After spending so much time at home recently, is anyone else itching to get organized? That’s why we love Zipped Bags, durable, reusable clear bags that are designed and sewn in the USA. They each have colorful, chic accents, are more eco-friendly than disposable options, and can stand up to anything, from toddlers to travel. So those Lego pieces that are taking over your entire house? Or the makeup dominating a bathroom shared with a teenager? Zipped Bags can keep everything where you want it to be, and will do it in style. We spoke to the two moms behind this unique product, Kimberly Fiorello and Clara Dixon, to learn more about their story.
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Can you tell us a bit about your family lives?
Kimberly Fiorello: We have 4 kids, a teenage boy and three girls between ages 12 to 6. We are an active family, focused on tennis, ballet and piano. Zipped bags help us keep tennis wrist bands, racquet dampeners, all the small things that can get lost in one place that’s visible. Ballet slippers and hair nets and bobby pins are never misplaced in our house as they are always in a Zipped bag, tucked in her ballet bag. And piano books and notebooks have a home in the large Zipped bag.
Clara Dixon: I am a mom of two boys. My sons are 6 (1st grade) and 4. We live in Stamford, Connecticut.
How would you describe Zipped Bags for someone not familiar?
CD: Zipped is a better way to keep your life organized. These bags may be pretty, but they go hard! The surprisingly durable, crystal-clear bags make it easy to see what you have which means less digging around, for both you and the kids. The big, bright zippers and threads are cheerful because organizing doesn’t have to be boring. With pockets, hook-able grommets and four practical sizes, you can Zip everything from toys to craft supplies, scarves to gardening tools.
When did you launch and when did you realize you had something special?
CD: Kimberly originally launched the bags in 2013 and quickly realized that they were resonating with friends and family as word spread, and people kept asking her for more. Women from all stages of life were finding new ways to use them – from make-up to knick-knack drawers, kid stuff to client interior design projects, from schoolwork to world travel (when that was a thing). I got involved at the start of 2019 to further develop the bags and launch on a bigger scale. I started out as a customer myself. I never thought I’d say this but, I found myself having fun while organizing. The more I used Zipped to organize my life, the better I felt. To this day, every time I reach for something and know exactly where it is, it feels like a little win. My “aha” moment was when I was reaching out to Kimberly for a fourth time to buy more bags!
Why do these make a great gift for other moms?
CD: Zipped Bags make a great gift for other moms because they’re practical and fun to use. Even though our lives have slowed down over the past couple months, they’re still busy and active in many ways. Recently, Zipped Bags have been used to organize home office space and as a fun way to organize children as they adjust to distance learning. Moms, perhaps more than ever, are looking for new ways to simplify and manage their home and family life. Cloth toy bins are great, but they just do one thing and you can’t stick them under the kitchen faucet to get them clean. Zipped Bags are versatile and can be used in countless ways, and easily fit into different shoulder bags, closets and cabinet spaces! (Because sometimes, you do want to get things out of sight.)
What are you most proud of, in terms of the company?
KF: We are so proud of having it be 100% designed in the USA, and of sourcing a BPA-free, crystal clear plastic that is made in the USA. It’s a great feeling to know that your product employs American suppliers and American employees.
Can you expand a bit on the company commitment to fighting mental illness?
CD: As you’ll see on our website, over half of our profits support Mental Health Research. The Stanley Family Foundation is the majority shareholder of our Company, which includes Zipped and several sister brands. This charitable organization funds research that would reduce the burden of serious mental illness. Top scientists in the field of genetics, stem cell biology and neurobiology rely on funding from The Stanley Family Foundation to finance their research. Kimberly and I are thrilled that Zipped is part of something so much bigger, especially as Mental Health awareness continues to gain traction in our communities.
KF: This is important to us because we also have friends and family that suffer from mental illness. We love Zipped bags on their own, but as we got started, we decided that we didn’t want it to be about us or just the bags; we wanted the company’s longevity to be committed to something so much greater.
Are you seeing a lot of repeat customers?
KF: Yes! Once you start using Zipped bags, you find that you need them in so many ways and in so many places. I know a friend who uses it with her clients, then realized it’s perfect for organizing stuff under her sink!
What do you hear most from clients who are personal organizers and/or designers?
KF: They love and are continually amazed at the quality of the bag — the attention to detail in the zipper and the stitching, and the surprising durability of the material and construction. There’s nothing else like it!
This story is sponsored by Zipped Bags.