Some brands are built in a boardroom. Others are built at 2am, with a baby who won’t stop crying and a parent wondering, what am I missing?
Parasol is the second kind.
What started as one mom’s search for something gentler, safer, and actually effective turned into a deeper realization: the diapering products we’ve been told are “good enough” for babies… often aren’t.
When you look closer—at the materials, the standards, the global differences, you start to see the gap. And once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
Jessica, the founder of Parasol, couldn’t unsee it either. So she rebuilt it.
Here’s a must-read interview on how she’s changing the diaper aisle for the better.
Parasol began with your experience as a mother. Can you take us back to those early moments that led you to create the brand?
Both my children and I have sensitive skin, so I have always been very mindful of what touches our bodies. But even with that awareness, there is always a level of uncertainty. You know what has caused irritation before, but you don’t always know what else might.
At the same time, I was helping a close friend of mine with five children who was struggling to find diapers that worked for her babies’ sensitive skin. She tried everything, hoping to avoid relying on medicated creams, but continued to see reactions. That experience reinforced the questions I was already asking.
As I started researching, I realized how common this issue really is. Studies show that over 30% of children have sensitive skin, and up to 70% of infants experience diaper rash at some point during their diaper-wearing years. That scale surprised me. It made me realize this was not a niche concern, but something most parents go through in one way or another.
That realization, combined with my curiosity, led me to start looking deeper into how this problem could be approached differently.
You’ve traveled extensively to study diapering practices around the world. Can you share how those experiences shaped your perspective?
I entered this category as a complete outsider, so I approached it with a learning mindset. I worked with a consultant and visited manufacturers and raw material suppliers across different countries.
What stood out to me was how different the standards were. In Japan, diapers were incredibly soft. In China, there was a strong focus on absorbency and keeping the skin dry.
I remember bringing American legacy brand diapers to a group of Japanese moms to compare. One of them touched the material and immediately reacted with shock. She couldn’t believe something that rough was being used on babies’ delicate skin every single day. That moment really stayed with me; it was a stark realization that what we had accepted as normal might not actually be good enough.
It made me realize that better materials and better approaches already existed, but they were not always accessible to parents here. That gap shaped how I wanted to build Parasol.
What does it mean to you to continuously “better your best”?
To me, it means never becoming too comfortable with what already exists.
We listen closely to parents and their experiences. We also stay connected to new developments in materials and manufacturing. There is always something to learn and something to improve.
It is a continuous process of refining, questioning, and making thoughtful adjustments over time.
How do you approach balancing performance, safety, and gentle ingredients?
It is one of the most complex parts of what we do.
It is not just about using better materials or increasing testing. It is about making sure everything works together while still being accessible to families. Most parents today are working hard to support their households, and they should not have to choose between quality and affordability.
We always start with safety and gentleness. From there, we work closely with our partners to improve performance while being disciplined about cost. It takes collaboration and persistence, but we believe it can be done well.
For expecting parents building their registry, what makes Parasol a thoughtful choice?
Trust is at the center of it.
We have grown largely through word of mouth. Parents try our products and continue to come back. That kind of loyalty comes from real experience, not marketing.
For something you use every day, it is important to feel confident in your baby registry choice. Parasol is designed to be something parents can rely on without second guessing.
What excites you most about what’s ahead for the brand?
Since launching with Target in August 2024, one of the most meaningful things we have heard from parents is how much they appreciate the accessibility.
Now that we are in nearly 1,900 stores nationwide, we are able to learn from a much broader group of families. That feedback continues to shape what we do next.
What excites me most is the opportunity to keep improving and to continue creating products that truly support both babies and parents.
How would you describe your morning routine in one word?
Meditation
There’s a reason Parasol is now sitting on shelves in Target stores across the country (and online at shop.poppylist.com!) Not because they out-marketed the category—but because parents kept coming back.
That’s the part that matters.
When something touches your baby’s skin all day, every day, you don’t want to wonder if it’s “fine.” You want to know it’s right. You want something that works, feels good, and quietly earns your trust over time.
Parasol didn’t get here overnight. It got here by listening, refining, and refusing to settle.
And honestly? That’s the kind of brand you want in your diaper bag and diaper caddy. Lucky for us, it’s already in ours!
