Business owner Laura Genova plans to produce a line of footie pajamas for babies that are equal parts stylish and sustainable — and easy to get on and off.
With her Brooklyn, N.Y., venture, Deklan Zip Footies, Genova wants to help parents of young children easily go “from sleep to play” without having to struggle with changing fidgety kids. As a mother, she understands that need firsthand, having battled her own active youngster in and out of onesies with buttons, clasps and snaps on many occasions. “At a certain point, changing my son is really difficult” because his pajamas are so tough to work around, she says in her campaign video. “The search was endless for a pajama that had all the features I was looking for.”
Related: Read about another baby-focused business owner.
She decided to design and make them herself, leaving behind a decade-long career in finance to launch her brand and, with her mother’s help, create the perfect pajamas. To make pajamas easier for parents to work with, Genova’s designs feature a two-way zipper. The feet — which have no-slip dots added for traction — can be removed. Plus, each set comes with a matching headband and beanie hat, for piecing together easily coordinated outfits.
Genova is also concerned about the sustainability of her products. So each pair of pajamas is made mostly from organic cotton, and patterns are applied digitally, rather than through screen printing — which she says is more eco-friendly.
“The classic footie pajama is a staple in every baby’s wardrobe,” the campaign states. However, “there are actually very few options on the market that combine an attractive style with thoughtful design.” Now, she’s raising money to bring that option to parents.
The Money: Within the next 13 days, Genova hopes to reach her crowdfunding goal of $10,000. Her campaign, hosted by iFundWomen, says the money will be used to complete product testing and order the minimum quantity of pajamas required by the manufacturer.
Related: Read about other women crowdfunders we’ve featured.