pediped® ♥’s Schools

Enrolled schools receive 10% back on all attributed purchases, giving parents another reason to shop this award-winning brand.

Popular footwear company pediped® launched the new pediped ♥ ‘s Schools, a one-of-a-kind giving campaign where participating schools receive a check for 10% back on their total attributed purchases of pediped® Footwear. Each school can earn up to $10,000 per year.

I’m excited to celebrate the start of a new school year with kids everywhere. Schools need our help now more than ever and it’s essential for them to have the things they need. Giving back always has and will continue to be a core value of pediped.

-Founder Angela Edgeworth

School officials, parents and teachers can enroll their school into the program by visiting pediped.com/pedipedschools. Each school receives a unique code that’s used by shoppers at checkout when making a purchase on pediped.com or in any pediped® owned boutique. The pediped® team tracks these purchases so each school can receive 10% back on their total combined purchases.

Purchases will be tracked now until May 15, 2014, and schools will receive their checks in June 2014. Any purchases made after May 15 will roll over to the next school year. Schools are also able to track their earnings on pediped.com.

“We are receiving heavy support from parents and teachers alike who see the value in creating awareness on the importance of providing schools with adequate resources,” Angela says.

Fastest growing children’s footwear brand in the United States. Known for exceptional quality, comfort and distinctive styling, the award-winning pediped company recently opened three boutique retail stores in Las Vegas, Shanghai, China and in Brno, Czech Republic. pediped® footwear is now sold in over 2,500 stores in the United States and 40 countries worldwide.

Specializing in healthy foot development, pediped® is dedicated to enriching the lives of children. In addition to pediped® ♥’s Schools, the pediped® Foundation was established to work directly with charities that are devoted to the health, education and basic needs of children around the world. Since its inception, the pediped® Foundation has donated nearly two million dollars in product and monetary support.

Another Hilary Abbott Communications client! Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Matilda Jane

A fanciful new collection that could make a girl smile from ear to ear.

This August, the folks at Matilda Jane Clothing are introducing a Fall 2013 collection called Paint By Numbers, a vibrantly-colored mix of pieces that are sophisticated, colorful and “a wee bit cheeky.”

I want MJC to showcase the sweetness of the child. I try to keep the silhouettes simple for that reason, it’s not about the fancy embroidery, it is about the darling girl wearing it. I want her to love what she is wearing and be proud of how she looks.

The designer doesn’t considers herself a designer at all, just a person who can make her ideas come to life. ” Inspiration? I am not sure, it just happens,” she says. “I just get an idea and go with it.” She does acknowledge her family and a good group of friends for their unending support of her sometimes risk-taking plans. “After all,” she says, “what is the worst thing that could happen?”

Available in sizes 12m-12 as well as a growing collection of sizes for Moms, Matilda Jane is sold exclusively through in-home Trunk Shows. Find out more about them by visiting the Matilda Jane Clothing website here.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

XOLO

Who says shoes have to match?

XOLO Shoes is changing footwear fashion one mismatched shoe at a time. The company celebrates a child’s unique personality with unusual shoe designs where the left and right shoes in a pair are not exactly the same.

The mismatched fabrics feature fun, colorful patterns –and the shoes look adorable because each shoe complements the other perfectly with coordinating designs and colors.

Pam Val is the creative mind behind Humble, TX-based XOLO. Owner of Pam Grace Creations, she is already successful in the baby and children’s bedding industry, and has a passion for children’s design. Her motto: Why not let kids express themselves not just in their room decor, but also in their clothing and accessories?

Kids are often told ‘no’ when they attempt to express themselves creatively. I want to give parents a chance to tell their children ‘yes!’

Back to School Deal. XOLO Shoes makes going back to school fun and stylish. Both girls and boys can really express themselves creatively with two different shoe styles -lace-up and slip on- backpacks and rain boots. The company also has NCAA college-licensed shoes for Mom and older kids, including team colors from LSU, Georgia, Florida and Auburn, with more to come.

Check out XOLO’s back to school deal good until October 31, 2013.

Another ChicExecs client! Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Pink Olive School

Pink Olive is a whimsical boutique filled with beautiful gifts that make you smile.

