It's Playtime NY!

Everyone has a different way to mark the changing of the seasons. For farmers, it’s by the planting and harvesting of their crops; for sports fans, it’s by first games and playoffs, and for those in the children’s product industry, it’s by Playtime shows. For those in North America, the Playtime New York show is the one of the biggest events of the year where designers, toy-makers and retailers all come together to display their latest creations and network with others in the business.

This year, Playtime New York took place August 1st-3rd at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan. As always, Playtime featured well-established businesses as well as new arrivals from around the world. Each event has its own theme and puts a selection of lucky businesses in the spotlight. Finkelstein’s, Ultra Violet, tinycottons and Oli & Carol are among the notable companies that were in attendance at this season’s show.

Finkelstein’s: What’s Old Is New Again

It used to be that the marketing scope for craft artists was fairly limited. They could do the craft fair circuit, standing for long hours in crowded farmers’ markets or auditoriums, trying their best to attract new customers. They could also set up a website and do their best to draw traffic to their site. Needless to say, it wasn’t easy, but many talented and determined crafters managed to build successful businesses nonetheless.

Since the launch of Etsy, a whole new world has opened up for crafters. The peer-to-peer e-commerce website brings together entrepreneurs from all over the world, giving them a platform to display and sell their wares as well as connecting to other artists and crafters.

Finkelstein’s is among the many businesses that got a big boost from being part of the Etsy community. The Charleston, SC-based company offers a wide selection of upcycled, one-of-a-kind handmade soft toys. These cuddly sock-puppet style buddies are available in a variety of friendly animal characters, each with their own unique facial expressions and outfits, so kids can choose which one best fits their own personality. In addition to toys, Finkelstein’s also offers sticker books and fun character socks.

Your new fuzzy friends can’t wait to meet you! www.finkcenter.com

Ultra Violet: A Bright New Wave in Kids’ Fashion

When you think about vintage clothing for children, what comes to mind? For most of us, it’s the ruffled petticoats, snappy suspenders and large bows of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The fashions of this era project a sweet, angelic vibe that celebrates the innocence of childhood and makes them a favorite among childrenswear designers.

However, as most parents know, there are many sides to childhood, so there should be more diversity of options when it comes to vintage kids’ clothing In addition to being sweet and innocent, children are also bold, adventurous, experimental, and wildly creative. They often love to be spontaneous in life and in fashion, throwing together plans — and outfits — completely in the moment. These traits make 1960’s fashions perfect for them.

Ultra Violet captures the pop art spirit of the 1960’s beautifully in its fashions for babies and toddlers. Designer Michelle Chaplin, inspired by her daughter Violet, has created a line of clothing featuring bright, trippy colors, prints and vintage cuts that are bound to make any kid stand out in their play group or preschool. This is a very age-appropriate line, so you won’t find any mini skirts or constricting sweaters; almost all of the pieces sport a loose-fitting, comfy silhouette that’s great for active little ones.

Get your groove on at www.ultravioletkids.com

tinycottons: Big on Simplicity

Whimsical one-pieces, graceful dresses, cozy knit separates and huggable blankets are just some of the offerings from Spanish designer tinycottons. Building on a long tradition of Southern European textile trade, the company seeks out the highest quality materials to create their outstanding line of clothing for babies and children.

Cotton was an easy choice for a line of youth clothing After all, cotton is the go-to material for children’s wear because it’s soft, natural and non-irritating to delicate skin. From this simple starting point, tinycottons adds in a good dose of fun and imagination to make their unique designs come to life.

The company’s Barcelona-based concept store exemplifies their aesthetic taste. The all-over stark white color scheme and straight clean lines give it the feel of a modern art gallery, and their clothing collection reflects that look perfectly.The pieces have a definite Euro-contemporary feel, with artsy one-color prints on basic pale backgrounds. There are no ruffles, sparkles or any other details that might distract from the high-quality craftsmanship.

European designers are big right now in the world of children’s fashion, and retailers are jumping on board, stocking in the best and brightest trends from across the Atlantic.

Quality matters at www.tinycottons.com

Oli & Carol: Being Eco-friendly Is Child’s Play

Plastic toys have gotten a bad rap lately due to the unhealthy chemicals that often go into their manufacturing process. Because of this, many parents have decided to seek alternatives to mass-produced teething toys, bath toys, and other baby products commonly made of plastic and rubber.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to find more eco-friendly versions of classic children’s toys. Oli & Carol is changing that by offering traditional baby toys made from a safe, natural material. Since its launch in 2014, this Spanish company has been generating plenty of buzz, and their products are now available stateside.

Oli & Carol was founded by two young sisters, ages 15 and 20, who combined their love of nature, talent for design, and youthful spirit to create their line of natural latex items that can be used as tub toys, teethers, or even as decorative pieces for a child’s room. The latex Oli & Carol use is derived from hevea trees, so it’s safe to chew and play with in the bath.

In addition to the much-loved rubber duckies, the company’s collection also includes cars, origami boats, animals, geometric figures, balls, fruit and more, in a variety of sizes. All the pieces are bright and colorful to catch a baby’s attention and imagination.

Clean up at www.oliandcarol.net