Believe Baby is the leading eco-friendly DTC diaper brand that offers premium bamboo diapers, wipes, and toddler training underwear. Built on a true mission to donate one Believe Diaper and one Believe Wipe for every one purchased, Believe Baby supports thousands of families across the U.S. who struggle to afford diapers. Through their partnership with Flexport, they’re able to help families in need by promptly importing products into the U.S. with as little supply chain friction as possible.

A few years ago, Believe Baby Co-founders Joe Masi and Uli Herzner read a statistic stating that 1 in 3 U.S. families (now 1 in 2) could not regularly afford diapers and often had to choose between either having enough food or diapers for the week. This heart-wrenching fact struck a chord with Joe and Uli.

In addition to wanting to help families in need, they realized the impact that conventional diapers left on the planet, and committed to making a great diaper for babies and the environment as well. Despite having no experience in the diaper business, they were equipped with the drive to do something good for others and make a difference. Thus, Believe Baby was born—offering diapers made using only the best materials for babies without harmful ingredients.

A Search for the Right Logistics Provider

Shortly after launching across social media and D2C sales channels, Believe Baby saw rapid growth, prompting a fast-tracked search for a new freight forwarder. While the provider the Believe Baby team initially partnered with could keep a steady drumbeat of imports, Co-founder Joe Masi wanted to transition the business to a logistics provider with more value, technology, enhanced service, and competitive pricing. That’s when Managing Director Pete Barta discovered Flexport.

While Pete understood the basics of logistics, he needed help navigating the complexities that come with the end-to-end process of international freight forwarding. From coordinating with multiple manufacturers to dealing with Customs to analyzing shipment data to make better decisions and everything in between, Pete’s dedicated Flexport Account Executive is there to clear the muddy waters.

“Not only does Flexport offer exceptional service when it comes to freight forwarding, but they also exceed our expectations as a strategic partner. Having a dedicated account executive who is extremely knowledgeable about the industry has helped us grow tremendously.” – Pete Barta, Managing Director for Believe Baby

Getting Products Into The U.S. Quickly and Efficiently

Since bamboo is the number one ingredient in Believe Baby products, all manufacturing and production takes place in China which is the largest producer of bamboo in the world. Products are imported into the U.S. from China directly to Believe Baby’s warehouse network to fulfill customer orders across Believe Baby’s DTC website, Amazon and other retail partners. This means getting products into the U.S. quickly and efficiently is paramount to Believe Baby’s business success.

As much as every company wishes for its supply to run smoothly, the reality is that disruptions are inevitable in a complex environment. From strikes to blank sailings to more recent Panama Canal service restrictions, it’s not a matter of if but when something goes wrong.

While Believe Baby’s supply chain is not exempt from experiencing disruptions, the difference is that they have a strategic partner to help navigate and resolve such issues quickly and efficiently. “It’s never an enjoyable situation when your inventory flow is disrupted, especially when your entire business relies on outside forces getting it right,” says Pete. “We had containers stuck at sea during the LA port congestion crisis of 2022. The Flexport team jumped in to resolve the issue, keeping us updated on the status of our cargo in the Flexport platform and adjusting our shipment schedule accordingly. Without Flexport, the situation could have been a lot worse.”

When every container matters, Flexport allows Believe Baby to meet demand at critical sale periods when supply is limited.

A Single Interface Powered by Advanced Technology

When Believe Baby first partnered with Flexport in 2021, its year-over-year sales growth was in the double digits. Fast forward to today and that number has increased to 233% (2023 over 2022) and the number of products imported with Flexport has exceeded 5 million. This exponential growth is spearheaded by Believe Baby’s exceptional products and targeted marketing efforts coupled with Flexport’s ability to keep up with its increased customer demand.

Flexport’s platform has allowed Pete to manage Believe Baby’s supply chain through a single interface, and to streamline inbound shipments and delivery. With Flexport, Believe Baby can consolidate communications from all of its logistics partners into one platform. This single thread of communication helps to see the progress of all steps in the supply chain in one place.

The critical data and information provided through the tech platform have helped uncover new opportunities for the Believe Baby business. As Pete explains, “Flexport’s technology has truly helped us make better business decisions and move quickly due to their expert insights.”

Flexport’s regular communication coupled with a willingness to educate the Believe Baby team on international freight processes allows Believe Baby to continue to focus on more important matters—like growing the business. In November 2023, Believe Baby launched a new line of eco-friendly toddler training underwear—Believe Bottoms Up—with support from Flexport to ensure products were in stock and ready to sell.