Entrepreneur makes an old idea new again

Henderson woman remakes baby carrier of her childhood with help of original inventor

Photos SPECIAL TO VIEWClockwise from top, Sarah Spoor, founder of kokopax, uses her baby carrier to carry her youngest child during a business trip to Asia. Spoor?s father, Duke Cunningham, uses the original carrier while fishing in Florida in 1974. Spoor?s carrier is based on that design. The kokopax carriers come in several looks and are available in stores or online. Photos SPECIAL TO VIEWClockwise from top, Sarah Spoor, founder of kokopax, uses her baby carrier to carry her youngest child during a business trip to Asia. Spoor?s father, Duke Cunningham, uses the original carrier while fishing in Florida in 1974. Spoor?s carrier is based on that design. The kokopax carriers come in several looks and are available in stores or online. Photos SPECIAL TO VIEWClockwise from top, Sarah Spoor, founder of kokopax, uses her baby carrier to carry her youngest child during a business trip to Asia. Spoor?s father, Duke Cunningham, uses the original carrier while fishing in Florida in 1974. Spoor?s carrier is based on that design. The kokopax carriers come in several looks and are available in stores or online. Advertisement

Editor's Note: This is the first installment in a monthly series about products developed or made in Henderson.

With three children younger than 2 years old, Sarah Spoor was on a quest to find a baby carrier that worked with her lifestyle.

"A lot of carriers are good for going hiking once a year, but that's not your normal life as a mom," Spoor said.

The Anthem resident's mother brought her the carrier she used when Spoor and her three siblings were babies, and although the Gerry brand carrier was what she was looking for, she said it was almost 30 years old and barely being held together with duct tape. Gerry had been bought out by Evenflo, and the carriers weren't being made anymore. So Spoor's mom found a better-preserved version at a thrift store and Spoor began using it.

"Everywhere you'd see me, I was wearing it," Spoor said.

About 4 1/2 years ago, Spoor added some new fabric and a light bulb went off. She decided to take the old carrier and modernize it.

About two years later, with a fourth baby in the household, Spoor got in touch with Margaret Hansson, who originally patented the invention, to talk to her about the product.

"We flew the whole family to see her," Spoor said. "She's in her early 80s now, and she's amazing."

Hansen put Spoor in touch with the former chief operating officer, the sales and marketing director, an engineer and a packaging designer from Gerry. With the old team assembled, Spoor launched kokopax, her version of the carrier used by families more than three decades ago.

This might have been new territory, but it wasn't Spoor's first go with developing a product. After college, and before children, she designed a bicycle seat cover that she later sold to retailer R.E.I.

"Selling is sort of an afterthought," Spoor said. "I've just always loved products."

After developing the carrier, Spoor asked other mothers to try it and said she got a good response.

"I didn't think I needed it, but I wore it for a month or two and then told her I needed to keep it," said Teala Warga, mother of three. "It was life-changing."

Warga began using kokopax when her youngest daughter was 3 months old.

"I use it all the time," she said. "When I pick the kids up from school, I am able to give them hugs or sign paperwork, so many things."

"The idea is you're totally self-sufficient," Spoor said. "And babies are always happy when they're being carried."

Warga said kokopax is great while she's grocery shopping because she doesn't loose space in her shopping cart. And while she's cooking, she can open a hot oven and use sharp knives without worrying about her baby.

"She's happy to be up, too," Warga said. "Our heads are close together and her perspective changes all the time."

Kokopax, which opens and can sit on the floor, also can be used as a chair. Warga said her daughter, who is now 14 months old, loves to sit in the seat at her other kids' sporting events.

Kokopax is recommended for babies as soon as they can sit up on their own, about 3 months old until they are about 35 pounds or 2 years old. The carrier weighs 2.7 pounds and comes in six patterns.

Spoor said she has added numerous safety features and gone through more testing than is required to make sure kokopax is safe.

Kokopax, which gets its name from a gorilla called koko and the Latin word for peace, is made from fabric printed in Los Angeles and assembled in Asia. The carriers are sent back to Henderson, where they are boxed and shipped to stores across the country.

Although Spoor's children, at ages 8, 6, 5 and 2 1/2, aren't old enough to work for the business, she said she likes to keep them involved. The family took a trip to Asia to see the factories where the carriers were assembled, and there are kokopax products named for her daughters. The blakely ring tote and savannah sun hat are available in patterns to match the carrier.

Kokopax launched in September 2008 and can be found locally at Dagerman's Just for Kids, 2370 S. Rainbow Blvd., and love bug baby, 9911 S. Eastern Ave. Suite 140.

Spoor's husband, Lincoln, also is a business owner in Henderson, and she said it was important for her to show her children that moms can do it, too.

"I want the kids, at the end of the day, to see a mom have a vision and go for it," she said.

The kokopax carrier is $179.99. For information, visit www.kokopax.com.

Contact Henderson View reporter Lauren Romano at lromano@viewnews.com or 477-3839.