Bundiebaby - A good idea that could be great

Competing in the childrenswear fashion industry is all about finding a niche and doing it well. Jody Williams is one such individual who has a great niche, but is struggling with the execution. Jody was recently highlighted in Forbes magazine, (March 26, 2007 issue). (You have to register at Forbes online to read the article, so I am not providing the link to the article. Head to the library instead).

Jody creates clothing for children with special needs. Specifically children who need feeding tubes and ostomy bags. Her business idea developed after a rather difficult night with a special needs foster child. She sat down in front of her sewing machine to solve a problem and created a one-piece swaddling outfit with only one opening for diaper changes.

The article was not all that positive towards Jody. It reveals some interesting facts about her costs versus her retail prices. DE's need to pay attention to this kind of stuff, or it could sink a start-up. And please don't get me wrong. I WANT her to succeed. Her idea is very much needed. This is one DE that would benefit from reading Kathleen's book.

She has spent $35,000 and four years to sell only 100 units. Her wholesale cost for retailers is $22 and she retails them for about $40. She spends $10/each to manufacture. One very revealing detail is that she spends 26 cents for each label! But to be fair, many people will pay $40 for a bodysuit/onesie at a specialty boutique. I think she can overcome the sticker shock if she finds the right distribution and marketing.

She certainly needs to lower her manufacturing costs, but she has also chosen a difficult customer profile. Cash-strapped parents of special needs children have to be convinced to part with $40 for one outfit. Plus, hospitals are very difficult to work with because of fierce competition for high dollar contracts.

I hope she does well. Special needs children need her.

A question on binding a leg opening on a onesie

Laura sent me this really good question on the binding around the leg opening of onesies:

I don't mind you posting anything -you can use my name. I actually want to ask many things but for now off the top of my head I have a question about making onesies. When I went to my pattern maker he said that the banding that goes around the edges, where the snaps go, comes on rolls. What is it called? I can't even find this. I am using bamboo fabric so that part I would like to be organic. 

It looks like it's just rib fabric, would I have to get it made or how is it usually done? I've been working on getting t shirts right for a while, almost there. That's a whole other thing that's been challenging. The onesies are the next thing.

The banding (or rather BINDING) that goes around the edges does come on rolls (more about this below).

You can choose whatever fabric you like for the binding. I have seen it made out of the same fabric as the onesie (generally an interlock) or a rib knit. You could even use a jersey, but it can be problematic because it doesn't have a lot of stretch. If your onesie is made of an interlock and you choose a rib knit for the binding, you will need to make sure the two fabrics are dyed together. No worries if you use the same fabric or contrasting color.

Here are some things to think about:

How heavy is the fabric? Will it be too bulky?

How much does the fabric stretch? (the manufacturer will need to adjust the machines to accomodate the stretch of the fabric).

How will you apply the binding? - You can do a double fold, single fold on top - flat on bottom, contrasting thread. Also consider the type of stitch - coverstitch, single needle, chain stitch.

I pulled some onesies out of my stash of samples and they all had a different application (pictures below). Do some comparison shopping to get an idea of what you would like. Buy a sample of what you DO want to show your sample maker and patternmaker.

Now how do you get the rolls of binding in the first place? There may be some fabric suppliers that will pre-cut the fabric rolls for you, although I imagine that would be the most expensive option. There is an easier way. When you determine your fabric yields or allocations, you have to figure out how much binding you will need. By doing some math, you can then figure out how many yards of full width fabric you need (maybe I will demonstrate the math for this, just not today). If your binding is the same fabric as the body of the onesie - just order extra fabric for the body. If your binding is different, you may have a separate fabric minimum just for the binding.

There are two ways to get the rolls made. The easiest and simplest is to find a manufacturer that has the ability to cut the rolls for you. There are machines that roll off the fabric onto a second tube and then cut the tubes into rolls with a giant saw. (From what I understand, these machines are difficult to come by and are generally antiques, at least the ones I have used were ancient. I would imagine news ones are $$$). The second option is to roll off the approximate yardage needed for binding onto a separate roll and send it off to be cut by someone like Superior Bias. Be sure to discuss these options with the manufacturer ahead of time.

You can cut your own binding for samples. Binding is generally 1" wide and cut across the width of goods. The actual width will be determined by your application method and fabric stretch.

Just a quick word about knit fabrics. Many knit fabrics are made to order and they have high minimums (sometimes as much as 3,000 yards). Some factories carry stock of their basic - usually a white fabric. When you order sample yardage, make sure to ask if the sample fabric has been completely processed - meaning washed and already dyed. Sometimes the available sample yardage is prepared for dying or printing (in other words, not completely processed). This type of fabric will shrink a lot when washed and is not the ideal for samples.

Ok, now time for some pictures:

This is a traditional binding with a contrasting rib knit fabric. The body of the onesie is a printed jersey. The binding is applied with a coverstitch machine. The binding has one fold on top and is flat on bottom. I usually call this a coverstitch binding.





This is also a coverstitch binding similar to the first example. The actual stitch is different from a traditional coverstitch, so the machine requires a different set-up. The binding is folded the same way as the first example. Of course, the design detail comes from the contrasting thread color. The binding is the same rib fabric as the body.



The binding on this onesie is made of the same fabric as the body, just a contrasting color. The fabric is a pebble (or textured) knit with not a lot of stretch. The double fold binding is applied with a single-needle stitch. The binding is a bit bulky because of the double fold and the texture. This application is probably the most appropriate for the style, just not my favorite.

Children's Fashion Magazines

One way to keep up with the latest fashion trends is to read fashion magazines. Over time a designer can get a feel for what is coming next even though fashion magazines focus on the now. It will at least help you keep up with your competitors.

And yet, there are few US children's fashion magazines. Occasionally, I will flip through the latest Child magazine. Child Magazine has less to do with children and more to do with parents. Their children's fashion section has always been disappointing. The latest issue especially (I am sorry I can't provide a link, so check out the newsstand). The pictures of the fashion section were ALL softened and obscured. Sure, you could get an idea of the feel or mood, but no clue what the actual clothes look like. Their fashion section is usually about 3-5 pages, featuring as many items. The photographs are very well done, but they don't help promote any fashion. Their website is even more annoying with pop-ups, flash, and survey requests.

One the best children's fashion magazines is Bambini. It is an Italian glossy magazine that comes out only twice a year and is fairly pricey. The issues and pictures correspond with Italian fashion runway shows. Most of the fashion shows are sportswear related and are very forward for the American market. Still, it is worth picking up one every now and then.

My personal favorite, and affordable, childrenswear fashion magazine is Burda Kids Fashion from Germany. The magazine comes with patterns, a definite bonus. I use the patterns for reference and ideas of how to create innovative fashion. They have lots of details that are forward for the American market, but still practical. Unfortunately, it only comes out two times a year. Ottobre is a similar magazine out of Finland that comes out four times a year

There are various other childrenswear and fashion/style magazines, but most of them come out of Europe. Some include Enfants (France), Baby & Junior (Germany), Childrenswear Buyer (UK), Divos Moda (Spain), Sasame (Japan), Studio Bambini (Australia), Vogue Bambini (France). There are two main US magazines, but they are definitely trade magazines focusing on business - Childrens Business (which was merged with WWD and is essentially defunct) and Earnshaws. I would really like to see an American version of Bambini. A magazine that has pictures from American childrenswear shows. This is a definite niche that could be filled.

To be fair, there are a few American-based online children's fashion blogs. Many of them focus on celebrity's babies and gossip. Not really that useful for following trends.

What do you read to keep up with fashion trends?