Nomie Baby’s new product

Nomie Baby is a collection of problem-solving products for parents developed by Manhattan mompreneur Katie Danziger. After a messy spill on her youngest daughter’s “do not machine wash” car seat cover, Katie realized there is a need for machine washable, waterproof covers that are reasonably priced, so she launched Nomie Baby in 2008. The company now sells machine washable car seat covers, stroller blankets and their latest product.

Strittens are special stroller handle mittens designed to attach to any stroller type. The one size fits all strittens feature a wind-resistant outer layer, a warm fleece lining, are machine washable and dryer friendly.

Strittens

“I am always either forgetting my mittens, or they are in a different coat’s pocket,” Katie tells HCRSourceBook. “I wanted something that was always there to keep my hands cozy and warm, and easy to slip my hand in and out of to make a call or do something with my child.”

Stroller Blanket

In addition, Nomie Baby car seat covers have Velcro openings, super soft fabric, absorbent padding, and the elastic edges fit most car seat brands. Stroller blankets have a wind-resistant outer layer with cozy fleece lining and zip around the child.

With all Nomie Baby products retailing for under $50 and designed to make life easier, they make a thoughtful gift for the holidays. Available for online purchase online and select boutiques nationwide, including Albee’s and Citibabes in New York, NY.

Inspired by Katie’s youngest child’s extended stay in the NICU, short for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Nomie Baby donates 10% of profits to help premature babies in NICU.

-Janet Muniz

Baby Rock Apparel

Tampa, FL-based Baby Rock Apparel, Inc. introduces a new fall collection of trendy kids t-shirts. The company adds to the line of baby clothes and gifts about twice a year and the new styles feature several music-inspired designs made from a soft tri-blend fabric as well as classic 100% cotton.

Baby Rock is also inspired by classic Hollywood with the first “Marilyn – Star” design featuring a Marilyn Monroe image on vintage white burnout 100% cotton; another is “Lessons for Life,” featuring a fist surrounded by motivating words that kids can live by, like courage, strength, power, discipline, respect and perseverance – made from 100% cotton.

“We launched these new designs on our website and within a few days we were already sold-out of most of the t-shirts,” president Kim Strayer tells HCRSourceBook, “so we’re quite pleased with the initial response from our awesome customer base.”

The new designs join Baby Rock Apparel’s best-selling trademarked collection found in over 200 stores and boutiques in the U.S., Canada and Europe and by visiting the company’s website and TrendyRemedy.com. Wholesale inquiries are welcome. Contact info@babyrockapparel.com or 813.282.3987.

-Janet Muniz

What’s a SwitchittZ?

SwitchittZ are specially made, interchangeable, embellished attachable characters and other graphic elements that kids can place right into the design of the shirt to create customized looks.

Not-quite-one-year-old Thread Adventures™ is a New York-based company dedicated to creating products that encourage creativity in the young and young at heart. This fall, Thread Adventures introduces a new interactive clothing experience with SwitchittZ tees, which give kids the power to not only choose a favorite look, but switch it up in different ways.

“It’s fun to see what kids come up with when they wear their SwitchittZ,” co-creators Angela Cosentino and Mary Wassner tell HCRSourceBook. They developed the patent pending product along with their husbands and lots of input from their young children. “To us, SwitchittZ are about endless possibilities – each one unique and each one more fun than the next.”

According to them, the SwitchittZ experience combines a cool activity with the state-of-the-art style of different themes featuring fun, colorful and super-cool graphics that serve as a backdrop for kids to make their own scene. “SwitchittZ” are specially made, interchangeable, embellished attachable characters and other graphic elements that kids can place right into the design of the shirt to create customized looks. They can collect and trade SwitchittZ and wear their favorites whenever and however they choose.

Pre-washed, pre-shrunk and made from 100% cotton, each shirt comes with four interchangeable SwitchittZ, which are also sold separately. The SwitchittZ adhere easily to the shirt’s themed design with a uniquely soft, durable hook and loop fastening system.

