September Group Custom info, including some important updates!

We will be drawing groups this Sunday evening for the September Group Custom slots! :)  Please read the information below thoroughly so that you don't miss any important components!   Even if you are experienced with our Group Custom process please read through this post as there are some key changes this month. :)

*If you are new to twinkie tush, welcome!  Please note that this is not the only way to purchase one of our diapers. ;)  Read this page for lots of basic twinkie tush information!

Additionally please note that this process is as complex as it is ONLY in order to meet the needs of customers, both new and returning.  It is designed to be fair, not to be purposefully maddening. ;)

We are planning to post the September Group Custom entry thread on facebook this coming Sunday (9/30) between 8:30 and 9:30pm eastern.  (The thread will then be open for 5 minutes only.)

We ask that you continue to stick to a maximum of 2 groups per household.  We are going to be strict about this - if we notice someone in more than 2 groups that individual will be removed from all groups.  That means that if one of their groups wins a drawing the group win will stand but the individual will be disqualified.  Please help us keep this fair for everyone! :)

When the entry thread goes up on facebook, please comment on the thread to enter your team!  You may only enter on behalf of one group (but may appear in up to 2 groups).  Your entries should look like these, in which the flying whizbees are entering for the first time in the current month and the skullies have entered in two previous months as well as in the current month:

The flying whizbees: 1 month. Kate, Megan B., Amanda, Karen, Jessica, Sarah, Melissa, Henrietta, Pamela, Megan Z.

The skullies: 3 months. Susan, Mike, Allegra, Sarah F., Sarah P., Bess

Also within the alloted time (5 minutes) you will need to send an email to groupcustoms@twinkietush.com (please note this change of email address). The email subject must read something like “Group Custom Entry: Team Name (eg The flying whizbees)”. Your team name must be included in the subject line of the email and all group members must be cc'ed on this email.

The email must contain a link to a google spreadsheet or an attached Excel spreadsheet (please do not C&P in the body of the email) containing the following information for each group member:

1 - Full member name

2 - Member name as it appears in paypal account

3 - Member contact email

4 - Member paypal email

5 - serged or turned preference.

6 – sizing preference (one size, little tush, or teenie tush)

7 - individual choice of cotton velour or organic bamboo velour (more info on this new addition below)

If any of those elements are missing (no team name in subject, any info missing from the spreadsheet, missing team member cc's, etc.) your group will not be eligible to obtain the slot. (This is just to keep things fair.)  We recommend reviewing your spreadsheets shortly before 8:30 on Sunday to double-check that everything is present and that your spreadsheet matches your planned facebook entry. :)

Once the entry time has expired, we will review all information and announce the eligible groups for the month. We will then hold 2 drawings as follows:

Drawing 1: Every team that has entered for at least 3 months, including the current month, will be entered in this drawing.

* Each team in this drawing will receive one entry slot for each month they've entered. That means if you've entered for 3 months including the current month, your team is given 3 entries. So for example if there are 5 eligible teams for this drawing and they all have entered for 3 months, with the exception of teams Abby and Darkside who have each entered 4 times, the entry list would look like this:

1 - team Abby

2 - team Abby

3 - team Abby

4 - team Abby

5 - team Boyish stripes

6 - team Boyish stripes

7 - team Boyish stripes

8 - team Cat Lovers

9 - team Cat Lovers

10 - team Cat Lovers

11 - team Darkside

12 - team Darkside

13 - team Darkside

14 - team Darkside

15 - team Elliot

16 - team Elliot

17 - team Elliot

We will use random.org to draw the winning number.

Drawing 2: Every team who successfully submitted their information in full is entered in this drawing, with the winning team again being selected by random.org.

* For this drawing, all teams receive 1 entry slot regardless of the number of months they've entered, giving an equal chance to all who are enter whether they are brand new or have been entering for several months.

Occasionally we will do more than 2 drawings, either before or after the two described above.  As we continue to increase production we will begin to draw more groups each month! :)

Please note that even an attempted entry counts when tallying your group's number of entries. In other words if your group got the email and FB comment in within the alloted time for a given month, it counts even if some info was missing and your group wasn't entered in the drawing(s).

