Archive for the ‘Kids Brands and Retailers’ Category

Courtesy of Happy Panda Blog's Wordless Wednesday

So, what do you do if your baby is larger than average? According to Pamela Kramer, founder of Happy Panda, you will typically be on a quest to find the right clothing fit. This is especially the case when the ages on standard size charts do not match up with your baby’s age.

Trying to find the right fit for her little one (who was wearing a size 2T before his first birthday) led Kramer to develop a baby clothing design system that helps customers find a better fit for bigger babies when shopping by age. The Happy Panda baby clothing brand caters to plus size babies between 0 and 24 months of age. It’s also important to note, that Happy Panda clothing is made in the USA of environmentally safe fabrics, and there are no tags to irritate baby’s skin.

Kramer was kind enough to shed some light on how her sizes work, and on what parents of larger babies can do to find clothes that fit.

ST: What issues do parents of bigger babies typically face in terms of clothing a child?

PK: When a parent goes to the doctor they normally get the stats (weight and height) which help them when looking at the size charts. As a parent you know those stats and can typically shop without too much of an issue. In my experience, I always found myself buying the next size or two sizes up based on the average size charts that are printed on hang tags.

ST: How do your sizes differ from typical baby clothing sizes?

PK: Simply put, [Happy Panda sizes] are bigger sizes based on the weight and height of babies who fall into the higher percentile statistics. My system was based on my own children’s growth rate and they were my real life models. The larger sizes have been refined over time based the stages of a baby’s mobility.

ST: Do you have suggestions for parents transitioning out of your brand?

PK: They are going to buy the next size or two up. Our sizes end at 2T and then should transition right into the average size 4T depending on the growth rate of the child.

In larger chain stores, for example JCPenny, you will now see a new size “husky.” This isn’t for babies but you can see where the sizes are headed as children become preteens.

Each child is different, and eating habits and mobility need to be taken into account. If I were to choose which statistic weight or height to go with I would always go with the weight of the child.

ST: What is the most popular product you sell?

PK: The most popular product I sell are the diaper cakes that come equipped with clothing and other standard necessities (diapers, pacifiers, diaper rash cream, etc.). Perfect for gift giving a mom or dad to be. Most parents know their own child’s statistics. Our store also caters to those friends and family that know the age of the child and don’t have to worry about whether they got the size right. It’s less likely the item would be returned because it’s too small.

For more information on Happy Panda, visit their online store at happypandababy.com.

Courtesy of InCharacter Costumes

It’s the time of year to be planning Halloween parties and costumes. If you have plans to order your kid’s costumes online, here are some resources to help you narrow down your search and find the correct size.

Measuring your Child for Halloween Costumes

Children’s Halloween costume sizes typically correspond to children’s clothing sizes. As sizes do vary, it is best to refer to a company’s own size chart to determine which size will fit your child the best.

Most costume company size charts suggest height and weight guidelines for children’s sizes; some also use waist, but very few use chest. Refer to my earlier post on taking measurements for tips on how to take your child’s body measurements.

What Companies Make Kids’ Costumes?

The following is a list of well-known costume-making companies. Not all companies sell directly to the public, but a handful offer size charts – available links are included below – to help you find the best fit for your child before you start shopping.

• Disguise
• Dress up America
• Fun World Costumes
• AMC Costumes
• California Costumes
• Charades Costume
• InCharacter Costumes
• JAC Costumes
• Rubies Costumes

Where to Shop for Kids’ Halloween Costumes

The following list is by no means comprehensive, but gives you a starting place for shopping for costumes online.

• One of a Kind Kid.com is not specifically a costume store, but it has a good selection, and they offer company-specific size charts for all of the companies whose costumes they carry.
• When available from the manufacturer, Make Believe offers measurement guidelines on individual product pages to assist you in finding the correct size.
• Buy Costumes offers generic size charts on their product pages – if possible, refer to the costume manufacturer for size details.
• Halloween Express
• Just Kid Costumes

77kids by american eagle announced the debut of its first back-to-school collection this week. What is most interesting about this debut to me, are the size and fit features that came with it. In addition to great new styles and an all-new kids’ denim line, 77kids has revamped its website to make finding the right size and fit of clothing for your child incredibly easy to do.

