There are an abundance of baby products on the market today, with new gadgets and trends emerging all the time. It can be overwhelming to sift through all of the options; however, parents make choices based on their childrens’ well-being and safety first and foremost. These innovative small businesses are helmed by moms and dads who equally value the health and happiness of the little hands who will hold their products.
Square Baby
Formulated by a nutritionist and a genetic counselor, Square Baby is clean, organic baby food following the small business’s Square Meal System. This system offers meal plans that ensure babies are getting 100% of their daily nutrition from each serving of Square Baby. The company vows to balance each meal with less fruit than other brands, veggies, whole grains, premium proteins, healthy fats, herbs, and spices — in an array of combinations. Knowing that early diet shapes eating habits later on, vegetables are the top priority.
Following the meal plan laid out by age helps acquaint babies with different foods, develops palates, and even introduces allergens. Unlike other brands, Square Baby leans into allergen introduction, following studies that show early exposure may actually prevent the onset of food allergies. CEO Katie Thomson and COO Kendall Glynn are proud to offer the only baby food menu with the top eight allergens, including their very popular Peanut Powder.
Free Birdees
Kathy Wen’s son had sensitive skin and eczema as a baby, so she sought gentle products. Going through this experience led her to start an online children’s boutique called Two Birdees that carried organic, eco-friendly baby and children’s brands. Meanwhile, Wen prototyped soft and breathable bamboo clothes to become one of those brands.
Offering pajamas, bedding, and other basics made from bamboo viscose, Free Birdees is headquartered in Culver City, California. All of the patterns are one-of-a-kind and hand-drawn. The clothes range from newborn to adult sizes, and matching sets are available for holidays. Committed to preserving the planet for future generations, Free Birdees is partnered with 1% for the Planet, which pledges 1% of sales to environmental conservation.
With the help of a pediatric specialist, ezpz has designed dishware and eating tools for each age throughout early development.
Bannor Toys
Over a decade ago, Jesse and Stacey Bannor began workshopping and woodworking to establish Bannor Toys. Missing the wooden toys found at Grandma’s house, they wanted to reestablish simple, battery-free play. So they carved out a corner of their basement in Des Moines, Iowa, and began hand-crafting Montessori style toys. Thirteen years later, their workshop is building-sized, just down the road in the neighboring town of Madrid.
From teethers to wooden rattles, matching tiles to learning blocks, everything is sourced and made in the United States with high quality materials. Bannor Toys only uses organic paints and finishes, FDA-approved food grade silicone, and non-toxic, water-based ink.
As a business that promotes and supports education from an early age, Bannor Toys is giving back to educational institutions and the community through a program called Supplies for Success. Madrid Elementary School is Bannor Toys’ first partner in this initiative that provides classroom supplies and other essentials to the school and students. The company is looking to expand to other schools in the future.
Rookie Humans
Gabriela Freire-Anggono, a Target Style brand strategist turned entrepreneur, is the founder of Rookie Humans. Dedicating 60 hours a week building up others’ brands sparked a flame in Freire-Anggono to start her own, and once she had her kids, that fire grew even more.
Seeing the bed sheets in her babies’ cribs as a backdrop of picturesque moments, Freire-Anggono wished the designs were more whimsical and imaginative. She left the comfort of her corporate job to try something completely new and had a true moment of professional invigoration. With parents constantly sharing baby photos on social media, Freire-Anggono knew beautifying bedding would be culturally relevant and has used her marketing and storytelling skills to leverage her brand.
After undergoing a big learning curve, Freire-Anggono created a line of 100% cotton sateen crib sheets and bamboo swaddles. Rookie Humans also makes toddler and “big kid” bedding, mobiles, rugs, wall decor, and toys. In addition to bringing her vision to life, the added flexibility of being self-employed has given Freire-Anggono more time with her R&D team, her two small sons.
ezpz
Mother to three messy boys, Lindsey Laurain invented the first all-in-one suction place mat and plate combo to mitigate mealtime chaos. Once she tackled that, Laurain moved on to improving other feeding products for babies and children. With the help of a pediatric specialist, ezpz has designed dishware and eating tools for each age throughout early development.
The suction dish mats are made of food grade silicone and nylon; are dishwasher-safe; are BPA-, BPS-, PVC-, and phthalate-free; and are hypo-allergenic. The collection also includes a pre-feeding set that helps practice biting and chewing skills, along with training cups and a developmental utensil set that grows with the child. Since 2014, ezpz’s product portfolio has expanded to include clean-up and playtime merchandise as well. Most recently, ezpz started a sister brand called Ono that applies the same concept of the suction place mat to dog and cat bowls.
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