Industry News

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Kodomo


Playful & Stylish Clothes, Shoes & Accessories for Babies, Kids and Tweens

Kodomo is a children’s retailer that sells the cutest items for boys and girls from their stores in Massachusetts (two in Boston and the newest brick and mortar in Chestnut Hill) and online.

All the designers Kodomo partners with are hand-selected for their ethics and business practices and styles are hand-picked for their playfulness – quite a fabulous list that is growing all the time:

Genesis of Kodomo

For those who wonder, it’s pronounced kuh-doh-moh and it means “child” in Japanese. Founder Jasmine’s favorite memory of her early childhood spent in Japan is the Children’s Day holiday each May, a celebration of children’s personalities and their happiness. She founded Kodomo with this idea to respect the “powerful personalities” of the smallest shoppers and to emulate the happiness they express every day through the merchandise they offer.

And that means slow fashion.

Slow or ethical fashion embraces a transparent clothing creation process. It encompasses all steps taken to bring a garment or an accessory from the concept stage through the design phase, to production and finally to the point of sale. Great consideration is paid to each part of the manufacturing process, such as appropriate wages paid to workers, up-to-date factory conditions and maintenance, fabrics sourced with environmental impact in mind and sustainability and care are at the heart of every business decision.

Kodomo says their customers feel good about what they buy and are “tickled pink” about what they wear.

Don’t doubt it!

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Little Hippie


Good Art Is Everything

Under the direction of founding artist Taylor Swope, lifestyle brand Little Hippie creates art you and your children can wear, enjoy in your home or send to friends and family. In her words,

We are adventurers, cosmic explorers, radical dreamers, and flower children. 
We are creatures made of love and we make the world our playground. 
We are artists, crafters and designers; every day creators.

Founded in October 2002, Little Hippie is known as a community voice, fostering creativity to nurture the magic inside all of us, at any age. As a long-time licensee of the Grateful Dead, Little Hippie has an expert understanding of a devoted fanbase, establishing a genuine connection with them as well as new fans who share their stories and are looking for new merchandise.

Little Hippie & The Jim Henson Company

Recently, The Jim Henson Company signed Little Hippie as apparel and home goods licensee, to create new lines of merchandise featuring beloved classic brands Labyrinth and Fraggle Rock. The lines include infant and toddler apparel, adult apparel, accessories and home goods for direct and online sales, as well as selected specialty and mid-tier retail locations nationwide. Apparel sizes range from infant, toddler and youth with coordinating adult styles. The home goods line will include Little Hippie’s signature woven cotton blankets, fleece blankets, tapestries, bed linens, posters; the accessory collection will include pins, tote bags and hats.

“As someone who grew up watching Fraggle Rock,” Taylor says, “I can attest to how much these characters mean to our existing customers who already want to pass on to their children Jim Henson’s valuable lessons of friendship, understanding of others and interconnectedness. No other creator aligns with our company values more, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from Henson’s imagination through developing art from his characters.”

The collection launched this past July at the Museum of Pop Culture’s retrospective Jim Henson Exhibition in Seattle. Products are now available at LittleHippie.com with further retail placement throughout Fall 2017.

“Fraggle Rock was created to encourage and celebrate acceptance, tolerance and diversity in the world. Little Hippie is a perfect partner, sharing these core ideas and bringing a uniquely creative vision to these new merchandise lines,” Nicole Goldman, Executive Vice President of Marketing and PR for The Jim Henson Company, says. “Fans will dance their cares away with Taylor’s imaginative designs and products that reflect the joy and irreverence of this beloved brand.”

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K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers = Delivering Good


This Mother’s Day, Honor a Woman Who Inspires You. Make a Donation in Her Name to Delivering Good (formerly K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers)!

Help us make this a memorable Mother’s Day by honoring a special woman in your life with a donation that will help Delivering Good offer hope, dignity and self-esteem to millions of people in need. Your donation, of any amount, helps provide much needed essentials -including apparel, accessories, shoes, home furnishings, toys, books, school supplies and other items- to women, children and families touched by poverty or natural disaster.

Submit the name of your inspirational woman here.

