Munich Startup: What does Judes do? What problem are you solving?
Nele Schellschmidt: Judes are washable diapers for modern, urban parents that are incredibly easy to use and look stylish at the same time. After the birth of our son in 2020, we were shocked to discover how much waste is generated just by changing diapers with disposable nappies – on average, a ton of residual waste is produced per child during the diaper-wearing period. Diapers are made from composite materials and are therefore not recyclable. During disposal, the diapers are incinerated, leaving residue that is taken to landfills as hazardous waste. We want to change that – our diapers are washable and only the poo paper ends up in the trash.
Munich Startup: But that already exists!
Leon von Klitzing: The cloth diaper offerings on the market didn’t convince us: either they were complicated to handle, didn’t hold properly, or weren’t really aesthetically pleasing. But we didn’t want to accept that, and eventually came up with the idea of developing our own cloth diaper that meets our criteria. Our diaper system is finely tuned and works just like disposable diapers, without any folds or snaps. Judes consist of a waterproof outer pants, a soft inner diaper made of organic cotton, and poo paper. Add stylish, changing designs and high convenience – that’s how we want to bring cloth diapers out of the niche.
Judes wants to offer the world’s simplest cloth diaper
Munich Startup: What’s your founding story?
Nele Schellschmidt: I come from the fashion industry, Leon was already entrepreneurial before. Because other cloth diapers couldn’t convince us, we set ourselves the goal of developing the world’s simplest cloth diaper after the birth of our son. To do this, we looked at pretty much all the offerings that existed up to that point, let ourselves be inspired by the best features, and eventually founded Judes Family. In parallel with development, we launched a campaign where parents could pre-order Judes at a fixed price, helping us with financing.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Leon von Klitzing: Our inner diaper is made from a fabric that was developed especially for us – thin, particularly soft, and at the same time very absorbent. The first attempt cost a mid-five-figure amount. Unfortunately, it turned out during production that our manufacturer at the time couldn’t produce the diapers to our quality standards. He demanded too high a sum to buy out – so we ultimately couldn’t use the fabric at all. That was a shock for us as a young startup. So we had to search again and eventually found a new manufacturer who could realize our vision for Judes Family in the highest quality. In the end, everything worked out and we learned an enormous amount from the situation – including how important professional structures are.
Breaking out of the niche
Munich Startup: Where do you want to be in one year, where in five years?
Nele Schellschmidt: We want to successfully position cloth diapers as an attractive and everyday option for young families right in the mainstream. We’re continually working on raising awareness of the benefits of cloth diapers: they’re gentler on skin, more environmentally friendly, and more economical in the long run. We’re also building a community where parents can get information and exchange ideas, and where Judes is a natural choice for modern parents. Our goal is that in five years, cloth diapers will be as recognized and established as period underwear is today. Then we want to look back and be the pioneers who not only brought a product to market with Judes, but led a movement.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced the Munich startup location so far?
Leon von Klitzing: The location has advantages and disadvantages for us: through networks like Entrepreneurs’ Organization, we’ve met many other entrepreneurs in Munich with whom we regularly exchange ideas and learn a lot. As founders and parents, we also really appreciate the mix of city and nature in Munich. On the other hand, the issue of (flexible) childcare is a major bottleneck for us here – as parents, our working hours are heavily limited and we haven’t found childcare in the conventional way, just like many other parents. The lack of childcare spots is clearly felt by all parents.
Munich Startup: Public transport or bike?
Nele Schellschmidt: Bike! We love cycling through the English Garden and to the Isar, or to our workspace in our neighborhood.
