A DV E R TO R I A L
BABY AUTHORITY
Drawing on a long history in the juvenile products industry, Balboa Baby brings fashionable, quality products to sophisticated moms and dads.
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roducing quality products that fit seamlessly into the home and provide parents with peace of mind is the philosophy on which Balboa Baby was founded. To that end, the company works closely with renowned pediatrician Dr. William Sears to develop its refined collection, which includes nursing covers, nursing pillows, baby slings, shopping cart covers and the newly launched diaper bags. Though the company is only three years old, mother and son owners Shirley and Noel Pepys have already created a rich legacy in the juvenile products arena. As founder of NoJo, mom Shirley innovated the coordinated juvenile bedding market. And her philosophy of combining style and function is evident in her son Noel’s venture as well as CoCaLo, the bedding and accessories company her daughter Renee founded. Having assisted his mother in accounting, IT and the warehouse at NoJo, Noel has a keen understanding of the business as well as industry relationships that have spanned the bedding company’s history. The brand’s flagship baby sling grouping is designed to provide families with a safe way to enjoy the benefits of babywearing. The Balboa Baby Dr. Sears Adjustable Sling in particular is based on the soft carrier design that Shirley and Dr. Sears collaborated on more than 20 years ago. The product’s proven track record in terms of safety and usefulness coupled with the company’s signature styling goes a long way toward assuring moms that Balboa Baby slings are a secure, fashionable option for wearing their little ones. To educate retailers and parents on the best way to use the products, Balboa Baby provides stores with product information and hosts a variety of instructional videos on its website and YouTube that feature Dr. Sears’ firsthand knowledge of carrier dos
and don’ts. Next the company will launch a Facebook page that will provide even more direct interaction with consumers. “It goes without saying that when Dr. Sears talks about the importance of babywearing and how to do it safely, it carries greater weight,” Noel pointed out. Beyond slings, the company has expanded with an array of complementary products that fulfill caregivers’ needs. “What attracts retailers and consumers to Balboa Baby is the way we coordinate the colors throughout the line, making the products great gift items,” Noel said. “The products can mix and match and the prints all still work together.” Balboa Baby’s nursing pillow was designed in collaboration with Dr. Sears’ wife Martha, a lactation consultant with more than 20 years of experience. “Beyond our sophisticated-looking washable cover, the shape of the pillow causes the baby’s head to roll into the mother’s breast at the right angle, creating the most natural feeding position,” Noel explained. At this month’s ABC Kids Expo, Balboa Baby will introduce diaper bags into its travel category. (See them at booth #2723.) Available styles will include duffle, tote and messenger bags in four colorways, retailing between $59.99 and $89.99. The launch of these products also brings another Pepys into the baby industry fold: Noel’s sister Tiffany, who was a designer at the St. John Knits women’s label for 20 years, developed the collection of 100-percent quilted cotton, machine-washable bags. According to Noel, the new products are a true reflection of the Balboa Baby aesthetic. “Everything we do here fits our tagline: ‘Simple. Fashionable. Fun,’” he noted. “The stylish nature of our products make them easy to incorporate into parents’ lives.” For more product information, visit Balboa Baby at Balboababy.com or call (866) 465-7075.