Zutano and DEMDACO announce Strategic Licensing Agreement to Create Extensive Line of Zutano-Inspired Plush and Gifts
Cabot, VT – Zutano, the Vermont-based designer of children’s clothing, accessories and nursery products, is excited to announce a strategic licensing agreement with DEMDACO®, the Leawood, Kansas-based design firm specializing in gift and home décor products. DEMDACO is a well-known leader in the gift industry, offering brands that include Willow Tree®, DEMDACO® Studio, Silvestri!TM by DEMDACO, Big Sky Carvers®, Embellish Your Story by Roeda, and DEMDACO Nat & JulesTM.
The DEMDACO Nat & Jules team has worked with Zutano designer Uli Belenky to create a line of sweet and sophisticated plush and décor products inspired by some of Zutano’s most successful prints and characters.
Reflecting Zutano’s signature vibrant colors and original prints, the collection will offer a wide range of products that includes plush animals and dolls, children’s activity toys, rattles, accessories, wooden toys, picture frames and banks. The pieces capture the wonderfully vibrant and modern designs of Zutano’s beloved clothing and home products. Product will be unveiled at The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market in January 2014, and will ship in January, 2014.
Zutano, one of the most influential brands in children’s fashion and a category leader for design innovation, sees this partnership as a wonderful extension for Zutano’s brilliant colors and patterns.
“Seeing our characters come to life in a three-dimensional, high-quality plush is so exciting. It’s as if our designs have come alive and bounced off of Zutano clothing into the hands of babies!” says Uli. “Our most popular patterns, including ‘Little Bear,’ ‘Elephant Parade’ and ‘Owls’ have sprung to life in such new product applications, it’s been a joy to see this transformation.”
Since 1997, DEMDACO has been devoted to the mission of lifting the spirit through home décor and gift products. DEMDACO believes in products that make an emotional connection with the person who purchases it and with the recipient of the thoughtful gift. They are dedicated to sharing products that are innovative, inspiring and of exceptional quality that tell—and create—a story. DEMDACO products are carried at a variety of shops, such as gift and specialty stores, flower shops and hospitals.
“We are very excited to create this collection with Zutano,” says Christine Lien, DEMDACO’s VP of Product Development, Nat & Jules.” Our commitment to delivering fresh, new, designs to the marketplace with our extensive sales team has made this partnership flourish. Uli’s design aesthetic applied to our innovative plush and product lines will no doubt create a powerful result. Today’s young parents are searching for products that convey the sophistication and unique qualities of their lifestyle. Zutano is the ideal partner to assist in the development of modern, vividly colored plush for baby that will capture the attention of new parents and gift-givers everywhere!”
“We are thrilled to work with DEMDACO on this line,” says Michael Belenky, President of Zutano. “It is a fantastic opportunity to extend Zutano’s proven and successful designs and collaborate on new products that are ideal for Zutano’s characters and prints. We are confident that with DEMDACO’s extensive and professional sales team, we’ll be able to share these products with many new stores around the United States.”
About Zutano
Zutano began with an amazingly simple idea that was inspired by the arrival of Michael and Uli Belenky’s first daughter — create high-quality clothes with a variety that comes from mixing and matching prints, patterns and textures. The result was a lovingly created line of baby clothes that was as unique as their precious daughter. Today, twenty-four years later, they continue to create magical children’s products in the foothills of Cabot, Vermont. Zutano strives to support a nurturing world for babies to come into. The company believes that business has a responsibility to appropriately manage and protect the environment and community through respectful holistic practices locally as well as globally. It is a solid example of a sustainable global business based in the hills of Cabot, Vermont. Founded by Uli and Michael Belenky in 1989, Zutano is now available at more than 1,500 gift and specialty boutiques and retailers worldwide as well as on the web at select e-tailers and Zutano.com. New York’s famed FAO Schwarz houses a 500-sq ft. Zutano boutique, which carries the entire line of sweet and sophisticated designs.
For More Information: For more detailed product information, please contact Ann Pechaver: ann@zutano.com or call 802-578-7512. Visit the Zutano web site at http://www.zutano.com
About DEMDACO
In 1997, Dave and Demi Kiersznowski founded a company dedicated to doing business the way it ought to be done, while creating artist-driven gift and home décor products that lift the spirit. DEMDACO is dedicated to sharing products that are innovative, inspiring and of exceptional quality that tell—and create—a story.
The DEMDACO family of brands includes Willow Tree®, DEMDACO® Studio, Silvestri!TM by DEMDACO, Big Sky Carvers®, Embellish Your Story by Roeda, and DEMDACO Nat & JulesTM. DEMDACO products are sold primarily at specialty and independent retailers nationwide.
For more information about DEMDACO products please contact Customer Care by phone at 888-336-3226, email customercare@demdaco.com, or visit the DEMDACO web site at DEMDACOretailers.com