The information below covers general Group Custom policies to keep in mind as you are forming your groups.  Please note that some of this has changed this month:

* If your group is selected you will then receive a confirmation email in response to the email you sent in. That email will contain a link to your group custom slot, which will be available for purchase at the store. You will have 24 hours to purchase the slot. If a group fails to purchase the slot in time a new drawing will take place using the same list and a second winner will be drawn.  The price will be the total for all diapers in the group, and shipping will not be included but will be paid at a later time.

*Anyone from the group can email us, as long as they are willing and able to serve as group rep (the person who collects payments from other group members and communicates with me about velour preferences, etc.) The group rep is also responsible for forwarding information from us to the group as needed and assuring that the group is aware of payment deadlines, etc. Please do not email on behalf of your group unless you are willing to take on the group rep responsibility.

*All members of the group must be copied on the initial email so that we can reach individual members if needed.

*Once the spot is purchased it is reserved and you can send your fabric in as quickly or slowly as you like! The listing will include the cost of the diapers but not the cost of shipping to each individual group member.

*After the group rep pays for the group listing, each individual group member will need to pay individually for their shipping cost. This is not something that needs to be done to reserve your spot but it will need to be done in order for us to ship you your diapers ;) This system is just to facilitate an easier and smoother shipping process on our end which means you getting your diapers more quickly!  After your slot is paid for we will send an email to the group or group rep with a link to a store listing where you can pay for shipping individually.  We will now be sending the shipping payment links out within one week of group custom slot purchase.  Diapers will ship 4-6 weeks after fabric is received.

*After purchasing the slot, the group will send us (at the group's cost) adequate yardage of the chosen print fabric and all diapers will be cut from that yardage. All other materials will of course be provided by twinkie tush.  As you saw above, we will now be offering group members the choice of cv or obv for individual diapers.  For obv we will only be using the natural color, and for cv I will choose a color that coordinates with your print.  Only one color of cv will be used per group (in other words please don't designate specific individual colors on your spreadsheet). It is fine for a group rep to share a group's velour preference (eg "we'd really love aqua cv if it works" or "we definitely don't want black" or "something light as opposed to dark") but please note that final cv decisions will be made by me.  If you express a preference for a color that doesn't work well with the print I will not proceed with it.  However, if you say "we definitely don't want X color" I will of course honor that.  I will always do my best to accommodate velour color requests!  Any requests made by the group must be shared with us BEFORE we receive your fabric.  If you have not made a request by the time we receive your fabric, I will choose the color that I feel works best with your print! :)
Please do not ask for specific snap or thread colors as we are not able to accommodate these requests.  Thank you for your understanding!

*We are no longer able to return Group Custom fabric.  All fabric submitted for Group Customs will become property of twinkie tush.

     - Please note that we will price diapers made with remaining Group Custom fabric according to the cost of the fabric (based within our current pricing structure).  This is something that has been requested of us by previous groups and we recognize that it is the most fair way to handle pricing.

* Group size can range from 5-10 people. Each group member will choose between a serged or turned diaper. We do not recommend serging with woven fabrics. The price will be $36 + shipping per each one size or little tush diaper and $28 + shipping per each teenie tush diaper.  Please note that serged/turned and sizing preferences must be finalized *prior* to entering your groups.  We will make copies of group spreadsheets via screenshot after winners are drawn and all diapers will be made as dictated by the spreadsheet screenshot.

*We are now opening up the Group Custom entry process to groups that are seeking SYOF twinkie tush night-nights.  Your group will need to provide several yards of velour (7 yards for a group of 10, as an example).  While we are not able to help groups extensively in the search for cotton velour or organic bamboo velour we will require that your velour choice be approved before it is sent in.  We require this to ensure that it is of the highest quality so that we feel comfortable using it to make twinkie tush night-nights, and can stand behind the absorbency.  The cost per person for a Group Custom twinkie tush night-night will be $40 plus shipping.  Night-nights are only available in our one size (OS) pattern.

*All diapers will ship out to the group members 4-6 weeks after we receive the fabric (pending shipping payments of course).

While we are becoming more strict and streamlined with certain parts of the process, this is enabling us to move towards much higher production levels for Group Customs!  We anticipate drawing more groups every month going forward!  As always, please let us know if you have any questions about any of this, and thank you so much!  See you Sunday evening! :)