Designed for children ages two and older, all SwitchittZ tees come in short and long sleeve styles and are available in stores starting in October/November. Thread Adventures believes that safety comes first and has implemented a fulsome testing program as required by law, including CPSC requirements.

-Janet Muniz

New Tween Line

Vancouver, WA-based Hula Mula – sister company to the popular boys collection Knuckleheads – débuts a tween line.

“We have two tweens in our home and it was because of their persistence and creative style that we added the new sizes,” co-owner and designer Melissa Nash tells HCRSourceBook.

Both of the Nash daughters were involved in the new Spring 2011 line which includes some vintage inspired pieces and comfy knits.

-Janet Muniz

Cute Shoes!

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Cute kids shoe company Livie & Luca débuts the newest addition for fall: the Just Born collection of shoes for sizes 0-6 to 18-24 months.

Featuring soft leather uppers with a recycled rubber and suede hybrid sole, these baby shoes are ideal for indoor and outdoor adventures. Find the company’s popular classic styles in these soft flexible shoes, including the London, Holland and Woodland.

Livie & Luca is also debuting their fall/winter collection for children in sizes 4 to 13, featuring the new cadet boots and ruche Mary Janes. Each style features Livie & Luca’s trademark attention to darling details, including animated elephants, rainbow buttons, blossoming flowers and chirping birds.

Livie & Luca was created in 2005 by three moms seeking modern and funky shoes that were also lightweight and flexible for active children. Dedicated to giving back, the company has partnered with Art for Humanity to donate gently-worn shoes to children in Honduras. As they have since the beginning, Livie & Luca donates 10 percent of their online sales to rotating charities.

-Janet Muniz

I Rescue Rover

I Rescue Rover Apparel is a collection of t-shirts for kids and toddlers made from organic cotton bamboo and other eco-friendly fabrics. Artist Paula Bonham features her original, animal-themed work, inspired by the many dogs she has rescued and enjoyed in her life, and also by the passion people have for their own dogs – and cats, birds, fish, horses, goats and more – (I’m a huge fan of goats!)

Other styles feature artwork from Julie Rozelle Contreras of Urban Bird Design. Artists are encouraged to submit artwork for consideration, too. Textiles include organic cotton bamboo and other eco-friendly fabrics, and I Rescue Rover exclusively partners with companies that adhere to ethical manufacturing practices.

“Be Good, Do Good, Buy Good, Feel Good” is the company’s mantra, and sales benefit animal welfare organizations such as the ASPCA, The Humane Society, Red Cross Emergency Rescue Efforts, Animal Acres, Petfinder and BestFriends.org.

Hip graphic clothes that simultaneously generate support for needy animals. Who wouldn’t like that?

-Janet Muniz

Lollybean Kid Couture

“Lollybean” is Emily’s nickname, and Emily is the daughter and inspiration of Amy McConnell, designer of Lollybean Kid Couture. “Emily was born premature, with a severe condition called Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia,” Amy tells HCRSourceBook. “Finding appropriate clothing for her was difficult as she was very small and had feeding tubes.”

Amy started her own clothing line when her son Matthew was born – one simple white layette gown with the words “God’s Gift” written on the front. Now the Solvang, CA-based company makes a year-round collection available for boys and girls in sizes newborn to 24 months that combines the playful words of childhood with classic images that bring to mind the wonderful memories of that time.

Made of 100% cotton, find long and short sleeve shirts paired with yoga-style pants and shorts – gift-ready sets with mini clothespin fasteners. A boxed layette hat and gown are finished with a tied grosgrain ribbon and hang tag.

Amy has a background in interior design and mural art, and extends her love of color into her collection. Rich hues of charcoal, black, deep olive and chocolate join traditional pinks and blues.

Lollybean Kid Couture is represented by Sylvia Gill in the Northwest (888) 304-8271; Barbara Towery in the Southwest (800) 783-9327; Kathy Fedoryshyn in the Midwest (262) 781-8685 and Rudy Fleischmann in the Mid-Atlantic (800) 869-2229.

“Our goal is to create comfort for the child while at the same time bring fun and laughter to the grownups who know and love them.”

