children’s retail blogs

kate quinn organics


Caring for the Earth and its community without sacrificing fun and style.

121013_katequinnorganics_03Organic children’s clothing company kate quinn organics features stylish organic baby and children’s apparel and layette, bedding and accessories made from 100% certified organic cotton.

121013_katequinnorganics_04I wanted to create a line that encompassed all the wishes and dreams of new parents: the softest, most natural materials to surround your baby, the highest quality design and construction, and most importantly, the hope of a cleaner kinder earth.”

121013_katequinnorganics_06Clean Lines, Modern Styling. The Seattle, WA-based company makes a fun and fresh essentials line available year-round the complements seasonal collections, such as the meadow collection. Kate Quinn is the mind behind the eight-year-old brand, which grew from Kate’s original Earth Organics Baby Basics line. She’s inspired by nature, the world we live in and her own children, of course! “I strive to make clothing that allows movement but has a sophistication to it that these little ones deserve,” she says.

121013_katequinnorganics_02Well done, Kate!

Find kate quinn organics in boutiques across the U.S., Nordstrom, Von Maur, Back Country and online. Wholesale available.

BowlingBalls.com


Introduce your kids to bowling this holiday season.

120513_BowlingBalls_RacingWithTheMoon_PosterBowling and Hollywood. There have been numerous films made that include scenes or plot points about bowling. However, unlike the ubiquitous baseball movie, precious few interesting or noteworthy films have been made that feature bowling balls instead of baseball bats.

Let’s take a look at a movie that went against the grain and made an impact with a plot that actually revolves around the lanes –a bowling movie that really is about bowling.

Racing with the Moon
MBDRAWI EC012This family-friendly movie about young love and the romance of an era made bona fide stars out of its then-young leading male actors, Sean Penn and Nicolas Cage. The two play teenage pals who work together at a small town bowling alley. They also chase girls in 1942 California at Christmastime, in the early days of World War II, waiting to ship out for basic training in the Marine Corps.

The bowling alley was the local hangout for kids then, and the authentic, painstakingly period-correct bowling alley scenes give us a taste of what real old-school bowling was like, back in the day.

Bowling -a Fun Family Adventure! If you’re thinking of giving the gift of bowling this holiday season, the folks at BowlingBalls.com make affordable bowling balls and accessories for “future champions.”

Every little beginner represents the future of our sport, so novice level equipment has to be designed to prepare them for a glorious future on the lanes.

120513_BowlingBalls_04Find a great selection of bowling balls made especially for children and beginners, including cool-looking custom designs.

Terry’s Fabrics


Need some ideas on how to convince your kids to help with chores?


How to Get Children to Help With the Chores by Terrys Fabrics

This nifty infographic is courtesy of  Terry’s Fabric and Curtain Warehouse, an online source for quality home products and housewares at the best prices. Shoppers enjoy quick delivery and abundant selection on curtains and hardware, blinds, bedding, rugs, curtains and more!

Support Small Business Saturday


First there was Black Friday, then came Cyber Monday, and in 2010, the first-ever Small Business Saturday took place.

112713_SmallBusinessSaturday_logoSmall Business Saturday is the day we celebrate the Shop Small movement and welcome people all over the US to visit merchants located in their own neighborhoods, and enjoy shopping locally.

Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year’s event takes place this Saturday November 30. Learn more here: http://www.smallbusinesssaturday.com.

Support local favorite small businesses this Small Business Saturday! Remember to register your eligible American Express® Card and get a $10 statement credit when you make a purchase of $10 or more at a qualifying small business location on November 30. Register here: http://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/Shop-Small/.

Annual Gala Raises $1.4 Million


The event celebrated the fashion industry’s efforts to provide families and children in need with supplies and goods, in partnership with K.I.D.S. and Fashion Delivers.

Eight hundred fashion leaders joined Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.) and Fashion Delivers for the annual fundraising gala, raising $1.4 million and several hundred thousand dollars in product donations.

