Kids Clothing Entrepreneurs Are Drawn to Magnets

There’s something a little magical about magnets. On classic children’s cartoons, magnets are huge and can pick up just about anything. While that depiction isn’t exactly realistic, the science of magnets is still fascinating. There are magnets just about everywhere in our world, from cabinet latches to cars, computers, can openers and more. They’ve also enjoyed a stint of popularity in bracelets that allegedly relieve minor aches and pains. Now, magnets are being put to another practical use – baby and children’s clothing. Anyone who has ever struggled to line up the snaps an infant’s one-piece sleeper will appreciate the sheer simplicity that magnetic closures can bring. Considering the success of MagnaMini and Magnificent Baby, you can’t help but wonder whether magnets will be the paradigm, and if buttons and snaps will some day be nothing but decorative flourishes.

MagnaMini Closes Clothes in a Click

The arrival of cold weather means more clothing to put on, and for families with young children this often leads to struggles. It can take kids a while to master the skills necessary to do up their own buttons and zippers. Even children who have pretty much gotten the hang of fastening their coats can get tripped up during the morning rush. While the problems involved with tackling buttons and zippers may seem like a relatively small issue amongst the challenges of growing up, it can slow down the daily schedule, especially for multi-child families and at daycare centers and schools. In fact, many child-care establishments these days have a rule that new enrollees know how to do up their own coats.

MagnaMini offers products that can help make getting dressed easier for kids. MagnaMini coats and vests feature magnets inside that come together in much the same way as buttons or zippers would, but without the hassle.

When Laura Horton’s husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the family faced the future with the knowledge that some simple tasks would become increasingly difficult for him to accomplish. Getting dressed was among those tasks. As Laura watched her husband begin to struggle with buttoning his shirts, she began thinking about what she could do to help him. After months of brainstorming she came up with a design for shirts with hidden magnetic closures. This enabled her husband to fasten his shirt buttons and cuffs with very little effort.

Laura realized that her invention would be a huge help to anyone with neurological problems, arthritis or any syndrome that caused limited dexterity. She started her business, MagnaReady, and received great feedback from customers on how her product simplified their lives. In the months that followed, she developed MagnaMini so that kids could benefit from the power of magnets as well.

See the collection at www.magnamini.com

Magnificent Baby Has Staying Power

Sometimes it can be difficult to guess who will be the inventor of the Next Big Baby Product. We’re so used to the story of the momprenuer, often a stay-at-home mom who developed a product based on her own children’s needs, that it can seem novel when an alternative storyline comes along. For the New York-based company Magnificent Baby, the founders weren’t friends who met at their local play group, but an attorney and real estate developer who’d been college classmates. Lawrence Scheer and Lauren Levy started the company in 2010, after working together for two years to create and patent the unique Smart Close™ magnetic closure system.

So how did two attorneys get into the babywear industry? Levy was struck with inspiration when her nephew had a baby meltdown over an uncomfortable bib. The little guy was upset because his hair kept getting caught on the Velcro closures of the bib. Levy realized that there had to be a better alternative to scratchy, unattractive hook-and-loop closures on infant clothing, and was determined to look into other possibilities. She consulted Scheer, whom she knew had a good mind for logistics, and together they laid the foundation for what is now Magnificent Baby.

The one-pieces, footies, gowns and bibs from Magnificent Baby are cute, stylish, comfy, and best of all, super-easy to open and close. They’re perfect for those nighttime diaper changes when fumbling with traditional snaps or buttons is the last thing a parent wants to do. They’re also great when another family member – say, an older brother or sister or a grandma with arthritis – wants to change the baby’s clothes without a hassle.

For more information, visit www.magnificentbaby.com