The Biz: Feature Articles

There are a lot of great trends to sift through this season. We have culled some newbies to bring retailers a few of the market innovations that carry perfect designs for display throughout the fall and winter seasons. Focus holiday shoppers on earrings with a practical twist from Triple Sweet; continue the accessory trend with matching head and toe bumbums; show off a classical yet playful look with Olivia & Owen; and offer doll lovers of any age a modern Lille Huset dollhouse.

The diversity of businesses that offer juvenile products made in the U.S.A. is broad, but each has the same interests at heart. It’s for the kids. A few of the companies that have made the commitment are The Fig Orchard, Heather Hill Clothing, Funkie Baby and Nest Designs. Their products range from beautiful hair accessories and designer clothing to baby necessities and organic one-pieces. All are proud to proclaim, “Made in America.”

As retailers, it’s hard to ignore the green revolution. More young families are demanding natural, organic or sulfate-free products. Nowhere has “clean and green” been more in demand than in cleaning products. New parents need the strongest stuff on the market to clean up the messes, but want those products to be safe and gentle as well. It isn’t easy for retailers to wade through the growing waters of products marked “natural” or “organic,” so we’ve helped out a bit and feature a few favorite brands: BuggyLOVE, Better Life, Dapple and Fresh Wave.

What do Jessica Alba, Brooke Anderson and Jessica Simpson all have in common? They subscribe to the “cute tushie” philosophy: baby butts don’t have to be boring. Whether parents choose disposables, reusables or a combination of both for diaper changes, fashion has hit the bottom. Today’s diaper covers are available in a large variety of colors, designs and embellishments, from fun and whacky to dressy and casual, to coordinate both diaper and outfit changes. A few of our favorite brands include collections from RuffleButts, Mint, Cutey Booty, and Ganz.