This year’s gala celebrates the growing collaboration between K.I.D.S. and Fashion Delivers as we reach new levels of impact, helping families affected by these challenging times. This is especially important following recent natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy, the Oklahoma tornadoes, and the Colorado floods.

– Kevin Burke, K.I.D.S. Chairman of the Board

Recently held at Chelsea Piers in New York and hosted by celebrated film and television actress/producer Vivica A. Fox, this year’s honorees included Brendan Hoffman, President and CEO, The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.; Peter Comisar, Vice Chairman, Investment Banking, Guggenheim Partners; Robert Campbell, Chairman and CEO, BBC International LLC; and Daisy Fuentes, fashion entrepreneur and television personality.

112613_KIDS_01“I’ve often said that we don’t work within just an industry,” says Allan Ellinger, Chairman of the Board of Fashion Delivers. “Ours is a community that gives back to help people in need, people who are sick, students seeking professional support and many other worthy causes.”

K.I.D.S. and Fashion Delivers help fight the consequences of poverty by delivering hope and a brighter future through the gift of new product. The two charities solicit excess merchandise from companies that make and market home furnishings for children and adults. To date, over $1 billion of donated goods have been distributed through a network of more than 1,000 community charities serving the poor and disadvantaged worldwide.

Photo, left to right: Denise Durham Williams, K.I.D.S. President; Allan Ellinger, Fashion Delivers Board Chairman; honoree Robert Campbell, Chairman and CEO, BBC International LLC; Kevin Burke, K.I.D.S. Board Chairman; Honorees Daisy Fuentes; Brendan Hoffman, President & CEO, the Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.; Peter H. Comisar, Vice Chairman, Investment Banking, Guggenheim Partners; Vivica A. Fox, gala host

My Lanyard Maker


Helps kids create the easiest lanyards ever – weave it to believe it!

Recently, the Choose Friendship Company débuted the new My Lanyard Maker on popular shopping site HSN –with great applause!

112113_ChooseFriendship_04Whether you grew up calling them lanyards, scoubidou, boondoggle or plastic gimp, this all-American arts and crafts favorite makes making them easier than ever. My Lanyard Maker’s innovative loom is designed to create an endless variety of patterns, without tangling laces and confusing knots. Convenient storage keeps colorful supplies neat and clean, too.

112113_ChooseFriendship_01Fun Gift Idea. Popular with the boys as well as the girls, kids can design colorful plastic bracelets, tradable key rings and backpack charms with My Lanyard Maker –great holiday fun!

112113_ChooseFriendship_03The Choose Friendship Company is the brainchild of David Crorey, who’s philosophy is, “Give me an everyday problem and I’ll invent a solution.” He invented the My Friendship Bracelet Maker® for this granddaughters, so they could make friendship bracelets with ease – a patented innovation.

112113_ChooseFriendship_02Now, David has turned a family business into a global sensation, bringing even more innovation to simple crafting techniques with an expanding product line to engage kids in creative self expression, while promoting the message of friendship.

Oh la la… y Olé!


Introducing a brand new online boutique, straight from the heart of España.

112013_OhlalayOle_adIt’s been about a month since new e-commerce site Oh la la…y Olé! (www.ohlalayole.com) opened for business, and to celebrate –the shop owners are offering a 10% discount on all orders placed by November 30! Just in time to beat the holiday shopping crowds.

112013_OhlalayOle_04Based in Valencia, Spain, Oh la la… y Olé! carries European designer baby and childrenswear for kids aged eight and younger -from some of the most popular, trendy and stylish Spanish brands.

Our commitment is to introduce to our clients unique, beautiful, practical, trendy clothes. We work only with brands that we know and buy for our own children. We believe that the kind of clothing we sell in our online boutique helps our kids look unique and express their own personality.

112013_OhlalayOle_05International Shipping. Low Rates. The folks at Oh la la… y Olé! are committed to making your shopping experience as easy and as delightful as possible, especially for all the Moms and Dads who are normally time challenged! “We believe that all our efforts will definitely help them to find and purchase for their children great quality products at a good price, enjoying online shopping from the comfort of their home.”

