Made in the USA! Oxanna set to début

“Strut your green pride, girlfriend!”

When Oxanna launches with a first line for little girls at Playtime New York, it will be reveling in the charm of a bygone era. Simple silhouettes in natural, mostly plant-based fibers for sizes 2T to 6X in dresses, blouses, skirts and Capri’s complete a unique collection trimmed with intricate re-purposed handcrafts. The all-natural fibers and re-purposed vintage embellishments create a couture look with a playful attitude.

Oxanna is the creation of Roxanne Quimby, founder and former owner of the internationally distributed Burt’s Bees brand. Roxanne recently set up production for Oxanna in Maine, USA to provide entry level and skilled jobs for the children’s wear industry. Nationally known for her dedication to preservation and the environment, the Oxanna venture reflects Roxanne’s mindful philosophy to recycle and reuse in ever increasing ways.

This July 30-August 1 at Playtime New York, look for the début at the “Oxanna by Happy Green Bee” booth space.

Remember “it’s a small world”?

“it’s a small world, after all … it’s a small, small world!”

Disney Consumer Products teams with Nordstrom to mark the 45th anniversary of Disneyland’s it’s a small world theme park attraction with a new line of kid’s apparel, accessories and footwear. Based on Disney artist Mary Blair’s original artwork, four seasonal collections for newborns, infants and toddlers début at Nordstrom stores throughout the year.

Each collection represents a different country: Japanese Spring (February); Indian Summer (June); Scottish Fall (September); and Russian Holiday (November). Each collection features items from collaborators such as Petunia Pickle Bottom, Trumpette, Baby Nay and Mighty Fine.

Disney and Nordstrom are also teaming with TOMS Shoes and FEED Projects to give back to communities around the world, with TOMS Shoes’ One for One commitment of giving a pair of new shoes to a child in need, while FEED Projects Small World items benefit UNICEF, which was the ‘it’s a small world’ ride’s original 1964 beneficiary.

-Janet Muniz

Empowered Clothing

Action sports clothing line celebrates first year!

“My eight-year-old son wanted me to buy him a t-Shirt at an action sports event a year ago, but every shirt had an image of a gun or a marijuana leaf,” Javier Gamboa says. “That’s not the example I’d like to set for my children, and I know there are many other parents out there that feel the same way. So we set out to do it better, and bring a positive message to the action sports community and the youth of America. Javier is president, CEO and co-owner of Phoenix, AZ-based Empowered Clothing Company, who, along with Chuck Crouthamel, created a line of clothing designed to be cool enough to rival the biggest established brands in the lifestyle and action sports category, but also “inspire everyone to find their purpose in life, and feel empowered to live that purpose.”

Messages like LIVE ON PURPOSE, BREATHE IN VICTORY, EXHALE DEFEAT and IT’S GOOD TO BE ALIVE adorn nearly every t-shirt, beanie and cap. “We’ve even invited our customers to design their own messages,” Chuck says, “and we take tag lines suggested by fans and incorporate them into our newest products.”

Since launching last year, Empowered products are being shipped to kids of all ages in every corner of the country. The commitment to giving back to the youth in each community is unrivalled. As inspirational speakers, Javier, Chuck and Empowered Clothing Company’s strategic partners -often action sports athletes- visit schools, recreation centers, skateboard parks and other places where kids can learn to become empowered members of their community and speak about goal setting, dreaming big and dedicating their lives to following their dreams and becoming positive, contributing members of society. The company also works with charitable and community organizations by creating fundraising partnerships designed to assist non-profits in continuing to create inspiring programming and outreach for kids. Led by “Social Media Dude and Community Architect” Tommy Pierucki (yes, this is his real title), Empowered Clothing Company connects daily with their customer base via their rapidly growing online presence. Celebrities from throughout the action sports world provide online messages and endorsements, and kids are encouraged to share their own videos of themselves participating in action sports while wearing Empowered gear.

-Janet Muniz

little society

“Teach your kids to be fashion-conscious and eco-conscious.”

-Taira Soo

Taira Soo is founder and designer of little society, a clothing brand committed to encouraging young children to care for the world where they live. Designed for kids ages two thru eight, the clothes are comfy and imaginative with environmental messages that do just that, featuring the world’s most endangered species.

“Wearing these clothes may not seem like a big deal,” Taira says, “but in the world of our littlest humans, it’s a small step toward big change.” Not only are the message graphics fun and inspiring, but the materials and techniques used in producing the garments are earth friendly.

little society is responsibly Made in the USA, too. The company is donating a portion of proceeds to help protect species, habitat and humanity.

-Janet Muniz

lollacup

Easy to use & clean, safe and Made in the USA!

Mom Hanna Lim was surprised to see her daughter drinking from a straw at nine months old. Her pediatrician suggested weaning her to a straw instead of a sippy, so she immediately purchased several toddler straw cups, but realized that her daughter could not get a sip out of any of them. “After talking with other mothers, I learned that some of their children find it so difficult to sip from toddler straw cups that they are turned off from using straws altogether,” Hanna says. “That’s when lollacup was born.”