Ever since savvy entrepreneur Grace Kang opened Pink Olive in 2007, I’ve been a fan. The former buyer for Bloomingdale’s, Saks.com and Barney’s New York has curated a treasure box of wonderful things for people of all ages –not only in New York’s East Village, Manhattan and Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhoods but online as well. Whether it’s working with local artists, artisans and small businesses, to celebrating their wonderful customers, to championing local charities and other causes, the Pink Olive team strives to discover creative products that inspire giving and beautiful living.

“Our recent venture, OliveBox (a monthly subscription service), has been a wonderful expansion of this mission, building on our community from New York to California to Canada,” Grace tells me, “working hand in hand with companies we never would have had the chance to work with otherwise.”

We are stronger together than we are alone.

Pink Olive School. Now, Grace and her team are taking their commitment one step further, with the introduction of Pink Olive School.

“While we have always loved showcasing local talent, and working with designers, now is the time to expand in our mission to mentor creative product-based entrepreneurs to step up and thrive in this ever changing economy,” Grace says. “Without the diverse array of creative products, stores would all look the same and customers will leave uninspired. You wouldn’t want that, right?”

Creatives, Small Businesses and Local Talent –Take Note! Pink Olive School is a one-stop opportunity to start and grow your creative business. By mentoring creative product makers of all kinds, Pink Olive School can help you take your creative passion into a sustainable business. Grace says, “Whether you’re in the very beginning stages of development, or have a fully functioning business, we can help take you to the next level.”

Congratulations, Grace and Pink Olive! If you share Grace’s mission, please email her at hello@pinkoliveschool.com. “In celebration of our launch and my birthday month, I have a special gift that I am offering creative makers want to create a product business they love,” Grace says. Click here for details.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Fish Flops

Already snagging national headlines at the tender age of 15, this creative dynamo is following her passion all the way to the bank.

You may have seen recent news stories declaring, “Fifteen-year-old Sells Over $1 Million Worth of Flip Flops to Nordstrom.” And you may wonder how it all came to happen. Well, here’s the scoop:

Back when she was just eight years old, Maddie Robinson has an idea. She thinks up a product that combines her love of swimming, fishing and drawing –a fun and unique combo, I’d say.

I’ve always been a flip-flop-kind of kid, so I created a brand of flip flops called FishFlops®. I shared my idea with many of my friends and family, and they all smiled and thought I had something special.”

Maddie’s FishFlops® footwear are made to mix and match with one or more of her t-shirts and caps, designed in coordinating colors and aquatic characters. The footwear lights up when a child walks, and they’re fun to share with friends, too – “make a friend smile!” Maddie says.

The Big Ask. All it takes for Maddie’s big break is a letter to Nordstrom about her brand –and a response from the retailer’s buying team to offer Fish Flops in 60 Nordstrom stores. The rest, as they say, is the big headline.

Maddie’s colorful Fish Flops illustrations are also characters the children’s books she writes, ocean adventures Swimming with Spinner, and FishFlops® – Living Together at Sea by Orkicky. Kids are introduced to the Maddie’s characters as each book unfolds. Maddie is also planning a Fish Flops Virtual World.

Fish Flops sold at Nordstrom online and in stores. Email info@fishflops.com for more information about apparel and book sales.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Earth Day Adorables – Knickerbocker Glory

A new category of premium children’s undergarments that encourages “the pursuit of proper fun.”

Sasha Muir, also known as She-Brit, is a British entrepreneur with a passion for dreaming up unique new businesses that scream with personality.

Case in point: butter LONDON, makers of exceptional nail lacquer, which she founded in 2005. Following that success, Sasha built a second company, Knickerbocker Glory, makers of high-end children’s undergarments that lives up to its inspiration: the independent and spirited girls of 19th century England who wore fashionable “knickerbockers” so they could defy society and do just what they wanted.

Keep Calm and Put ’em On. Made from the company’s special blend of 31% organic cotton, 65% modal and 4% Lycra, Knickerboker Glory’s unique Underouts collection is soft, comfy and fresh with newborn style – this underwear is designed to be seen.