  • 112013_OhlalayOle_01Children’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!

Nosilla Organics


Soft, organic cotton fashion for kids up to four years.

111913_NostillaOrganics_03The first thing you notice about Nosilla Organics‘ line of sportswear and pajamas is how happy the kids who are wearing it look!

Our motto is, gentler on the planet, kinder to the people.

111913_NostillaOrganics_04Six years ago, designer Allison Grace created this high-quality and affordable organic collection, which is made using 100% SKAL certified organic cotton carrying Global Organic Textile Standard, Organic Exchange and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification. She searched the world over to find fabric that is not only certified organic, but manufactured in factories that are also certified fair trade by the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International.

111913_NostillaOrganics_02It took a little doing, and now this British Columbia-based company is recognized as one of the cool, hip and kind organic cotton collections available today.

Holiday Tip: Allison creates adorable fantasy dress-up outfits for little girls under her My Fair Fairy label.

Available in shops and boutiques in the US and Canada.

KidSwitch Light Switch Extender


111313_KidSwitch_LogoGreg O’Sullivan is president of Just Kids Inc., makers of the KidSwitch Light Switch Extender, a nifty gadget that helps toddlers reach up and turn the lights on or off.

Greg and his wife Wendy started manufacturing and selling what they call a “helping hand tool” 18 years ago as a side business … which has grown into a full-time, family-owned, North Carolina-based small company selling more than 400,000 switches and counting.

KidSwitch attaches easily to a light switch and extends down vertically 12 inches to a toddler’s reach, which gives a child independence and parents a chance to teach their young children a necessary task. It can also instill the concept of “green living” very early on, encouraging kids to save energy.

111313_KidSwitch_productBut I’m getting ahead of myself here – the biggest advantage of KidSwitch is the safe solution it provides to help young children reach up and operate room lights on their own, so parents can rest easy.

Helping Children Reach for the Moon! Winner of Creative Child Magazine’s Seal of Excellence in 2010, KidSwitch is also honored with the Buzzillions Reviewer’s Choice™ Award for the nation’s best child safety product. “It is amazing to see how far our product has come,” Greg says. “I created KidSwitch after my own daughter fell off a makeshift ‘ladder’ that she had built out of toys in an attempt to reach her light switch. Years later, it is so rewarding to read the many positive reviews from parents who share their own stories about how KidSwitch is helping make their and their children’s lives a little easier.”

Wendy explains that the company name represents members of the family:

J stands for daughter Jordan
U stands for “Us” (we are all in this business together)
S stands for younger daughter Samantha
T stands for Taylor, the O’Sullivan’s inspiration

Just Kids it is – very nice!

Little Passports


111213_LittlePassports_packageRaising global citizens right in their own backyards.

Amy Norman says she practically grew up on a 747, traveling back and forth from America to England every three years for her father’s work. So it makes a lot of sense that she would create an educational experience for kids that inspires wanderlust.

Amy is co-founder of Little Passports, a fun way for kids to learn about and enjoy other places and cultures. She and her co-founder Stella Ma dreamed up two engaging characters, Sam and Sofia, who take young aspiring travelers along on their adventures through the United States and to other countries by sharing their experiences with them.

Our products combine the surprise of postal mail with the online games kids love today.

111213_LittlePassports_SamandSophiaWith the subscription-based service, Sam and Sofia send your kids a personalized package in the mail each month that includes an adventure letter, fun souvenirs, stickers, wall-size maps and more. They even get their own passport and a boarding pass to travel the world, with a secret code to access online games and activities at Little Passports’ online Boarding Zone. Everything is designed to encourage kids to take an active interest in their world and other cultures as early as possible – ages five to 12.

111213_LittlePassports_USThis San Francisco-based company is passionate about “helping to raise a generation of citizens who are compassionate about the cultures and people around the world,” donating one percent of sales to non-profits focused on children and issues that affect them.

Amy and Stella are also committed to giving other moms and budding entrepreneurs opportunities to grow businesses with Little Passports. Check them out on the Affiliates and Become an Agent pages.