The entire experience inspires Hanna to develop the lollacup, a stylish and functional, BPA- and phthalate-free drinking cup with an innovative patent-pending design. A flexible, valve-free straw with a weighted end allows children to drink effortlessly from it, even when reclined at an angle.

And all parts are manufactured, assembled and packaged in the USA, in an ISO 9001 certified facility that carries an FDA Device Manufacturing License from the California Department of Health Services. CPSIA compliant, too!

-Janet Muniz

Quagmire Kids

“After five years helping adults look cooler, we had to give future trendsetters their shot to stand out from the crowd.”

-Bobby Pasternak

Quagmire, the Toronto, Canada-based apparel brand founded by two buddies with a passion for golf, surf, skate and street culture, announces a new kid’s apparel collection including a range of ColorFusion tops that transform when exposed to heat. Premiering for Spring 2011, the collection runs in sizes 4-12 and features t-shirts, polos and shorts.

“Man, when I was a kid and Hypercolor went huge, I had to have it,” says co-founder Geoff Tait. “Talk about king of the playground. There was no stopping me with the ladies when I rocked one of those shirts back in fourth grade.”

ColorFusion shirts begin changing at 20° Celsius – that’ s 68° Fahrenheit in America. Built to last. Machine washable.

“ColorFusion is where it’s at. Parents love it. Kids dig it.”

A member of Green Grass One, Quagmire is available throughout Canada at more than 200 pro shops and off-course retailers. Named Canadian Golf Company of the Year by ScoreGolf, the five-year-old brand now has strong distribution in the U.S. Quagmire also offers custom apparel. Quagmire’s management partner is the 31-year-old Jaytex Group, the Canada licensee of famous brands Kenneth Cole Reaction, Tommy Bahama, Original Penguin, Gant, Union Bay and Ben Sherman.

-Janet Muniz

Kai

Big kids can have cool shoes, too.

Popular footwear manufacturer See Kai Run is débuting its new big kid line, Kai, at this season’s upcoming trade shows. Kai continues where the See Kai Run collection leaves off with sizes to fit post-toddler to school-aged kids two to six years old.

“We want kids to grow up with See Kai Run,” says founder Cause Haun. “Since 2004, our customers have told us over and over again that they want the same See Kai Run styling they love in larger sizes. We’re so thrilled that the wait is over and the new larger sizes have arrived!”

Kai features eight new styles -five for girls and three for boys in sizes 8 through 13. The debut collection takes See Kai Run designs and adapts them for bigger-sized shoes, accommodating the needs of older kids. Kai also features soft, high quality leather and flexible soles, but with the right amount of durability and sturdiness for kids on the go. Kai joins the company’s largest collection to date, which includes 31 new styles from the See Kai Run first walker line and 23 styles from the Smaller® baby bootie line. Design highlights include adult trends that translate well for little girls such as scallops and ruffles. Color focus is non-traditional, with pink taking a back seat to purple, gray and copper for girls, and bright accents for boys.

See Kai Run footwear promotes healthy development of babies’ and children’s feet with their ultra-flexible soles, soft leather and wide toe box and meets the American Podiatric Medical Association‘s rigorous standards for foot health and functionality. See Kai Run is awarded the APMA’s prestigious Seal of Acceptance.

-Janet Muniz

BEARPAW

Only in HUDSON’S & HCRSourceBook.

Now in its tenth year, Citrus Heights, CA-based footwear brand BEARPAW is known for comfort, quality and style at affordable prices. A trademark of Romeo & Juliette, Inc., founder Tom Romeo and his team have grown BEARPAW into a lifestyle, embraced by kids and adults throughout the U.S. and in 13 counties. “There’s a scientific aspect to comfort inherent in the BEARPAW culture and design,” the company explains on BEARPAWStyle.com, an online magazine-blog-site created specifically to fuel the mindset it represents. “BEARPAW has changed the game in footwear by using sheepskin, which regulates body temperature. Feet stay cooler and drier in warm weather, warmer in cold weather – it works for sheep, why not for people?”

Last year, BEARPAW began exploring new ways to use recycled and earth-friendly materials, pursuing green methods and practices from the factory to the final sale. Enter Linda Poetsch. Linda created the company’s first line of footwear for spring/summer, not only initiating its greening -the line is made from recycled materials, cork, bamboo, jute and hemp- but expanding BEARPAW into a year-round brand.

“In the past, I had worked with John Larkin at two different companies,” Linda tells us during a recent trip to China. “We share a mutual respect for each other’s abilities. He said that he felt that I could really help expand BEARPAW’s appeal to consumers.” After introducing her to Tom Romeo and his footwear team, Linda started working once more with John, now the company’s EVP, international business development. “Once you have proven yourself, Tom pretty much gives you the autonomy and freedom to run your department the way you want.”

