Sometimes the best partnerships start not in a boardroom, but in the comments section of a Facebook post. That is exactly how Baby Paper founder Sari Wiaz and Paper Cow creator Cassie Stine found each other, and how their two small businesses are now joining forces to bring customers something new.

A Chance Connection

Wiaz was scrolling through a Facebook group for small business owners when a comment caught her eye. Curious, she clicked over to check out the profile behind it. What she found was Paper Cow, Stine's line of children's apparel featuring whimsical, hand-drawn barnyard characters bursting with personality and charm.

Wiaz was hooked immediately. The playful designs reminded her exactly why she started Baby Paper in the first place: creating simple, joyful products that spark a child's imagination.

So she did what small business owners do best. She took a chance. Wiaz reached out to Stine directly, introduced herself, and asked if she might be able to bring Paper Cow's beloved characters into a Baby Paper product.

Trust, Not Paperwork

There was no elaborate pitch deck. No legal team drafting licensing agreements. No months of back and forth between attorneys. Just one founder reaching out to another, and Stine deciding to say yes.

"I was overjoyed when Cassie trusted me with her designs," Wiaz said. "These characters are her creativity, her heart, her business. For her to hand that over to me on the strength of a conversation says everything about what small business really is."

That trust became the foundation of Zoo, a new Baby Paper pattern that brings Paper Cow's charming barnyard animals to life in the crinkly, sensory format that has made Baby Paper a nursery staple for over a decade.

"I was so excited when Sari reached out," Stine said. "She understood our brand and put together such a fun pattern featuring our best selling characters on her crinkle paper. Seeing it come to life was pretty special. Every customer I showed samples to had to hold it, play with it, and had such a fun response."

More Than a Product

For Wiaz, the new pattern is about far more than adding another item to the Baby Paper lineup. It is a statement about how small businesses can grow, not by competing with one another, but by lifting each other up.

"There were no big contracts, no lawyers, none of that," Wiaz said. "Just two small business owners who shared a vision and decided to trust each other. That is the whole story."

It is a story Wiaz has told before, and one she intends to keep telling. Collaboration has become something of a signature move for Baby Paper. The brand's Woodlands pattern donates a portion of proceeds to Cranio Care Bears, an organization supporting families of children with craniosynostosis, following a similar partnership Wiaz previously ran with Artists with Autism. Baby Paper also produces a Rally Paper line featuring artwork from Michaelson Entertainment.

Wiaz has also partnered with Female Strong, an organization supporting girls from underserved communities, on a pattern born from a juried art competition. A panel selected the winning artwork from submissions by the young artists themselves, and that artwork became a Baby Paper pattern of its own, giving the girls a platform and a byline on a national product.

In a similar spirit, Baby Paper's line featuring artwork from renowned digital artist Lawrence Gartel shows how Wiaz continues to use Baby Paper as a canvas for other people's creativity, not just her own.

Each collaboration follows the same simple formula: find people with heart and talent, and figure out how to build something together.

Why It Matters

In an industry increasingly shaped by big-box retailers and mass production, partnerships like this one are a reminder of what makes small business special. Two founders, two visions, and a shared belief that generosity and collaboration can be just as powerful as competition.

"This is what small business is all about," Wiaz said. "You show up, you take a chance on someone, and sometimes that chance turns into something amazing."

The new Zoo pattern, featuring Paper Cow's barnyard characters, will be available soon, through Baby Paper and Paper Cow's usual retail channels, both wholesale and direct to consumer.

About Baby Paper

Baby Paper is a mom-invented sensory crinkle toy brand born from watching babies delight in the simple sound and texture of restaurant napkins. For more than a decade, Baby Paper has grown into a beloved line of sensory toys sold through wholesale, specialty retailers, and direct to consumers, all while staying true to its founder-led, small business roots.

About Paper Cow

Paper Cow is a children's apparel line created by Cassie Stine, known for its whimsical, hand-illustrated barnyard characters that bring warmth and personality to everyday kids' clothing.

Media Contact:

Name Sari Wiaz

Phone: 847-272-5588

Email address: marketing@babypaper.com