-Janet Muniz

25th Anniversary of K.I.D.S.

To help celebrate K.I.D.S. 25th anniversary, check out the Kids In Distressed PSA airing on one of the jumbo screens in New York City’s Times Square through October 15. It details instructions for mobile phone users to text “Happykids 25” to 27138; this triggers a $25 donation to the organization, helping put desperately needed new merchandise in the hands of those who could use it most.

In this 25th anniversary year, K.I.D.S.’ goal for donated new product is $100 million. “K.I.D.S. is unique in its ability to reach 4.5 million children in need every year, helping them strive for a better life than they have,” says president Janice Weinman. “By tapping into the new technology of mobile phone giving, we are asking many more people to help us continue to make a difference in the future of our youth, by giving them new product, one child at a time.”

See the PSA – bigger than life – every hour, 18 hours per day on the CBS big screen, north side of 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues. The PSA can also be seen on KIDSdonations.org and on YouTube – but you don’t need to see the PSA to celebrate with K.I.D.S. Simply make a donation – of money, merchandise, time – it’s all good!

The K.I.D.S. website offers information on how people can directly join the mission to help children in need. The “Get Involved” section of the site has suggestions for personal and group projects such as product collection drives and fundraisers.

K.I.D.S. officially commemorates its past on December 1 during the 25^th Anniversary Gala at Cipriani 42^nd Street in New York.

-Janet Muniz

Sanrio celebrates 50 years

Last Wednesday, Hello Kitty was joined by Sanrio COO Kunihiko Tusji and Maxine Clark, founder, chairman and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop to ring the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange – all to commemorate Sanrio’s 50^th Anniversary.

This week, the popular lifestyle company kicked off an entire year of events to celebrate their distinct philosophy, ” small gift, big smile,” that a small act of communication, friendship and sharing brings happiness to fans of all ages. Build-A-Bear is one Sanrio’s many business partners joining the celebration.

Check out the Focal Point story in our current issue, which highlights Sanrio and all of their plans! Visit Sanrio online for more, too.

Congratulations!

-Janet Muniz

Back To School

Are your customers shopping for back-to-school?

Sama Baby‘s newest line is a must-have for every baby and kid this fall: organic jeans. They are high quality, organic and affordably priced at $40 a pair for babies from 12 months old to six years old.

Founders Shivani and Neha Gupta have dreamed about offering a modern, stylish organic denim collection and are excited to finally share it with babies and kids worldwide. “We spent months testing the organic eco denim and wanted the jeans to look sophisticated, yet easy to play in,” explains Neha, who is head designer.

The result: Each pair is designed for the kid on the go:

-super soft, pre-washed denim in rich dark blue

-an adjustable elastic waistband on the inside to create a stylish outer

-laser-etched tags instead of itchy sewn-in labels

-signature embroidered elephant logo on the pocket

-rock star elephant lining

-square pockets on the Dylan for boys

-diamond shaped pockets on the Bridget, for girls

The organic cotton jeans are lightweight for mobility and all day play, and designed to accommodate various shapes, sizes, and growth rates. “We tested and tried our organic cotton denim out on children to find out exactly what level of fabric to use, and get the right amount of durability so that kids can play and have fun, while not feeling like they are wearing a heavy pair of jeans,” they say.

Sama Baby also follows the highest standards for organic cotton garments like using eco-friendly dyes, an environmentally-safe dying processes, and biodegradable bags to store their fabrics. Staying true to their heritage, the Guptas produce Sama Baby products at a family-run, fair-trade factory in India where the family frequently visits their cotton fields and oversees production.

Sama Baby Denim is sold online, at high-end boutiques across the country, and is currently in Whole Foods Markets, around the country. “Despite the recession, Sama Baby is extremely proud to be steadily growing and continues to fill stores nationwide while creating healthy, happy babies and a better planet for all,” they tell HCRSourceBook.

On another note, Shivani and Neha are managing editors of the newl Greenista.com, full of eco-friendly “tid-bits” delivered daily that launched on Earth Day.

-Janet Muniz