Feature Articles: Features

Before No Slippy Hair Clippy entered the marketplace, there was a gaping void in children’s hair accessories. In the early days, Annie Salyer was one of the first sales reps for No Slippy. Then she and husband Ramey became partners and in 2005, took over as majority owners. Today, Ramey handles financial and legal issues for the company while Annie works as lead designer and oversees much of the company’s marketing.

It’s that exciting time of year again. No not the holiday season… the ABC Kids Expo! Like the holidays, the Expo is a much-anticipated event that involves toys, games, decorations, and mingling, but instead of a family gathering, it’s a gathering of the unique and varied companies that offer products for babies and children. This year, the Expo is being held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from October 18th-21st, and the lineup of presenters looks impressive. Munch Mitt, The Navigate, Ace Baby Furniture, and DockATot are just a few of the notable presenters expected to be in attendance at this popular industry event.

The 2015 All Baby & Child Kids Expo is taking place in Las Vegas, on October 18th-21st. The ABC Kids Expo is the premier juvenile products specialty show in the nation. With more than 900 exhibitors in over one million square feet of exhibit space, it is currently the fastest growing trade show in the nation and ranks 54th out of the 100 largest trade shows in North America (Trade Show Executive 2009). For more information, visit www.theabcshow.com. If you are planning to attend, be sure to stop by the following booths at the show!

Depending on where you are in the world, maybe the climate isn’t making you think of swimwear. But winter trips to tropical climates and upcoming spring break fashion needs will have you clamoring for the latest suits to let your customers set their kids on the beach in style. Move on from simple colors and basic one-pieces and dive into patterns and suits with designs intricate enough for ball gowns. With dressy options from Froufrou & Company and Isobella & Chloe, plus practical sun protection from Little Red Fish and Platypus Australia, you are sure to assemble the collection that will please all your discerning buyers and make you the one-stop-shop before the beach.

While clothing gets the majority of attention at this time of year, supplies and accessories like pencil cases, binders, and of course, backpacks, are essential for not only a student’s academic life, but also their ability to remain organized, cool and confident. School brings along with it new opportunities for extracurricular activities, trips, sporting and social events that may require kid-size suitcases, shoulder bags and other types of carry-ons. Companies like PetSac, Animal Head Backpacks, Hug-mi and Okiedog all have something new and different to offer.

No matter how parents choose to feed a baby, weaning them and getting them to the table is a big milestone. And that’s when it gets interesting. After parents invest in carpet cleaners and plastic tarps, help them out by offering dining accessories to make table time fun and semi-contained. Kids will want to stay hydrated with Bottle Buds from KidKusion and the pinwheel perfection of the Sip & Spin Cup from nuSpin Kids. To keep kids at the table, KidsFunwares has made a game of mealtime while NUK is keeping its name and reputation safe with new products for all phases of eaters.

When you offer customers American-made goods you are sending a message and doing your bit to make our country better in many ways. Money spent on American goods translates into American jobs. We’re slowly climbing back but need to work harder. When you sell American-made you are helping move the economy forward; It’s a patriotic move as well as an economic one. The Giggle Guide® salutes four companies, CookieCutterKingdom, Peas and Queues, Tickle Toes and Dakota Leaf, all of which produce their goods right here in the U.S. These folks are doing their bit: the next move is up to you.

Fashion is just one of the many ways girls show their sass and independence, often picking out their own clothing at a young age. Even if these early ensembles are far from Vogue-ready, they’re a sign that the child is starting to develop her own sense of self and autonomy. Molly Glitz, Zaza Couture, Nina & Nelli, and Celegrity Kids all offer looks that lean slightly toward the bold and avant garde, while still staying solidly in the confines of comfortable, easygoing children’s wear.

Welcome to the preteen years, which some parents have come to nickname “second toddlerhood”. At this age, it can be a balancing act to allow kids the independence and individuality they need, while ensuring they hold on to the innocence and wonder of childhood for as long as they can. By guiding kids’ choices in the right direction, parents can do their part to make this stage of growing up as fun, exciting, and rewarding as possible. Companies like 100% Gumdrop, Lemon, Inc., DeSalitto and Limeapple offer fabulous fashion options for parents – and their awesome tweens – to consider.

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