Underouts are fun and allow girls today (and boys, too!) to explore and grow whilst encouraging their unique sense of fashion. Our motto, ‘Because I Want To…’, serves as a reminder that pursuing proper fun is essential and that being dressed appropriately is key to enjoying that freedom.

Not only are Knickerbocker Glory styles made from organic cotton, each pair of Underouts is packaged in bright, fun, sustainable packaging.

Sasha Muir, who lives in the Seattle WA USA area, enjoys assisting female entrepreneurs grow their businesses and serves on a number of consumer product advisory boards. Follow her on Twitter.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Earth Day Adorables – NurturMe

Snack healthy – from four months to four years, NurturMe helps parents feed their children better from the ground-up, with new organic dry meal pouches and toddler treats.

Austin, TX-based NurturMe, the first and only family of certified-organic, dried fruit and veggie meals, is expanding the award-winning line of organic dried baby food with 1) a 100% quinoa rice cereal alternative; 2) a new line of blended NurturMeals organic dry meal pouches and 3) a new line of bite-sized organic Yum-a-Roo’s dried fruit and veggie snacks for toddlers.

Eat Healthy. The first “stage-free” food for infants to toddlers, NurturMe’s convenient organic dry meal pouches and fruit and veggie snacks make it easy for busy parents to ensure their children are getting maximum nutrition with every bite.

“With our new expanded family of certified organic, gluten-free, non-GMO and kosher products, we’re bringing convenience, versatility and peace of mind to a whole new level,” says CEO and co-founder Caroline Freedman, who’s also a mother of two. “Just one NurturMe pouch equals countless healthy and delicious opportunities for mealtime.”

NurturMeals is the only baby food on the market designed specifically for the option to mix with breast milk, providing even more nutrients with each feeding.

NurturMeals organic dry meal pouches are rich in nutrients and super versatile. Simply mix them with breast milk, formula or water to create the desired consistency, or mix them in to toddler favorites like pastas, baked goods or yogurts for a boost in protein and nutrients.

NurturMeals Singles now come in Protein-Packed Quinoa, which is the first and only certified-organic pure 100% quinoa meal created especially for children that supports growth.

Brand new to the NurturMe family, NurturMeals Blends bring together nutrient-packed superfoods such as green kale, quinoa, squash and banana to delight developing taste buds with creative and delicious combos.

Big nutrition designed for little hands, NurturMe’s new Yum-a-Roo’s organic dry toddler snacks are made from bite-sized pieces of fruits and veggies that easily dissolve in the mouth, using a NurturMe drying process that preserves the nutrients, freshness and flavor –in a resealable pouch.

All NurturMe products are Made in the USA. NurturMe’s organic dry meals are packed in recyclable materials made with wind energy, leaving a smaller carbon footprint on our planet than the other options found in the baby aisle.

From the soil to their spoon, each earth-loving, lightweight NurturMe pouch provides added convenience and peace of mind.

Please visit nurturme.com for pricing and where to buy in your neighborhood.

Another Hilary Abbott Communications client! Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Adorables for Earth Day – Burt’s Bees Baby

All the natural goodness that Burt’s Bees is loved for, made especially for little ones.

Last year, Burt’s Bees® -a name that stands for natural skin care- introduced Burt’s Bees Baby, an earth-friendly lifestyle brand for babies and their moms.

Launched as a “natural” evolution of the Burt’s Bees brand, Burt’s Bees Baby has introduced an entirely new genre into the natural and organic markets, catering to the family that shops locally, buys organic and visits famers’ markets.

And you can buy it at Target.

We are building on that tradition by offering families a high quality, organic line of products that starts with babies and expands to the entire family.

Through a licensing venture with brand building and product design firm Ayablu, Inc., the line includes newborn essentials such as apparel, accessories, bath linens and gift sets, as well as skincare. And the relatively new brand seems to exude both the character and spirit of the Burt’s Bees brand, described as “whimsical, carefree and intent upon doing things in a ‘better way’ -in a way that is accessible to all.

