The Biz: The Grapevine

Hip, Hip Hooray Haroo!

By Stephanie Hanlon

It’s a sad occasion for a parent when they buy a brand new, adorable outfit for their little one only to discover that it doesn’t fit a few months later. It’s a universal parenting truth that growth spurts happen at the most inopportune times. Three cheers for the designers at Hooray Haroo, who have created the Serendipity Dress! Hooray Haroo is a fun brand that creates stylish and delightful looks for all ages, but their Serendipity Dress is what sets them apart. This dress is designed to be wearable for years, not months.

The Grapevine

Tottels Towels Make Good Hygiene a Snap

By Laura Vaillancourt

As a surgical nurse, Neeta Tvelil knew the amount of germs that linger on the bathroom floor, which is why whenever she’d see a towel one of her three boys had left on the floor wet, she would cringe. She knew there had to be a solution. With a few tweaks to a basic hand towel, she created the Tottels towel for tots. The product promotes good hygiene and responsibility by making it easy to keep the towel attached to the rack and off the floor.

The Grapevine

The Proper Peony in Full Bloom

By Emmi Kern

Flowers have long been associated with femininity. From ancient Greek myths to pressed-plant crafts to flower-themed dolls and toys, the image of the flower has held a special place in the lives of young women and little girls. It’s no surprise that floral prints and embellishments are so popular in feminine fashions. Whether a girl is 1 or 100, wearing flowers can make her feel brighter, prettier and more alive. The Proper Peony is a children’s wear designer that knows the power of flowers. The clothing in this line is geared toward kids who revel in the joy of dressing up in fancy, bright, colorful fashions.

The Grapevine

Nordinary: A Taste of Scandinavia in Paris

By Emmi Kern

If you’re going to start a business in Paris, you had better have an impressive inventory with something new to offer. In the capital of fashion, shoppers have pretty much seen it all and it takes a lot to make an impression. Even if your company is Internet-based, the reputation of having a Paris headquarters is both challenging and prestigious. French company Nordinary stands out from the crowd, both in their brick-and-mortar store and online, by offering trendy Scandinavian products for kids.

The Grapevine

MoochicBaby Updates Art of Block Printing

By Emmi Kern

Most of us wear and use printed textiles every day, but few of us give much thought to how the prints are made. Prints are often made through the process of screen printing, in which a screen is used to filter ink onto the cloth in the desired colors and configurations. Long before this method was used, people had to employ simpler ways to transfer prints onto cloth. Hand block printing is the earliest and most time-consuming method of printing; it is also considered an art form, due to the time and talent that goes into the process. MoochicBaby brings the exotic flavor of hand block printing to children’s clothing and décor.

The Grapevine

Keep a Safe Eye on Baby with Infanttech's Car Monitor

By Carolyn Kavarnos

Based in Montebello, California, Infanttech Solutions was founded in 2012 by new parents, Giuseppe and Lizette Veneziano. A mission of keeping babies safer while making parents’ lives easier was what fueled them to start the company. Infanttech’s focus is to create solutions to solve the everyday problems that occur when caring for a baby with passion, vision, creativity and experience. Innovative technology along with fun, comfort and love are essential in the process of developing new products for Infanttech.

The Grapevine

Effortless Style from Holt and Lulu

By Carolyn Kavarnos

Holt and Lulu was launched by Angie Anderson in 2011. Having spent years working for Nordstrom and Chanel, she was ready to begin her own venture. Angie’s inspiration came from her vision to create modern, cool, kid’s clothes with fine details that were easy to wear. She focused on styles that were versatile and could go from play to dinner out. The result was clothing that was “casual chic” creating effortless style to let kids be kids, fashionably. Holt and Lulu collections are influenced by adult fashion, creating really fun clothes in little sizes and making it all in the USA!

The Grapevine

Living Easy With Ollie & Bess

By Amy Barnes

Like a sweet lullaby, the music notes of an era gone by resonate with images of sweet children dressed in simple colors and traditional styles. With temperatures warming, baby legs are emerging from a winter of fleece sleepers. Parents shopping for soft, classic ways to dress babies and toddlers need look no further than Ollie & Bess. The brand brings back sweet, nostalgic days when children still wore all white and sported Peter Pan collars and bubble rompers.

The Grapevine

Kids, Chores and Rewards Get Together

By Mari Gold

Even if they don’t bend your ear about it, your customers probably wish there were simple ways to teach kids the value of money. Raise the subject of time spent with TV or video games and watch the attention shift to you. Then, show them a system that uses today’s technology to get across the concept of managing time and money. My Job Chart is an online system in which a parent either registers online or downloads an app, inputs information about the family and assigns chores to kids with a reward value for each job.