The national 32-year-old charity will add both your names to the 2017 Women of Inspiration Honor Roll that will be displayed at the Women of Inspiration Luncheon, which honors three leaders in the licensing, wholesale and fashion community.

June 7 a Big Day for People In Need

Not only will the Women of Inspiration Luncheon take place on June 7 in New York, the charity’s name change to Delivering Good will be complete. The new website, www.Delivering-Good.org, goes live! Helping to celebrate the milestone will be the luncheon honorees, fashion designer Tracy Reese, Gaye Dean of Target and Lana Todorovich of Ralph Lauren. Delivering Good’s social media sites are now live: @DeliveringGood on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The charity’s current website (www.DonateProduct.com) will provide updates on the renaming progress until the switch on June 7.

Delivering Good is the new name for the national charity formerly known as K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers, and launching a new era of reaching millions of individuals challenged by poverty or natural disaster. For 32 years, the charity has helped millions of kids, adults and families affected by poverty and disaster resulting in over $1.6 billion of donated product that has been distributed through a network of community partners. In 2016, nearly 400 companies donated approximately $200 million of new apparel, accessories, shoes, home furnishings, toys, books and other useful items, distributed by more than 500 community partners to people in need. The name change reflects both new and continuing efforts to fight poverty and tragedies through the gift and delivery of new products. The models for helping others are changing nationwide and worldwide, and the re-launch will allow Delivering Good to better communicate its mission of delivering hope and dignity to people in need through community nonprofit partners.

“As our charity has evolved, we wanted to have a name and brand that could be embraced by our product donors, our financial donors, our community partners and the broader audience of consumers,” says Board Chairman Allan Ellinger. “Our programs are expanding to include donations and drives by children, company employees, community groups and more. Recently in Los Angeles, our staff was on the ground Delivering Good by personally handing out sandwiches and new socks to homeless men and women. At the other end of the spectrum, we have brands like BOBS from Skechers, who are Delivering Good by donating 8.4 million pairs of children’s shoes over the past six years, with another million pairs this year.”

Delivering Good receives high ratings from a number of organizations for low overhead and the ability to help people effectively. The charity efficiently leverages cash donations to achieve its mission – for every $10 of cash contributed, over $100 of donated new product can be provided to kids, adults or families in need. Delivering Good distributes product donations through a network of community partners to offer hope and dignity.

Renowned design and branding firm of Graj + Gustavsen has developed the new name and logo for Delivering Good. The law firm of Pryor Cashman has also supported the rebranding initiative. Board of Directors Vice President Milou Gwyn led this effort in her role as chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, together with President and CEO Lisa Gurwitch.

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Little B’s Clothing


From the iconic world of Barbara Gerwit comes a fabulous resortwear line for girls.

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Launching this month – Little B’s Clothing is ideal for little girls ranging in age from two to 14, and every one of these little ladies will be able to rock the colorful prints her Mom has been sporting for decades. Leggings, tops and dresses are retailing for $33 to $48.

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Early Start to Iconic Resortwear Brand

At 12 years of age, Barbara Gerwit starts a fashion career after her Mom gives her a sewing machine for her birthday. From that moment on, she decides to dedicate her life to the world of fashion, and becomes one of America’s foremost clothing designers.

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Easy, Breezy American Dream

After meeting her husband and fashion salesperson Ken in 1976, the two decide to invest their last $500 on their American Dream of manufacturing their own clothing line at affordable prices. The gamble pays off and now, Barbara Gerwit is one of America’s top brands in the resort industry.

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Gorgeous, Colorful Prints

Barbara’s designs for women feature hand blocked, hand beaded embroidered tunics and tops, casual printed knit dresses and tops that are worn from casual daytime shopping to balmy tropical night events in fine resort hotels, restaurants and cruise ships around the world. Her light and airy fabric designs are made from brightly colored cotton lawn, cotton Swiss voile and laundered linen, constructed for easy care and wash-ability.

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Now, Little B’s continues the tradition of relaxing, having fun and enjoying life in comfortable, affordable, breezy resortwear by Barbara Gerwit.

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Lofty Elephants


Boutique toddler clothes handmade from beautiful, unique printed fabrics.

