The Biz: Feature Articles

The quest for the perfect shoes can take a woman – and her wallet – on some interesting adventures. Many moms also want their little girls and boys to rock cute, stylish footwear that complements their outfits. However, there are always concerns that those cute shoes aren’t crafted to accommodate growing feet. Some can be too flimsy, flat, or rigid, which can be bad for foot development. Now, companies like pediped, Luv Croo, Momo Baby, Madie Jane and Andanines offer shoes that combine healthy foot support with beautiful designs.

There’s no better way to kick off the new year of buying and selling than at the NY NOW show, once again bringing thousands of presenters from around the globe. While plenty of these companies are no strangers to the game, this year’s show shines a light on the best fresh faces in the business. Whether a hot up-and-comer or a veteran of the industry, each company showing their wares at the Javits Center this year will have something unique to offer. The Multiples, Dsenyo, Milly Green and Papersalt are among the standout presenters. These companies all do something interesting to make life more rewarding for their young customers.

Some kids don’t want to participate in organized sports, they want to live on the edge. And for them there’s a whole world of adventure sports that can be set up right at home. Take for example, slacklining. GIBBON and Slackline Industries pioneered slacklining and continue to offer cutting-edge accessories. Skateboards and swings might seem more familiar to your customers, but classics have been tossed firmly into this century at Flexdex with lighted boards, and at Spring Swings with swings, ziplines and hang bars to encourage creative outdoor play. Help kids get fit in the most fun ways with new outdoor adventures.

For little ones’ snap suits that bring a smile to the face of everyone who sees them, head straight to The Spunky Stork. This New York and Florida-based company uses only the softest organic cotton to produce snap suits for babies and t-shirts for toddlers — basics with the added punch of entertaining designs. For a cooler-than-cool take-to-the hospital gift, display the snap suit with large blanks to fill in baby’s name, birthdate and other pertinent information.