Essential for launching a kids’ apparel brand! Design points for children’s clothing focused on safety, comfort, and independence using buttons and zippers

Hello! This is Kimura from the ApparelX trend blog.

Recently, I often arrange colorful materials in pop colors, and I suddenly thought that the cute color combinations remind me of children’s clothing.

Personally, when I was a student I worked part-time for about three years as a sales associate at an apparel brand that offered Ladies+Kids (85cm to 120cm / about 2 to 6 years old).

So this time, while recalling customers’ feedback from back then, I’d like to introduce the design points for children’s clothing that should be kept in mind—“safety, comfort, and independence”—for brands and designers who are thinking, “I want to expand into kids’ apparel in addition to our existing line!” or “How should we differentiate it from adult clothing?”

Introduction

Designing a kids’ line is not just about visual design. For brands that develop both Ladies/Mens and Kids lines, this is often the first hurdle.

From my experience listening to parents at a large shopping center, clothing for toddlers in the 85 to 120 cm size range (about 2 to 6 years old) often had clearly defined purchase purposes and required functions, such as “I want something easy to use every day at nursery school/kindergarten” or “I’m looking for a nice outer layer to wear to recitals or weddings, but I want it to be washable.”

What specifications are really needed for nursery clothes?

Hooded outerwear is almost always a no-go, but some schools allow it if it is detachable!

Many kindergartens and nursery schools prohibit hoods. The reason is simple: when children are playing outside, there is a risk of “getting caught on play equipment and suffocating.”

However, some parents said, “Even if it has a hood, it’s fine as long as it can be removed.”

That is why we recommend 2-way designs with detachable hoods.

It is recommended to use easy-on/easy-off zippers or snap buttons as trim parts.

● Recommended zippers for detachable hoods

There are open, closed, and two way separator zippers, but since this is for detachment, please choose an open zipper in this case.

One side is sewn to the outerwear body, and the other side is sewn to the hood.

5CIFOR Coil zipper, size 5, open

A coil zipper is made from polyester or other resin materials, and its elements are coiled. Because it is a continuous element, it is more flexible than metal zippers or Vislon® zippers.

It is lighter than a metal zipper, so it does not feel heavy even when wearing a hood. It may be difficult for preschool children to put on and take off by themselves, but if you want to prioritize lighter weight, a size 3 coil zipper is also recommended.

● Recommended snap buttons for detachable hoods

SUN GRIP SG600 (head/spring/stud)

SUN GRIP plastic snap buttons that emphasize durability and strength. They fit softly, are strong against sideways pulling, and have a flexible fastening feel, making them suitable for sports and outdoor use.

This environmentally conscious plastic hook won the Good Design Award in 2012 for its combination of high durability and beautiful design.

By attaching it to a stand collar + hood, you can create a fully detachable-hood design. For lightweight outerwear such as nylon windbreakers, it is also possible to use this snap button to create a type where the hood fabric can be folded away into the stand-collar area.

A 2-way specification that lets you choose whether or not to use the hood depending on the situation is highly valued. Because the rules differ from school to school, it is hard to say that any one design is always safe, but it is an essential element for preventing accidents in advance.

This time, I’m introducing lightweight outerwear for outdoor play, but for heavier autumn/winter outerwear such as mods coats, it seems useful to apply a 3-way design that allows the hood, fur, or liner to be removed using metal zippers or metal snaps to match the mood of the item.

2. Tips for choosing buttons and zippers

Of course design and color are important, but fostering the feeling of “I did it myself!” is also a key theme in nursery clothing: being able to dress oneself.

As support for that, thoughtful selection of small parts is a major point.

From the perspective of trim suppliers, I personally also recommend the following points in design.

 • Larger buttons → easier for small hands to pinch and practice with

 • Make the button and buttonhole colors the same → easy to understand, like “red button🔴 in the red hole⭕️,” supporting a sense of success

 • Make the zipper size larger → a larger coil zipper of size 5 or above, or a Vislon zipper, slides smoothly and is easier to open even with weak fingertip strength.

 💡Even in actual sales settings, there were comments such as “hard zippers make children dislike them,” and there were many situations where adults checked how easy the zipper was to open and close, or children tried the garment on to see whether they could put it on by themselves.