033016_CRT_LoftyElephants_01Farah Chherawalla is owner of Lofty Elephants, what she calls a “lofty endeavor to provide boutique toddler clothes made from beautiful and unique fabrics and prints at department store prices, while employing men and women in desperate need of income to feed their babies or put their children through school.”

033016_CRT_LoftyElephants_06Handmade in India

This Mom-owned and operated online apparel business sells children’s clothes that are handmade in small batches in India, using materials from small businesses. “Most of our prints cannot be seen anywhere else, and chances are they will not be repeated,” Farah says.

033016_CRT_LoftyElephants_03Part of Lofty Elephants sales proceeds benefit the operation of an education center that empowers women by teaching them skills, which make them employable. In return, Lofty Elephants aims to employ most of these women.

033016_CRT_LoftyElephants_02How to Buy

Due to technical difficulties on http://loftyelephants.com, Farah asks that you email info@loftyelephants.com with any interest in buying. “We will soon be available on Amazon.com,” Farah says. “Sorry for the inconvenience and we promise you an even more exciting collection soon.” Stay in touch with Lofty Elephants on Facebook.

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Macaroni Kid


Have you heard about Macaroni Kid?

I’ve been enjoying a free subscription, and it looks like a great resource. Macaroni Kid publishes weekly, hyper-local e-newsletters and websites featuring events, activities, products and places for moms, kids and families. Joyce Shulman and Eric Cohen created Macaroni Kid with two goals in mind: to enrich communities and empower moms.

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Enriching Communities

Macaroni Kids connects local families with the libraries, schools, rec centers, community centers, organizations and businesses that create programming and fun for kids. They host local events and parties and connect with their communities through social media.

On top of 500+ local editions, Macaroni Kid publishes seven national editions focused on special interest content:

  • Macaroni Kid Family Travel
  • Macaroni Kid Family Fitness
  • Macaroni EATS for the family foodies
  • Macaroni Kid Family Safety
  • Macaroni Stork
  • Macaroni Military Family
  • Macaroni Kid National

Empowering Moms

The company empowers moms by giving them the tools, training and the platform to build a publishing business that can become a force for good in their communities.

Macaroni Kid Publisher Moms

Each community is managed by a local Publisher Mom or Dad. They know their local communities and their local communities know them. And they’re more than happy to let everyone know about the amazing opportunities available to the neighborhood via Macaroni Kid publishing. To learn about becoming a Macaroni Kid Publisher, email Team@Macaronikid.com.

Want to learn more?

Receive a free weekly e-newsletter highlighting all the great things for kids and families to do in your community, subscribe HERE. To partner with Macaroni Kid to connect your brand with moms across the nation, email Eric Cohen at eric@macaronikid.com.

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Ju-Ju-Be Intl


The fun & functional changing bag company goes international – now available in Europe & Australia.

 

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Ju-Ju-Be diaper bags are built to fit everything baby needs, while being stylish and fun for Moms and families. Now, the company is Celebrating 10 Years with a huge announcement: with a new office and warehouse in The Netherlands, mothers, fashionistas and existing Ju-Ju-Be fans will be able to purchase products at the web shop, www.ju-ju-be.com/europe, and at selected e-tailers and retailers across Europe. In addition, Ju-Ju-Be will also be available to purchase online in Australia via www.ju-ju-be.com. The current collection, regularly published limited editions, product updates and new prints will all be available.

Ju-Ju-Be Intl has been creating a passionate community by making it an exceptional experience to own a Ju-Ju-Be changing bag. Combining top quality materials, smart technology and outstanding service, Ju-Ju-Be changing bags have much more to offer than machine washable and stain repellent materials, crumb drains and antimicrobial linings – they are also funky, fashionable and fun to own.

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Design collaborations with pop culture iconic brands like tokidoki and Hello Kitty have made Ju-Ju-Be bags and accessories worldwide collector’s items, with full production runs selling out in hours. The Ju-Ju-Be community exchanges their experiences globally via Facebook, through Pink Room, the international forum, as well as on Instagram and Pinterest.

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Features that mom and baby will love. Customers say if you want the best diaper bag, the cutest diaper bag or the most functional diaper bag, there’s only one place to go … Ju-Ju-Be. The Costa Mesa, CA-based company did start with diaper bags, and now has expanded into purses, handbags, tote bags, shopping bags, laptop bags – all sorts of other bags that will make your friends jealous.

