“Going Green” Pushes the Market for Infant, Toddler and Preschool Clothing

“Going Green” Pushes the Market for Infant, Toddler and Preschool Clothing Past $18 Billion

New York, March 10, 2011 — Marketers across the consumer product spectrum have “gone green” to boost sales in the face of the recent economic downturn. For producers of clothing and footwear made for the youngest consumer, this ranks among several viable competitive tactics, according to Infant, Toddler and Preschool Clothing Market in the U.S., 3rd Edition by market research publisher Packaged Facts.

Infant, toddler and preschool (ITP) clothing/footwear is an evergreen market because the pool of newborns (and parents or grandparents eager to pamper them) is constantly renewed. Even so the market is mature, in that for decades the number of newborns has hovered around 4.0 million annually. Nonetheless, innovative marketing and design spurred retail sales of infant-to-preschool clothing and shoes to $18.4 billion in 2010 -- a figure projected to exceed $23.0 billion in 2015.

“While it seems almost trite at this point to say that ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ products will fuel growth for a product, in the case of clothing for babies and young children, that is very significantly the case,” observes Don Montuori, Publisher of Packaged Facts. “Indeed, such products are on the verge of becoming mainstream – witness organic or recycled clothing being produced by national brands and sold by mass–merchandisers, including Walmart.”

Clothing and footwear made from fabrics of natural or organic fibers constitute a fast–growing but difficult–to–monitor niche populated by hundreds of small–scale marketers selling limited assortments of products for small-scale people. However, the niche is rapidly growing up to become a market of its own. Major ITP clothing/footwear marketers have already begun to invest more heavily in these products, thereby calling even more attention to them and further expanding consumer options, as evidenced by Faded Glory–branded organic ITP clothing sold through Walmart; Patagonia–branded ITP outerwear incorporating layers of synthetic fabrics made from recycled materials; Crocs clogs made from recycled plastic; and Summer Infant organic cotton swaddling clothes available at Babies “R” Us.

Infant, Toddler and Preschool Clothing Market in the U.S., 3rd Edition, charts the birth, societal, marketing, and licensing trends that drive sales in the mega–market for ITP clothing/footwear. The report analyzes not only the character of the ITP clothing/footwear business itself, but also the competitive personalities of players such as Brown Shoe, Carter’s, Disney, Hanesbrands, The Jones Group, and Sun Capital/Gerber Childrenswear. Experian Simmons demographic data are examined in depth. For further information, please visit: http://www.packagedfacts.com/Infant-Toddler-Preschool-2848320/.

About Packaged Facts — Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer goods and retailing, foods and beverages, demographics, pet products and services, and financial products. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. To learn more, visit: www.packagedfacts.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Packaged Facts: “Going Green” Pushes the Market for Infant, Toddler and Preschool Clothing

Kids’ Furnishings/Accessories/Toy Sales Regain Momentum, Hit Record $18 Billion Mark in 2010

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New York, October 21, 2010 — The combined U.S. retail sales of children’s home furnishings, portable accessories, and toys are ascending by more than 5% during 2010 to reach a record $18 billion by year’s end, according to market research publisher Packaged Facts’ recent industry study, Infant, Toddler and Preschool Furnishings, Toys and Accessories in the U.S., 4th Edition. The report focuses on products for kids age 0-5.

In terms of share of retail dollars, toys account for more than $8 billion, or 46%, of the entire infant, toddler, and preschooler (ITP) furnishings/accessories/toys market in 2010. However, accessories (baby monitors, car seats, strollers), which account for over a third of the market with more than $6 million, have gained a bit of ground since 2006. Furnishings (cribs, highchairs, safety gates, etc.) have consistently accounted for nearly $1 out of every $5 throughout most of 2006–2010 with a total expected to surpass $3 billion.

Packaged Facts forecasts U.S. retail sales of ITP furnishings, accessories, and toys will exceed $22 billion as of 2015 with the market’s total growth for the period beginning 2010 amounting to 24%. Such optimism regarding sales of ITP furnishings/accessories/toys is conditional upon the country's continued recovery from the economic recession of 2008-2009.

In the ITP furnishings/accessories/toys marketplace of 2010, the competitive situation is best characterized by issues of price, value, and upscale—whether high-tech or simply elegant—brand image. In the realm of luxury goods, many brands are experiencing stronger sales in 2010 and the ITP durables market appears to be benefiting from affluent or wealthy Americans’ return to spending, post-recession. Such a resurrection is largely enabled by the improving economy, and in addition, to the pre-recession upscaling of America’s taste in nursery décor, strollers, learning toys, and other ITP products.

"America’s tastes have long been trained toward the upscale," says Don Montuori, publisher of Packaged Facts. "In the broader marketplace, upscale brands have become particularly powerful influences in our society, and in many of our product markets, ever since the Reagan era of the 1980s.  It seems that once we acquire a taste for the luxuries that upscale brands provide, even the severest recession can only temporarily halt or reverse these brands’ progress."

The pre-recession, recession, and recovery eras have opened up a "mid-luxury" tier for ITP durables. Many marketers of expensive ITP goods have issued intermediate-priced versions of their products to accommodate Americans whose lifestyles have been disrupted by the shaky economy. And consumers have indeed met such marketers halfway by purchasing strollers in the $500–$600 range instead of spending $1,200 for example.

Even for the millions of moms–to–be who often cannot afford anything deemed upscale or high-end, the acquisition of luxury or mid-luxury ITP products has more frequently been made possible by the collaboration of multiple friends or family members (occasionally numbering in the dozens) pooling resources to purchase high–end gifts for baby showers. Through this practice the rare and exotic then becomes fairly common. Packaged Facts’ survey data reveals that nearly 33% of all adults are purchasers of products for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers; 26% of which are purchasing for other people’s children.

Infant, Toddler and Preschool Furnishings, Toys and Accessories in the U.S., 4th Edition analyzes three product categories that upscaled prior to the worldwide financial crashes of 2008–2009: young kids’ furnishings, accessories, and toys. The report examines lingering after–effects of recession factors in depth, delivers historical sales data, provides a dollar forecast for the year 2015, reveals the results of Packaged Facts’ own survey of nearly 2,000 consumers, and synthesizes Experian Simmons demographic data. In addition, the study profiles the corporate battle styles of Crown Crafts, Dorel, Leapfrog, Maclaren, MGA Entertainment, Newell Rubbermaid/Graco, Phil&teds/Mountain Buggy, and UPPAbaby. For further information, please visit: http://www.packagedfacts.com/Infant-Toddler-Preschool-2707953/.

About Packaged Facts – Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer goods and retailing, foods and beverages, demographics, pet products and services, and financial products.  Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. To learn more, visit: http://www.packagedfacts.com/. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.