77kids goes above and beyond the basic size chart by offering a Size Wizard tool, a visual fit guide for kids’ denim, and international fit guidelines to help customers who use the metric system.

Of these features, the 77kids Size Wizard is my favorite. Simply type in your child’s gender, age, and 2 key measurements, and the wizard will automatically locate the size of clothing that is most likely to fit the child. Easy. The Size Wizard does have its drawbacks, though…here’s a quick assessment:

• Pros: All you need to know are your child’s height and weight. The tool recommends the larger size when your child’s measurements fall into two consecutive size ranges. The wizard allows you to enter either British or metric measurements.
• Cons: The wizard does not include other body measurements – like hip or chest – that are found on the official 77kids size chart. If your child’s height and weight measurements differ by more than one size, the wizard will not recommend a size.
• Overall: If your child’s measurements are relatively on track, this is a great tool for finding sizes quickly. If your child’s measurements are not typical, or if you want to know hip, chest, or sleeve length size guidelines, you’ll have to look at the full size chart and locate the best size yourself.

The 77kids Jeans Fit Guide is an interactive guide showing children wearing the different styles of jeans available on the site. The guide allow shoppers to zoom in on products and rotate the child to see the jeans from different perspectives. A video aspect of the guide shows the kids jumping up and down and turning in circles to show off the jeans and how they fit. If you prefer still images, the product pages now include photographic detailing typically found on higher-end, adult fashion sites. The photos give you different perspectives of the product and up close shots of stitching and styling details. If you can’t see the product in person, these tools help you visualize what your child might look like in them.

International fit guidelines are typically an afterthought for most brands. And, unfortunately, standard conversion charts aren’t very useful, because sizes vary by brand. 77kids took steps to better support international customers, though, by offering their specific size charts in cm and Kg, as well as by allowing shoppers to enter metric units into the Size Wizard.

I don’t typically rave about retail sites, but this is one that appeals to me because it helps take the guess-work out of finding children’s clothes that fit. What’s your take on these new tools?

Sources:

• http://www.ae.com/77kids/
• http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090728005242&newsLang=en

After she experienced frustration in trying to find clothing for her plus-sized daughter, RealKidz founder, Merrill Guerra, first found she was not alone and then set out to do something about it.

In her efforts to determine why she could not find clothing in the sizes her daughter needed, Guerra found that only 16% of the the girls’ plus-size apparel market is being served by currently available designs. Part of the problem, she realized, is that sizes are never one size fits all. A new type of sizing was needed to address the clothing needs of girls that fall somewhere in between regular and plus sizes.

The Birth of a New Sizing Model

Hence, a new sizing model was born. The RealKidz K-I-D-Z^TM Sizing Model is designed for girls ages 5 through 12 to fit Slim (K), Average (I), Above Average (D) and Plus (Z) girls. This system ignores industry standards and takes a much more granular approach to sizing, which, according to Guerra, “moves as close as you can find in the industry toward tailor made.”

RealKidz introduced its line this past spring with “Average” and “Above Average” sizing, a type of sizing that is unique and proprietary to their company. Guerra identified that,

there are really two different body styles represented in the plus size category. In general it falls into dividing up girls that are clinically overweight from those who are clinically obese. They have definitely different body styles and hence different fit needs. In terms of development, we use fit models who are representative of the body shapes we’re trying to fit to create our patterns.

The company plans to introduce slim sizes next, and then follow up with plus sizes afterwards.

Helping Parents and Girls

According to Guerra, the most exciting part of the process so far is seeing how happy the parents and their daughters are.

The parents and kids are surprised at how great the fit is! Yes, the lengths of the sleeves and the pants are much better (analogous to what an average size kid finds when they go to try on clothes), the rise in the pants fits – which is a huge issue, the sleeves are wide enough just below the shoulder, the back fits more comfortably and provides for the garment to lay on the girls beautifully.

Another interesting aspect of the RealKidz business is that the clothing is sold primarily through home-based parties. In other words, girls are able to see and try on clothing in the comfort of their own or a friend’s home.

Not Just a Business

Merrill’s idea for RealKidz goes beyond just serving an untapped market, but actually starting a movement to support all girls’ self esteem. Keep an eye out for the RealKidz® Family Network, a social network to help parents and kids support one another in incorporating healthy lifestyles into their families’ lives.