Congratulations, Ju-Ju-Be – Here’s to many more years of success! 

Important Info – Recalled Products for Children


Recalled toys, sports equipment and furniture for infants and children cause thousands of injuries, even death.

Has This Ever Happened to You?

  • Maria searches a swap meet for the perfect stroller for her baby due in a couple of weeks. When she settles on one to purchase, she has no idea that this particular stroller is on a Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) list of recalled products known to cause injury and deaths.
  • To help save money, Dylan’s family and friends give the mother-to-be used baby items that they had purchased for their own children back in the day.

These are common ways baby care items, clothing and accessories are recycled through a network of thoughtful people who are trying to help, but often don’t realize that the toys, sports equipment and furniture they’re re-gifting are frequently recalled products.

Now, in an effort to keep children and babies from the increased danger of recalled items, Safe Kids California (SKC) is launching a program to educate the public about the danger of unknowingly purchasing or accepting products that have been recalled. The campaign’s centerpiece of public service announcements, or PSAs, recorded in English and Spanish showcase important safety messages about recalled items. While many items are safe, it is important that parents check the CPSC list when accepting new or used items.

“When we discovered that almost 30 percent of recalls in 2012 were children’s products, and that there were 230,000 emergency visits to the ER involving injuries from nursery items and toys, we knew that we had to take action,” says Iana Simeonov, project director from the Public Health Institute. “Our goal was to demystify and contextualize the process of children’s product recalls for consumers while making the information more accessible to English and Spanish speaking parents.”

Watch Here. The Wheels Make the World Go Round PSA highlights strollers and outdoor sports equipment, which are among the most frequently recalled products that can be recycled without warning through swap meets, garage sales, second-hand stores and among friends and family.

The Baby’s Day PSA uses a clever crib mobile visual to help parents understand that products for infants and toddlers are recalled more frequently than other products. To learn more, visit http://www.safekidscalifornia.org/recalls.

In addition to the new PSAs, the project includes a mobile-optimized Safe Kids California website, a Twitter stream of recalls and a “widget” that notifies users of important recalls directly from the CPSC in real time.

“SKC has the bandwidth to reach hundreds of thousands of parents,” Iana says. “With its help, we will roll out the content to Safe Kids coalitions and partner agencies in California and across the country.”

About the Children’s Product Recall Project
Safe Kids California is part of the Safe Kids Worldwide global network dedicated to keeping kids safe from preventable childhood injury – the number one cause of death among children ages one to 19. Funded by the Public Health Institute in Oakland, CA, the fiscal agency is the Folsom Cordova Community Partnership (FCCP), dedicated to enhancing the education, health and well-being of the children, youth, and adults of the community. For more information, contact Iana Simeonov at 415-341-5035.

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Mommy Masters


Voted Parenting Blog of the Year – Congratulations!

102114_CRTPost_MommyMasters_Headshot_2013_SmallEllie Hirsch, aka The Mommy Master® -an award-winning children’s singer/songwriter, parenting expert, published author, blogger and mom – just announced that MommyMasters.com has won first place in the Annual Parenting Blog of the Year Contest sponsored by Virginia-based uKnowKids.com, the software company that helps parents monitor their children online.

“I created Mommy Masters so moms (and dads) would have a parenting community where they could find unique tips, tricks and tools, Ellis says in her announcement. “It has allowed me to connect with amazing families all over the world who share a common theme. We all want to be the best parent we can be. Some days we are Mommy Masters and others, Mommy Disasters, and we are okay with that.”

-Ellie Hirsch

102114_CRTPost_MommyMasters_TMLogo-with-tagline-300pxFlorida-based Mommy Masters® is a go-to trusted source for Moms and Dads to share parenting experiences, ask questions and generally learn from other Moms and Dads how to be the best parents they can be. The blog site features fresh posts, content from “A Dad’s Perspective,” a place to buy children’s music and more.

102114_CRTPost_MommyMaters_CDCoverEllie founded Mommy Masters® in 2010 to help parents create flourishing family environments. She also mentors Mompreneurs and offers a platform for women to share their accomplishments through the Mommy Master of the Month initiative. She released her children’s CD, “Music is Magical, Children’s Songs with Ellie,” to rave reviews, receiving a Parents’ Choice Award.

