THE WEST
Table scraps
Tucked away in southern Oregon is the home base of Alexandra Rose Handmade, a line of adorable burp cloths, tiny dresses, crib sheets and more. With playful patterns and impeccable quality, these comfortable pieces are easy favorites of both the big and little people in the family.
Top pick
Nursing isn’t always easy, but dressing for it should be—that’s the idea behind Bun Maternity. The maternity- and breastfeeding-friendly line of clothing is made in Los Angeles and features everything from park-appropriate tanks to pretty dresses for a night on the town. To make sure pieces are real-mom-approved, Bun has each item test-driven by a nursing mama and gets the thumbs-up before it hits the shop.
Head games
Hats off to Rachel Goode, founder of Briar, for creating one of the sweetest baby bonnets around. From their studio in Vancouver, Washington, the Briar team sources the highest quality fabrics and delivers top-notch craftsmanship, so the bonnets can be treasured for generations to come. To top it off, each package arrives with step-by-step illustrated instructions on how to tie the perfect bow.
Wrap song
Elle Rowley, mom of three (with No. 4 on the way!) and founder and CEO of Solly Baby, began experimenting to create the perfect baby carrier after the birth of her son, Solomon. In just four years she grew her handiwork from local craft-fair favorite to the backbone of a multimillion dollar company. The is brand is headquarted in San Diego and proudly oversees production in Los Angeles. Rowley remains actively involved with both the construction and the customers.
Tender care
What do you do when your baby is born with sensitive skin? If you’re Christine Burger, you create a skin care line that’s safe and gentle enough to nourish even the most delicate conditions. Noodle & Boo’s luxury line is made with only safe, natural ingredients and produced in San Jose, California. Offerings include solutions for both moms-to-be and their wee ones, so it’s no surprise the brand is a celeb favorite.
THE SOUTHWEST
Pieced together
Between the snowcapped peaks of Utah’s mountains lies a real treasure: Sprout, a line of easy-to-assemble and responsibly made storage solutions and furniture for kids. The simple, modern designs appeal to parents, while the fun factor and bright colors pull in the tots. The venture was founded by Clark Davis, who decided to leap into the world of children’s furniture to offer the next generation the same freedom to create and invent that he enjoyed as a child. Art show
The aptly named Lucy Darling found its feet in 2012 as a humble Etsy shop selling a trio of baby milestone sticker sets. Creator Haily Meyers’ cheeky, cheerful designs took off, and today she’s running a Scottsdale, Arizona-based business with more than 60 unique sticker designs, 150 nursery art prints, baby memory books and more. All the offerings are responsibly sourced and printed with natural ink.
Sew cute
Rachel Danish’s grandmother Lenora taught her the sewing and creative skills that led to the launch of Logan + Lenora in 2013. With four employees working out of the Denver studio, the brand aims to allow mothers to maintain a sense of self while embracing their new identity. Chic nursing scarves, delightful diaper clutches and drool-worthy burp cloths are handmade with care—and are all designed on the Bernina sewing machine Danish’s grandma passed down years ago.
Sippin’ pretty
Jennifer Roth of Denver is a woman of many talents. She’s an herbalist, abdominal and uterine massage therapist, and proud owner of Birds & Bees Teas, a line of organic loose-leaf herbal teas she created after discovering a void in the marketplace. All the blends are specifically designed to optimize a mother’s health and heal her body and soul, whether she’s looking to ease nausea, produce more milk or simply enjoy some much-needed relaxation.
THE MIDWEST
Toy story
In 2010, Tree Hopper Toys founder Eric Siegel began making cool wooden toys in his garage for family and friends. Fast-forward six years, and Siegel has an impressive line of playthings that remain true to his “old-fashioned quality meets contemporary design” aesthetic. He’s happily moved out of the garage and now has four employees in his Chicago studio who help bring the trademark toys to nurseries and playrooms around the world. In stitches
Making a hobby a business—isn’t that the dream? Sara Helsten, the mastermind behind Dolly Lana Designs, went from the operating room, where she worked as a nurse for 12 years, to the sewing table, where she now makes an adorable assortment of bibs, baby shoes and accessories that have been seen on celebrity kids, including Haylie Duff’s daughter Ryan. Helsten is a one-woman show, from design to production, and mother of three in St. Louis.
