched a collection of certified organic cotton baby clothing styles as well. Both fabrics provide ultimate comfort and care for babies, protecting their delicate skin while preserving the environment, too.

As a mama who wants nothing but the best for my baby now and for all the years to come, it’s the ultimate win-win.

That said, I’ll be the first to admit that starting and running a clothing brand comes with its fair share of challenges. I don’t think people realize all the intricacies that are constantly going on behind the scenes.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I knew securing the initial capital was a crucial step to making my dreams a reality, so after many long talks with my husband and creating an initial business plan, we chose to self-fund.

Business ownership is always associated with risks—it’s par for the course. However, being a self-funded business means all financial risk falls on our shoulders. When you invest so much time, energy, and money into anything, it can be scary not to know the outcome. However, from day one, I believed so strongly in my vision for Cuddle Sprouts that I knew I was willing to do whatever I needed to in order to bring the vision to life. In many ways, I think being self-funded helped motivate me and push me through the challenges of creating, launching, and simply being a small business. It’s almost as if it underscores my steadfast commitment to the brand and my overall mission, pushing me to keep moving forward even when it feels like everything is working against me.

That said, I feel so fortunate to be in a position where I can even take that leap of faith. And I hope this can serve as an example to anyone with a big dream that if you believe in yourself and what you’re doing, it’s worth the risk.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The baby clothing industry is a highly competitive market. Of course, there are so many moments when it would be easy to wave the white flag and give up, but I’ve learned the importance of being resilient and letting your “why” guide you through the challenges.

For example, when I was first preparing to launch Cuddle Sprouts, Tencel was just gaining traction in the sheets and bedding industry. I couldn’t wait to bring this innovative and highly sustainable fabric to the baby clothing market. After all, it checks all the boxes Cuddle Sprouts stands for: quality, comfort, and sustainability.
However, soon after we launched the brand and started to gain traction, other baby brands started to utilize Tencel materials in their clothing. The worst part was when the larger competitors entered the scene and found immediate success. It was disheartening to feel like I was suddenly pushed into the shadows despite all of my and my team’s hard work.

To stay true to my mission and company values, there was always one thing I swore I’d never do: sell out to keep up. Despite the pressure to change our approach to keep up, we remained steadfast in our commitment to our values and morals. In a world riddled with greenwashing and fast fashion, I felt it was even more important for me to remain true to the morals and principles that led me to create Cuddle Sprouts in the first place.

Instead of taking shortcuts, we chose to work with Lenzing and used top-of-the-line lyocell fabric in an extremely high percentage, ensuring that our products were of the highest quality, comfort, and sustainability.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the struggle of being a small business facing bigger competitors, but our dedication to our principles allowed us to carve out a niche and stay true to our vision. I hope by sharing this experience, others can realize the importance of resilience and staying committed to one’s core values, no matter the obstacles.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cuddlesprouts.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cuddlesprouts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cuddlesprouts
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CuddleSprouts

Image Credits

Song Watson