Learn More

RealKidz Website

RealKidz Sizing

Soft Logo

This week, Soft, a company that makes soft clothing designed for children with sensory sensitivity, announced that it will launch its first collection in Fall 2009 with a full line of children’s clothing and accessories. Styles will range from casual sportswear to holiday and occasion wear.

Soft’s clothing is designed especially for children who experience tactile defensiveness, a symptom of Autism, Aspergers, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and ADHD that can cause them to overreact to touch or refuse or avoid touching. This sensitivity can also mean that something as simple as the texture or feel of clothing can be distressing to a child.

In an email Q&A, Jessica Elsas, founder of Soft, told SizeTracker that, “Sensory sensitivity with regard to clothing is a widely misunderstood and unaddressed issue. As a teacher, I am acutely aware of the myriad behavior and social-emotional issues that can result from children who experience tactile defensiveness in the classroom, and I know that these behavioral and social issues carry into the home and community. It is one of many barriers to true inclusion in the classroom and beyond.”

Soft’s Inclusive Clothing Design Features

With this in mind, Elsas and her company aspire to create a clothing brand that can enhance social skills, sensory organization, and concentration, by addressing unique sensory needs, but without sacrificing personal style and self expression.

According to Elsas, “Universal design is a concept that has been applied to architecture, and curriculum planning—as a way of making sure these things are made accessible from their inception, rather than going back and adapting after the fact. We intend to apply that same principle to clothing–so that parents and eventually adults will be able to purchase clothing with the confidence they won’t have to spend time and money self-tailoring, snipping tags and labels, sewing down seams–and all the many adaptations people report to us that they have been doing for years.”

Before designing their products, Soft surveyed over 5000 parents. As a result, Soft’s designs incorporate features adapted specifically to the needs of children with sensory sensitivity – as well as of children with developmental delays that could benefit from similar adaptations. These features include:

• Flat seaming and seamless construction for extra comfort
• Soft cotton combed, peached and pre-washed for extra soft and smoothness
• Wide collars for a roomy fit
• Encased elastic waistbands that don’t pinch
• Printed labels (tagless) that don’t itch
• Vegetable dyes, natural enzyme washes, and water-based prints to protect against allergies
• Soft, cotton-covered snaps – instead of buttons – when closures are needed.

Innovative Design Ideas

Soft Adapt Chinos

For typical children’s wear, anything that might be patched on, woven in, embroidered, or otherwise be used to accessorize or embellish the surface with snazzy detail is OK. But, designing for children with SPD means that Soft has to be creative in how they make clothing that is both comfortable and stylish.

For example, instead of using decorative stitching or buttons to embellish clothing, they print the design details with vegetable or water-based inks to make clothing look fashionable without irritation. As well, they use these inks to give the impression of pockets, ties, and other clothing accessories.

A great example of this are their chinos (see sketch) and jeans which incorporate all of these design elements.

Soft’s Clothing Size and Fit Information

Through their research, the company found that the majority of sensitivity issues (89%) are experienced by children in the 2-10 year age range. So, they will introduce their line in sizes 2-10. Soft’s technical designer has ensured that Soft’s size and measurement standards are consistent with the other major brands that their potential customers currently buy.

To parents with toddlers, Elsas says that Soft’s smaller sizes are “constructed to accommodate diapers in most pant styles. Our skirts and dresses were designed with diapers and/or unique toileting needs in mind, with an a-line construction and a high waist (which thankfully is very trendy this season!)”

Even though the company has not yet made their line available, Elsas says that they are receiving emails on a daily basis from parents who hope the range of sizes will be expanded to tween, teen, and even adult sizes. The company is already doing market research into these areas, as well as looking into infant sensitivities – so be sure to watch their progress!

For More Information

“I am hoping that through our stated company mission, marketing campaigns, and eventually adoption by major retailers–we will call attention to this common problem, and the various resources available and therapeutic options for those who experience sensory sensitivity.” –Jessica Elsas, founder and designer at Soft

To learn more about the Soft brand or to share your stories, advice, questions and more about Sensory Disorders (Autism, Aspergers, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD and more), visit the following resources:

• Soft Website
• Soft Social Network
• Soft Blog

Soft is also searching for non-profit partners, to whom they plan on donating a portion of their profits and cross promoting through their website and marketing campaigns.