The Biz: The Grapevine

First time mothers and seasoned pros alike all need a little bit of abdominal recovery help after giving birth.The ActivEmbrace Postnatal Recovery System by DLVR Maternity is a belly sleeve that helps women recover at a healthy pace so they can return to their pre-baby bodies. Different than other belly bands, the ActivEmbrace combines functionality with science to deliver a product that is comfortable to wear to help the wearer properly heal. Made in the USA, this is a useful aid for a new mom, even before she leaves the hospital.

One evening Danielle Stangler was out to eat with her family when she looked over to see her 18-month-old daughter covered in macaroni and cheese. Stangler knew that her tired little one was going to hate having her face wiped and was anticipating the scene that she was about to endure. She asked her husband to dip his napkin in his drink and proceeded to wipe her face. To her surprise, the reaction to the napkin was “nummy, nummy!” As it turned out, her husband’s drink was lemonade. Stangler was able to get every last piece of food off with no battle at all. From there, the idea for a flavored face wipe, NeatCheeks, was born.

Most parents will try anything to comfort their child at night, especially when they have to stay at the hospital. One family in particular found a solution with a Cloud b toy, the Twilight Turtle. To help her 7-year-old son Max battling brain cancer, mom Audra Wilford gave him Twilight Turtle, and he immediately felt the healing calm of the tranquil star display. This inspired her to start the MaxLove Project, an organization that raises money to fund childhood cancer and rare diseases research, and to donate hundreds of thousands of Cloud b Super Max turtles to children currently fighting these illnesses.

Today’s busy lifestyle can make it difficult to find time to breastfeed a baby, especially for moms who are returning to work. Milkies by Fairhaven Health is a line of products designed to make breastfeeding easier and more convenient for moms, whatever may be going on in their lives. The Milk-Saver is among the company’s best selling products. This innovative creation allows mothers to get the most milk out of every feeding or pumping. Using a unique system, the Milk-Saver collects drops of milk that leak from one breast while the baby nurses (or mom pumps) from the other.

Upon starting her career in the sports market at Nike and Reef (a surf lifestyle brand), Silly Souls Founder and President Shelly Foster found a real need for a fun and cool urban brand for babies. When Silly Souls launched in 2002 (originally called babygags), the urban, surf and skate brands had not yet fully entered the baby market. “The market was very classic pink and blue,” according to Foster. “I wanted to create a fun, funny, irreverent kids brand parents would love and laugh at.”

Start the summer with posh fashion from Pash Kidz, designed by Vivienne Pash. She is a Jamaican born, New York-based fashion designer whose brand focuses on creating trendy yet sophisticated and affordable ready-to-wear that appeals to the modern consumer. Pash Kidz offers all the essential wardrobe foundations, including leggings, hoodies, sweatpants and jackets. Designs are inspired by the classic styles of the 1960’s and 1970’s, with a focus on drawstrings and pleather, but are coupled with a youthful urban street twist. Pash blends an assortment of soft silk, jersey, and cotton organza in neutral colors and vivid prints, creating styles that are comfortable and unique.

The Milan-based Margherita brand offers clothing for baby boys and baby girls, as well as for girls up to size 10. Margherita Missoni-Amos grew up with plenty of freedom to express herself through fashion, and she wanted her line to encourage kids to do the same, so she chose a charming bohemian look that allowed for mixing and matching. The pieces are made to be comfortable and easy to move around in, and the colors are mainly classics like pink, white, and navy blue.

The ability to change and evolve is integral to the survival of any organism. This foundational truth of biology can be applied equally to business development. A business owner needs to keep their eyes on the changing current of the market, keeping up with trends in both style and marketing. They also need to look for ways in which they can help their company stand out in a sea of businesses that may be similar. In 2012, New-York based children’s clothing maker Jaxxwear decided to revamp their line. The updated line focused on the art prints that were in high demand from customers, but added fresh silhouettes and new fabrics, and the changes paid off.

Dsenyo, an ethical fashion and fair trade accessories company, will launch a new expanded collection for moms, toddlers and babies available to consumers in April 2015. Building off the brand’s best-selling “Little Friends” handmade dolls, Dsenyo is already familiar with the children’s market and saw the potential for product expansion. The fair trade brand will now offer an assortment of colorful printed apparel and accessories for infants and toddlers. Items include a Baby & Toddler Sun Dress, Reversible Pinafore, Pocket Pants, Pleated Overalls, Collared Rompers, Bloomers, Headbands, and Hats in an assortment of colors and prints.

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