“The Burt’s Bees Baby brand was thoughtfully crafted in the glow of the Burt’s Bees brand mission,” says Michelle Visser, Ayablu’s CEO. “We wanted to bring you a product line that would nurture children – soft, natural pieces and 100% organic. Building on a culture of caring and well being, our mission is to create a collection that frees families to relax, enjoy and revel in every moment with their little ones.”

An expert in the children’s market, Michelle has launched children’s brands for Ralph Lauren, Tiffany & Co and Lucky Kids, and help senior executive jobs with Pottery Barn Kids, Nike for Kids and others.

Burt’s Bees Baby is a high-quality, organic collection trusted almost immediately by the shopping public. In addition to e-commerce, www.burtsbeesbaby.com serves as an educational platform with original editorial content and as a forum for moms and moms-to-be. The brand is poised for growth, with plans to add apparel and accessories sizes for toddlers and children, new categories including diaper bags and gear, health and safety, playtime, seasonal offerings, furniture and other products the family.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Introducing Loubilou

In this new global marketplace, independent designers and small merchants rule –and shoppers can find very unique “childrensware.”

First introduced in the UK and now launching in Australia, Loubilou (Loubilou.com.au in Australia) is an online selling platform for independent retailers offering children’s clothing, gifts, toys and accessories.

We search far and wide to find the most unique and delightful childrensware, and then bring it together in one hub. In this way, we humbly aim to make the world just a little bit smaller.

Loubilou offers only merchandise that is well-made and not mass-produced, giving both buyers and sellers a personalized shopping experience far more authentic than department stores, or even other e-commerce sites.

How? “Most parents have limited time and rely on retailers from large shopping centres to shop for their children,” says founder Heath Kane, father of two, award-winning designer and also the former creative director of global marketing firm Sapient. “I noticed my kids -and all their friends- were looking like little department store clones.”

Heath recognized that a child’s individuality is important, but he was very frustrated trying to find one single website offering the kind of clothing, toys and accessories that took that personal style to heart, much less all in one place. So he created it.

This Stuff is Cute. Both Loulibou sites cater to parents with youngsters up to the age of 10, a one-stop shop for high-quality, boutique children’s goods from independent sellers, designers and craftspeople around the world (I particularly like Clareoncloud9’s adorable cloud with smiley faced rain drops). Heath plans to integrate both sites within the next six months to provide a global marketplace for children’s indies –and their fans.

The Loubilou’s are open to any independent merchants or designers that fit the criteria of “high quality, unique and independent.” It’s free to join and there’s no lock in.

“Our mission is to build a platform to give small businesses a voice in a world dominated by big corporate players and to bring small wonders and delight to children through a world of cool stuff,” says Bree Jessup, manager of Loubilou Australia.

Connect with Loubilou on Facebook.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

YooHoo & Friends™ Limited Edition Design Contest Winner

This April, the winning design will be released, along with five new dinosaurs for the best-selling YooHoo & Friends line.

Janessa Chong from Malaysia and her colorful rainbow-inspired Marshmallow beat out hundreds of other designs from around the world, in Aurora World‘s first-ever Design a YooHoo & Friends Contest.

“We were floored by Janessa’s design. It’s an honor to award her the winning dinosaur, together with Janessa, we hope Marshmallow brings smiles, joy and happiness to the hearts of children and collectors everywhere,” says Michael Kessler, SVP of sales and marketing. “Dinosaur toys continue to be big with kids because they are fascinated with the creatures, and they stir up the imagination.”

Joining Marshmallow (Triceratops) in the YooHoo & Friends dinosaur line is Rexee (Tyrannosaurus Rex), Stegee (Stegosaurus), Woolee (Wooly Mammoth), Toothee (Saber Tooth Tiger) and an endangered Sloth named Speedee. This year alone, Michael tells me that this popular plush animal line expects an epic expansion to include over 30 new styles in all.

Based on animals from around the world -many that are rare and endangered- each YooHoo & Friends animal makes a fun sound when squeezed, plus each character is described in detail on new hangtags.

Available in more than 25,000 specialty stores and gift shops worldwide and online at http://shop.auroragift.com.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!