Maxwell Designs Blog: Current Designs

Is feedback a good thing or something to be feared??

Well I think it can go both ways - it depends if you are open and receptive to feedback and on how it is delivered. When I started out making my bags I had no real idea what my future customers really wanted in a diaper bag. To start with I didn't have as many pockets as I do now. Then it was only 2 on the inside, no bottle holder and my fabric choice was great but not the quality I was ultimatley looking for. Starting out I used a poly/cotton blend and whilst it had the thickness I was looking for it just didn't measure up to the durability and quality of the hemp I now use.

By listening to my customers, the cloth diaper community and my retailers I was able to change my original design and add features customers felt were important, more pockets, insulated bottle holder, splashes of colour rather than all over. My latest feedback from my retailer Huckleberry Baby Shop in Nanaimo, B.C was that an adjustable strap would appeal to more people.

I thought about this one long and hard as I had resisted adding any metal or plastic into the bag in order to keep its eco-friendly integrity. After talking this over with a very good friend of mine she pointed out that as long as I choose a metal that was eco-friendly it was a much better option than plastic.

So, at this point I am very happy with where I am at, although I am sure that might change if my current and future customers/retailers give me more feedback :-)