Ellie is currently working on growing the Mommy Masters brand to include children’s and parenting guide books, television components and interactive activities. She is available for music performances, workshops, guest speaking, personal appearances, consultations, coaching, freelance writing, television appearances, interviews and more. Just drop her at note at  info@mommymasters.com  or call 917-225-0101 with your request.

Uglydoll Makes Headlines


Thirteen is a lucky number for Uglydoll and 2014 is a very good year!

As Comic-Con opens in San Diego, CA today – be sure to visit Uglydoll … because there’s a whole lot of exciting things going on in their world these days.

072314_CRTPost_Uglydoll_GraphicNovelAs David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim announced earlier this year that they were heading to their new Asia headquarters in South Korea, home of their flagship Uglydoll retail store in Seoul, the company has been making headlines for itself ever since. In addition to expanding its retail presence and licensing program throughout Korea, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines and beyond, Pretty Ugly™, LLC, parent company of the award-winning Uglydoll® brand based in Green Brook, New Jersey, granted license to Howard Keys to produce keys, key chains and lanyards in North America, Canada and selected International Territories, announced a partnership with Fetch…for pets!, a leading manufacturer of pet products in North America, and débuted the latest original graphic novel release from San Francisco, CA-based VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint, Uglydoll: My Hero? The novel features 10 full-color stories by  veteran Uuglydoll writer and artists Travis Nichols, Ian McGinty and Phillip Jacobson, with help from Sun-Min Kim, Theo Ellsworth, renowned pop culture artist/writer Junko Mizuno, and two talented design teams from Japan -Mad Barbarians and Devilrobots.

And there’s more … as I say, Uglydoll’s 13th year is a very lucky one!

072314_CRTPost_Uglydoll_StarTrekIn June 2014 alone, David and Sun-Min’s company strikes these fabulous deals:

  • caseable is now licensee for the latest global line of fun and collectible soft and hard cases designed for tablets, smartphones and laptops, distributed through caseable channels and its partner Hewlett-Packard
  • A collaboration with CBS Consumer Products on the iconic Star Trek™ characters, set to launch in 2015. Products include Wage™ as Captain James T. Kirk, Ox™ as first officer Spock™, Ice-Bat™ as chief engineer Scotty, Babo™ as Doctor McCoy and Tray™ as communications officer Uhura
  • A new partnership with Chasing Fireflies to create an exclusive line of costumes for release in 2015
  • 072314_CRTPost_Uglydoll_WizardOfOzA co-branded collaboration with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to create plus based on The Wizard of Oz™ and fan-favorite Uglydoll characters, Moxy™, Wage™, Jeero™, Babo™ and OX™ to follow along the Yellow Brick Road.

Being different and unique is what Uglydoll™ is all about!

Just this month, Uglydoll announces a groundbreaking partnership with 3D Printing innovator MakerBot on collectibles featuring four of the most popular characters, Babo™, Wage™, Ice-Bat™ and Ox™, which can now be 3D printed on MakerBot® Replicator® Desktop 3D Printers. “Taking Uglydoll into the world of 3D printing seems like a natural extension for our Uglydoll characters,” David says. “Sun-Min and I have been fans of 3D printing for a while and we are excited to be working with MakerBot on bringing our characters to life in a whole different 3D world.”

072314_CRTPost_Uglydoll_3DPrintingThe first wave of characters are in T-pose format, designed to be 3D printed and fully poseable; the second wave are Uglydoll characters in a dynamic stance, posed to enjoy the real world of their owner. A third wave include a 3D printable Uglydoll bus that takes miniature Uglydoll characters on a fun-filled summer vacation; and a fourth wave are 3D printable environments for the 3D printed Uglydoll characters to live in. Jenny Lawton, president of MakerBot and a huge Uglydoll fan, says, “The story behind the creation of the Uglydoll characters by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim showcase how creativity can positively impact lives. We love the fun, light-hearted stories behind the Uglydoll characters and hope that they will help inspire a whole new generation of makers with their 3D printed adventures.”

How cool is that?