Linda is an award winning designer and holds several patents. She started her own company, TEN80 Design, Inc. after working in-house for such companies as Avila, adidas, Nike and Fila. “I wanted to contribute more in the areas I specialize in -Color, Trend and Design forecast and analysis- to more companies,” she says. She is also an expert at guiding the entire development process, from creative use of color, innovative design and quality development, to delivering the very best product to market.

Currently, Linda is working on BEARPAW’s new children’s collection set to deliver for this year’s Back-To-School season. The company offers a range of sizes for children: youth, toddler and infant. Linda says about half of the looks for this kids collection are take downs of the women’s line and the other half are new styles just for kids. “What I love about the take downs is they are great looking styles for all ages.” For example, a fun, African print story is told with printed suede zebra and cheetah looks. “The great thing about the kid-specific styles is they can be more fun, while keeping our brand commitment to comfort and price,” Linda says. The faux vulcanized product includes a slip-on shoe, a short boot and a taller boot, both in fun colors along with the classic colors. “The kids boots are dressed up with a combination of materials, perforated accents, studded details, all used in a more youthful way, reflecting more freedom of expression,” Linda explains. “Color and fun details know no bounds, and together can create a boot or shoe that becomes a child’s favorite.”

It’s a particular joy for Linda to design children’s shoes. “I love that kids are drawn to more color and are impacted by the fun and free spirited look and feel of these designs,” she says. “They know better than anyone how a happy, fun color makes you feel good. They are not tainted by society and what is deemed proper attire.”

For BEARPAW, Linda’s kids collection is just one more way the company gives the consumer lots of natural and comfortable styles to choose from, at prices sensible enough for them to afford several items each season. “For all children as well as adults, we know that bare feet love BEARPAW,” she says. “What parent wouldn’t want their kids to have the same benefits? Who doesn’t want their kids to be comfortable, look stylish and pay a sensible price for that?”

Indeed. As they say, it’s time to relax –for kids- BEARPAW Style.

-Janet Muniz

Carousel Designs

A unique interactive design tool for expectant parents to design and decorate the nursery.

From its start as a small family business in 1988, Carousel Designs has grown to become an award-winning national online retailer and trusted brand of premium baby bedding, twin bedding and home décor. Jonathan Hartley continues the family tradition of ownership as CEO with his business partner, president Allan Sicat. The two dads of young children are both graduates of the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY, are U.S. Army veterans- and take special pride that all Carousel Designs baby bedding products are Made in the USA.

In addition to offering custom baby bedding, Carousel Designs offers more than 100 pre-designed crib bedding collections, ranging from classic themes to more modern, sophisticated designs. Mini/portable crib, cradle, toddler, twin and full/queen bedding is also available along with coordinating nursery décor including lighting, furniture, rugs, musical mobiles, pillows, diaper stackers, wall art, draperies, rocking chair pads and valances.

Carousel Designs is the only baby bedding company that allows parents to design their own crib bedding, see it online, and choose other elements of the nursery to preview the room before making a purchase. The company recently launched version 3.0 of its popular Nursery Designer®, a unique interactive design tool offering expectant parents more options than ever before for designing and decorating their nursery. Customers can mix and match fabrics and component styles, change the color of the nursery walls, choose a crib finish and pick flooring to design a virtual nursery. An expanded range of crib colors and flooring options are offered with Nursery Designer® Version 3.0, allowing customers to experience a more accurate visualization of their nursery.

“For more than two decades, Carousel Designs has been committed to providing expectant parents with products that create a stylish and nurturing environment for their babies,” Allan says. “No matter what their style or skill level, Nursery Designer® will give parents endless possibilities to make their dream nursery a reality at an affordable price.”

As they anticipated fatherhood, both Jonathan and Allan were inspired by how their wives enjoyed spending time in the design studio, playing with fabrics and creating custom bedding for their nursery. They knew if they could create the same experience online- not only the ability to design the perfect bedding but also to visualize a nursery before making a purchase -they could offer real value to their customers and more importantly, make sure that every mom gets exactly what she wants. With combined experience in technology, ecommerce, business operations and finance, they set out to make sure that Carousel Designs provided expectant moms with the absolute best experience in decorating baby’s first room.

-Janet Muniz

Geometric Prints to Fascinate Baby

Megan Kelleher is founder of Tutortogs, the first line of stylish apparel and accessories designed to stimulate an infant’s vision.

“I’m a mother of three,” she tells HCRSourceBook. “I come from a large family and we spend a lot of time together. One day while feeding the babies, we noticed our infants were fascinated by a patterned t-shirt I was wearing. Their little eyes followed me everywhere, which was such a great feeling! We all saw the possibility in that moment: a line of clothing specially designed for new baby eyes: high contrast patterns that they can easily see.”

The company launched last summer with a collection of women’s tops for new moms and others who care for baby, like grandmothers, aunts and nannies. Now the Nursery Cool collection of infant wear – rompers, infant gowns and matching baby caps topped with pom poms – sport the Tutortogs signature black and white geometric prints to fascinate baby.