Playtime NY Back-to-School Event Was a Classy Show and Tell

All over the world, companies are creating products that make children’s lives more convenient, enriching, and fun. When many of these companies come together in one place to display their newest and best, they create a symbiotic buying experience for children’s retailers. Playtime New York is a newer trade show that presents a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere where buyers can get up close and personal with mainly European-based or inspired apparel, gifts and accessories.

Playtime New York, like its sister Playtime shows in Tokyo and Paris, is a showcase for the cream of the crop of kid’s clothing, toys, and entertainment. In March, Playtime New York unveiled unique and useful offerings from the established and emerging stars, from posh to practical for maternity through tween. A sampling of the standouts include jack & salma, kicokids, Sono Vaso, Noel France S.A.S. and Easy Peasy Shoes.

jack & salma Sink Their Teeth into “my biby” Tees

Teething for a baby is just something to get through, for both child and parents. The crankiness, the crying, the constant chewing, and of course, the drooling, cannot be totally avoided. When a little one is cutting teeth, a caregiver’s clothing and the babe’s are often covered in wet spots, and teething towels aren’t always handy in time to catch the mess.

Nicolle Cannone was a mom who confronted teething with ingenuity and imagination. Bibs were great, but her tots didn’t want to keep their bibs on, so she invented a T-shirt-bib combo that stayed on, did the job, and looked absolutely adorable. It received such a great reception that she founded her company, jack & salma, and offered the “my biby tee” to the public.

my biby tees are T-shirts designed with a soft, colorful terrycloth animal on the front. The friendly animal faces are highly absorbent and placed just right to catch dripping drool or falling food. The long ears give babies something safe and satisfying to chew on too.

Parents are bound to love my biby tees for their practicality, softness, and super-cute cuddliness. They can choose from elephant, pig or hippo designs, in either long or short sleeve styles. These shirts are one-size fits-most teethers in a size range between 12 and 24 months.

To find out more about the company that makes it cool to drool, visit www.jackandsalma.com

kicokids Kicks Up the Quirky and Comfy Quotient

When it comes to children’s wear, some parents are looking for an alternative to the everyday. kicokids, a line of quirky yet classic knits created by designer Tia Cibani, definitely makes the different and the difference. The brand is known for unique clothing and accessories for boys and girls who enjoy dressing in styles that set them apart from playground clones.

With a close look at kicokids items, one can appreciate the beauty of classic design. Cibani and her design partner, Shu Pu, put their own playful, childlike energy into their creations. The clothing and accessories are kid-tested and approved. Sometimes, the pint-sized consumers even like to get involved, and kicokids is ready to provide them with a platform for their ideas. Their Smarty Quotes T-Shirts feature cute, witty sayings from real, everyday youngsters. The winners are chosen each year in a contest, and the quotes are paired with artwork from the talented Ritsuko Hirai.

As a kids-favored collection, kicokids focuses on comfort. Much of this line is designed using natural fabrics in earthy colors, accentuated with small, unobtrusive details. Children can move about freely and look great while having fun.

To kick it with kicokids, get to www.kicokids.com

Sono Vaso Pours New Life into Maternity Fashions

Maternity wear company Sono Vaso is truly international. Its name is Italian, and means, “I am a vessel,” in honor of the sacred act of carrying human life during pregnancy. Its founders are Hong Kong residents Melanie McInally and Rita Yawarsky who are originally from Australia and Sweden, respectively. All these cultural influences converge to create a maternity line that’s stylish, versatile and comfortable.

Sono Vaso offers a wide range of designs for an expectant mother, from business wear to active wear and everything in between. The look is sleek and modern, but with enough flow to accommodate and complement a mother-to-be’s changing curves and needs.

Many women are eco-conscious and looking for clothing that contains as few man-made materials as possible, and Sono Vaso is happy to comply with top-quality, natural fabrics. Nearly all of their creations are made of silk, linen or cotton. Some also feature Modal, a new “green” fabric choice that’s made from 100% beech wood pulp. Not only is it good for the planet, it’s also perfect for pampering an expectant mom’s delicate skin.

Honor all moms, including Mother Earth, with a wardrobe from www.sonovaso.com. If you are a children’s retailer not yet carrying maternity wear, you are missing out on a growing profit center. Let your customers know that you can be a one-stop for them from pregnancy through their children’s tween years.

Easy Peasy and Noel France Provide European Sole Power

A child’s first pairs of shoes is important to his or her foot development and the establishment of a healthy gait. Europeans already agree that going cheap on kids’ shoes doesn’t pay off in the long run.

Noel France S.A.S. has been providing French children with high-quality footwear for decades. Now, they’ve expanded into the international market and made a strong debut with new smartLite outsoles. They are more durable and easier on the feet than traditional rubber outsoles, and they’re better for the environment as well, because they’re recyclable.

Easy Peasy is another French footwear company that’s gaining popularity worldwide. Its designs are intended to be easy and gentle on a baby or toddler’s growing feet, as they hone their early walking skills. Easy Peasy shoes are cute and stylish, and they come in a range of baby-friendly colors and designs.

To learn more about fancy footwear for the baby on the go, visit www.noelshoes.fr and www.easypeasy.fr