The Atlanta Gift Show Presents Sales Opportunities

With gifts being one of the strongest sales category in the children’s business, thousands of gift lines were on display January 12-19 at The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. This year marked the 50th anniversary of AmericasMart, the nation’s leading gift, home furnishings and area rug marketplace and trade mart complex. In honor of this golden celebration, The Atlanta gift show hosted retail buyers from around the globe to explore more than 7 million square feet of products over eight days. Among the merchandise featured, The Giggle Guide^® chose these standouts to highlight in our post-show review: Mark-My-Time, Scribble Mats, BRELLI, and Zebi Baby.

Mark-My-Time Encourages Kids to Read

Thanks to inventor Maureen Farinella, parents and kids can now easily keep track of required reading time with the Mark-My-Time digital bookmark. Made of durable polyethylene plastic and available in six neon colors, Mark-My-Time features a digital clock powered by a replaceable watch battery. The clock stores up to 100 hours of reading time and features a 60-second countdown/count up display to aid in fluency checks.

Originally developed with a cardboard prototype, the bookmark was first introduced at the 2004 BookExpo of America where it won the “Best New Product” award. In addition to the original bookmark, a new Mark-My-Time digital booklight features an LED light on an adjustable arm and an integrated clip so that the bookmark can be attached to book pages. The booklight, which was the 2010 Creative Child “Top Choice of the Year” winner, is available in camouflage pink, green and blue.

This gizmo gift can speak volumes as an add-on to book sales. Read more at www.mark-my-time.com

Creativity Outside the Lines with Scribble Mats

Creator Andi Thea developed her first Scribble Mats in the 1980s using a simple white vinyl place mat packaged with crayons, launching a new product category of mats with a color-on, wipe-off surface. Over the past three decades, Thea’s line has expanded to include activity books and toys for kids ages 3 and older as well as customized products for Macy’s, Fox Television, Ben & Jerry’s and General Foods.

The creative collection includes storyboard books, two-sided folios and three-dimensional puzzles, all of which can be wiped clean and reused. Not only are these products fun, but they also encourage children’s artistic talents and develop dexterity while stimulating imaginations. Packaged with non-toxic crayons, the mats can also be used with any wax crayon and cleaned with either a dry paper towel or cloth. Scribble Mats boast numerous honors, including Creative Child’s 2003 “Preferred Choice” award and Dr. Toy’s 2006 “Best Vacation Products” award.

Let your imagination run wild at www.scribblemats.com

The BRELLI Forecasts a Downpour of Sales!

As the world’s first 100% biodegradable umbrella, BRELLI is made from bamboo with a PVC canopy that provides protection from the elements and withstands heavy downpours and gusty winds. This incredibly lightweight umbrella also gets kids thinking about how they can reduce their carbon footprint when they carry the extra small version of BRELLI. With a clear canopy that measures 35” and with a weight of just 10 ounces, children can easily tote this all-organic umbrella that also comes with an organic cotton carry case.

To ensure children are further safeguarded from rain and wind, the biodegradable BRELLIwear Kid’s Poncho, which comes with a big pocket and a hood, easily slips over children’s clothes to make certain they stay dry. If they really want to make their BRELLI their own, kids can use BRELLImarkers to doodle and sketch personal artwork on their BRELLI products. The water-resistant markers enable kids to rest assured that their brightly colored drawings will not wash away in the rain.

Let the sales shine in with BRELLI at www.thebrelli.com

Zebi Baby Blends Modern and Vintage Looks

Founded in 2006 by Stacy Phillips, a mother of three with a degree in economics, Zebi Baby children’s wear is about life, beauty and individuality. This unique collection, known for blending modern and vintage aesthetics with high-quality, sustainable materials, includes kerchief bibs, tee shirts, pants, bum covers and burping cloths.

All of the fabrics feature exclusive designs by Phillips, are Intertek Eco Certified and Oeko-Tex 100 Standard Certified, so they are guaranteed to be both eco-safe and free of harmful substances and chemicals.

To learn more about what this exciting brand can mean to your retail gift selection, visit www.zebibaby.com

What gifts did you find at AmericasMart? Let us know! Comment below…