Cindy Wong
Welcoming a newborn is a great joy but sometimes it’s hard to think of a special gift. Cindy Wong has learnt how to wrap diapers, baby clothes and other baby products into lovely cute “diaper cakes.” She talks to Lisa Lee about her growing business.
HK Magazine: When did you start designing diaper cakes?
Cindy Wong: One of my relatives made a diaper cake and I thought it was really cute. So in April 2010, I and my business partner Tracy started designing the cakes together. It is more like a hobby for us because both of us have full-time jobs. We didn’t plan to start a business in the beginning. I told a friend of mine about the diaper cakes we were making. She then told her friends about it, and that’s how we got the first order.
HK: What are the differences between your diaper cakes and baby products you get from other stores?
CW: Most of the stores selling baby products only offer stock box sets and don’t really cater to the different needs of the customers. Say, if a customer wanted to include particular colors and toys, we can do so. Our customers will usually give us a theme, such as Hello Kitty or other cartoon characters; or they will tell us the gender of the baby so that we can design a cake to fit.
HK: What is the most satisfying part of making diaper cakes?
CW: Each and every one is different and unique. We love it most when we receive photos with the baby and the cake. It is heart-warming when our customers are satisfied! We also have some loyal customers who place repeat orders with us. It is really satisfying to have people who truly enjoy our designs.
HK: How much time do you need to make one diaper cake? What does one diaper cake include?
CW: It takes about ten days to make a diaper cake. They’re made up of diapers, towels, clothes, toys and a plush. If customers give us a color theme, we will try to find products to match.
HK: What has been the most elaborate design? Have you had any difficult requests?
CW: I would have to say the diaper boat, which is featured on my blog. It was initially going to be rectangular—or just any shape other than circular, but we were given a larger budget so we wanted to make it more special. A lot of my clients tend to tell me what they don’t want, so it is easier for us to do the design and purchase items to put in the diaper cake. Some clients ask us not to include pacifiers, as some parents don’t want their babies to have one.
HK: Are you a mom?
CW: I am still single and I haven’t considered having children—I haven’t thought that far ahead! I do have a girlfriend who has a baby that I sometimes see, but otherwise I don’t have much contact with young children. I do like babies and think they’re cute. They’re fun to be with and we love to see their reactions, which can be very unexpected and surprising.