3. Strings and cords are a no-go. Outerwear without drawcords is in high demand!

The second most common no-go item in nursery clothing design is strings and cords.

Parents often said, “I’m looking for a windbreaker for outdoor play, but it’s surprisingly hard to find one without strings,” and “If the cuffs can’t be tightened, wind gets in and it’s cold, but cords are prohibited at school...”

What emerged from those comments was that designs without drawcords are recommended.

If the design can be tightened with full elastic or hook and loop, there is no need for string adjustment and no parts to pull, so it can be worn safely, and it seems to be acceptable at many schools.

● Recommended corded elastic for full-elastic specifications

OGC corded elastic * Lycra used

A standard corded elastic at ApparelX. It is perfect for cuffs on thin functional outerwear that would be too stiff with elastic webbing.

● Recommended hook and loop

4QNN-N Quicklon® Q Mate® hook and loop

YKK’s hook and loop, Quicklon®. Hook and loop does not need to worry about corrosion from sweat or dust, and unlike ordinary zippers, there is no risk of the pull tab breaking.

This is a mixed-type product called Q Mate®, in which hooks and loops are woven into a single tape, so there is no distinction between hook and loop and therefore no difference in installation, making it easy for children to handle.

I think everyone has experienced dirt and dust accumulating on the hook side of hook-and-loop fasteners, so how easy it is to clean is also an attractive feature for children’s clothing.

Recommended kids’ apparel products featured on ApparelX

There is a kids category in the style list as well, and from among those I’d like to introduce a few recommended products that really feel like “this is children’s clothing!”

174-101 lame Lame crest button

An accessory used as a cuff button on shirt sleeves.

A fancy crest button that becomes a highlight for recitals and outing outfits.

A crest button is a type of cufflink, an accessory mainly used to fasten shirt cuffs.
It is also used as a type of Chinese button and as a decorative element on costumes.

VE9489 Polyester resin, front side with 2 holesbutton

A glossy polyester resin button with 2 front holes. It is dyeable, so it can be used in a wide range of applications.

It has a cute, girly, children’s-clothing look, but since the size is small at 8 mm/10 mm, it is also recommended as a decorative button on the chest area, and so on.

VT9969  Colorful buttons for shirts, polo shirts, and lightweight clothing

Colorful polyester buttons that are very useful for shirts, polo shirts, and knit items.

Because there are many edge color variations, it would be cute to intentionally use a colorful button combination on a single garment.

PLEASANT Plezant

A standard, cost-effective chlorinated vinyl leather from a home interior manufacturer.

With all 46 colors upgraded to support “antibacterial,” “alcohol-resistant,” and “sodium hypochlorite resistant*,” it can be used with confidence for kids’ apparel and miscellaneous goods that require easy care.

Its alcohol resistance is also appreciated because it can be quickly wiped with a wet tissue when it gets dirty while out and about.

Sodium hypochlorite resistant*
This refers to the ability to prevent discoloration through disinfection with a sodium hypochlorite aqueous solution. Sodium hypochlorite is the main ingredient in chlorine bleach and is used in situations where disinfection is needed to prevent infection in medical institutions, care facilities, homes, and other places. Materials with sodium hypochlorite resistance are less likely to discolor even when immersed in a sodium hypochlorite solution

Summary

What did you think?

In apparel design for nursery clothes, the important thing is to balance these three: “school safety standards,” “the practical perspective of parents,” and “the child’s own ‘I did it!’ experience.”

Going forward, when designing and producing kids’ apparel, I think focusing on the axis of “cute + safe + supports growth” will directly lead to fan trust and repeat purchases.

As an aside, when I was working part-time, I saw small children every weekend, so I somehow developed a strange ability to guess their clothing size exactly just by looking at them. (Though I probably no longer have that ability now...)

While more and more children’s clothing is becoming highly designed, stylish, and cute like adult clothing, I realized that because it can drift away from practicality, many people carefully separate everyday clothes from going-out clothes when choosing items.

I also heard from people that fast-growing children can outgrow even their favorite clothes within a single season before they know it, so if there are clothes with removable designs or thoughtful details that can stay with a child’s growth for a little longer, that’s great for both the household budget and the brand.

In addition to the materials introduced this time, ApparelX carries various products, so please take a look.