Soft landing
Nestled in a quaint town just east of Cleveland, you’ll find dozens of Amish artisans handcrafting mattresses, crib sheets and more for eco-conscious company Naturepedic. The comfy sleep surfaces they produce are as good for baby as they are the planet and boast GREENGUARD Gold certification, natural and organic components, and simple, practical designs to ensure tots slumber safely and soundly.
THE SOUTH
Shelf life
Online brand Littles started from a simple drive: Mom and creator Kate Greenway wanted to be able to stay home with her kids while still contributing to her family’s income, so she took her eye for design and combined it with her husband’s carpentry handiwork to create a small business that quickly blossomed into a brand. Their stunning nursery décor is cut, sanded, assembled, painted and packaged by hand in their at-home studio in southeastern Virginia.
Charted territory
Let down by the range of baby books available and overenthusiastic about documenting their daughter’s milestones, the husband and wife team behind Strange Birdy found a fix: A line of wall-worthy posters that allows parents to fill in the blanks of their babes’ greatest achievements. Designed, printed and shipped from sunny Miami, these prints are changing the way parents record memories, one step at a time. From $45
Cheeky cheer
On the bayou in Thibodaux, Louisiana, Nichol Brinkman makes playful, original mobiles and wall hangings that range from classic (think Star Wars and Little Red Riding Hood) to unexpected (like sumo wrestlers). She began making her designs while grieving the passing of her mom, and the self-prescribed therapy project grew into the fulfilling, creative business of Pink Cheeks Studios.
Play along
Michelle Jewell left her job in 2010 to follow a dream of becoming a creative business owner. And if the quirky creatures in her shop Finkelsteins are any indication, the decision was a good one. Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Jewell has combined her passions for illustration and sewing to create a collection that everyone adores. Plus, the fact that each piece is still handmade (with impressive attention to detail) makes us love her all the more.
THE NORTHEAST
Liquid gold
Getting in a dose of vitamins and minerals is a cinch thanks to Bundle Organics, an NYC-based line of juices tailored specifically to support healthy fetal development and ease common pregnancy discomforts. The pasteurized organic beverages are loaded with good-for-baby-growing nutrients, like folic acid and calcium, and have no added sugars or preservatives. Cheers to a simple, tasty way to load up on mama must-haves.
Mobile home
Seven years ago the search for the perfect mobile led Jahje Ives to a whole new career. The trained sculptor and painter used her newfound mobile-making skills to create popular nursery décor company Baby Jives Co. Ives remains the brains behind the brand and now works with a few independent artists in her studio outside Philadelphia to create her line of handcrafted goods.
Pattern perfect
Winter Water Factory is a Brooklyn-based design and manufacturing company specializing in screen-printed textiles and organic kids’ clothing. (Bonus: They have some adult sizes, too!) Stefanie Lynen, the creative force behind the brand, is a self-taught designer who came to New York from Germany after completing medical school. Her eye for the line’s fresh, playful graphics—along with a bit of insight from her husband, Todd Warnock—shaped the company’s success.
Room to grow
Originally from Europe, Colette Bream moved to the U.S. after graduating from university in 2003 and now fashions her whimsical line of pillows, toys and other handknit goods in the Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland. She personally designs and knits each item and uses the purest mediums she can find, such as Scottish lambswool, certified organic cotton and nontoxic water-based inks.
Keys to success
It’s a tale as old as time: Baby wants to eat mom’s keys; mom knows keys are gross and unsafe; drama ensues. Thankfully, Kirsten Chapman created a happy ending to the story by designing a nontoxic, realistic alternative called Kleynimals. The company is based in Annapolis, Maryland, and product (which now includes stainless steel flatware as well) is manufactured in upstate New York. Chapman strives to both “do good and bring good” by keeping her business completely green and donating a portion of revenue to select charities.
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