Katie's Monday Mini Memo #002

Welcome to the second edition of Katie’s Mini Monday Memo!

Last week was a busy one, full of inspiring meetings and new opportunities. We’ve kicked off several exciting projects, all aimed at creating meaningful connections within the kids’ fashion and lifestyle industry.

Balance has been a recurring theme, from the way children learn to apply it early on (first steps, first bike) to how brands are navigating complex external pressures. One topic that stood out in conversations after asking for feedback was the ongoing confusion around Trumps tariffs & the de-minimis exemption. A time consuming and unclear challenge for many making it difficult for brands to strike the balance between creating, producing, selling and overall management of the business …

Learning to ride a bike is a formative part to most children’s journey, and these days it all starts with the balance bike. So why not do it in style… from the coolest balance bikes to must have accessories, here’s how to make those first rides unforgettable and with with plenty of personality!

The reality for many brands navigating U.S tariffs & the De minimis exemption rollback is a real headache – confusing, time consuming & financially terrifying in some cases. We’ve heard reports of US customs issuing a $21K Tariff bill on a $20K shipment – a clear miscalculation, but still requiring hours of back-and-forth for the brands to resolve.

To avoid these kinds of situations, many brands are now working via 3PLs to mitigate the impact of tariffs, but that comes with its own challenges. Brands are being hit from both sides: Tariffs on wholesale and the end of De minimis are impacting direct to consumer sales.

There are Shopify plug-ins that help at the checkout with the calculation but it doesn’t solve who takes the hit… if it’s the brand then how sustainable is that with inflation and shrinking margins? If it’s passed to the customer –  will that deter international sales altogether?

Linda and I dug into this in our upcoming Kidswear Therapy micro-pod(cast) – out later this week, and the overwhelming feeling we had was empathy. It’s a frustrating, complicated system that’s taking up way to much time and headspace for already stretched brands.

The Kind + Jugend trade fair kicks off this week from September 9-11, 2025 in Cologne Germany. Held at the Koelnmesse, the show features the latest innovations in baby gear, clothing, furniture, and safety products for baby/child. You will find the latest Banwood products there!

Little Gatherer. The beloved NZ Children’s boutique is officially up for sale. With a strong online presence, loyal following & fully relocatable setup, this is a rare opportunity to own a well-established store & community in the kids’ fashion & lifestyle space. See Pirouette News in Brief article for asking price.

Behind the cute clothes and clever branding, businesses are buried under logistics. As tariffs tighten & De minimis reforms take hold, kids’ fashion and lifestyle labels are being squeezed from all sides – wholesale, DTC, shipping and margins. It’s no longer just about design or product and market fit; the focus is on navigating trade policy, customs, dealing with miscalculations, etc. The brands that successfully forge ahead won’t just be creative – they’ll be the most adaptable, the most resilient and the most well-informed.

Katie
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