New products reflect diverse backgrounds

High Point— Although the number of minority births continues to increase in the United States, finding products that reflect those diverse heritages can be difficult. In fact, many of the manufacturers entering the juvenile industry with minority-focused products say that lack of product was the impetus for them to join the business.

Beverly Sutherland, president of bedding company Afrobabies Collection, previously worked in the technology consulting field. After becoming pregnant with her son, Elijah, Sutherland said she was disappointed with the bedding options. She began doing some research, and in 2005 launched the Pasadena, Calif.-based Afrobabies, which includes the Young Dreamers line featuring licensed designs from Negro League Baseball.

Sutherland made her debut at the All Baby and Child Expo in Las Vegas last September.

"We found the stores that had African American or black customers were excited," she said. "One woman even hugged me and said 'I've been waiting (for this).' "

"There needs to be some education to the retailers as to the importance of having culturally diverse products," Sutherland said. "(Retailers) need to understand that people like to see images of themselves."

Anthony Brown, the president of North Carolina-based bedding manufacturer Brown Toes, began work on his product line in 2001. The line features two quilts; one is designed to honor the different races who worked together to form the Underground Railroad, while the Arrival quilt features a stork delivering a baby. Customers can specify the color of the baby — vanilla, caramel or chocolate.

"We celebrate ... extraordinary friendships," Brown said. "Those people come in different shapes, textures, colors."

But bedding isn't the only way that manufacturers are getting their message across. Beth Butler founded her Boca Beth program in 2002. The program uses a combination of CDs, DVDs and a puppet named Boca to teach English and Spanish to children through song.

Butler said she created the line in part because of the booming Latino population in the United States. She said her program is unique in that it is helpful for both native English and Spanish speakers, as opposed to being a program that teaches English speakers Spanish.

Although Afrobabies, Brown Toes and Boca Beth are offered online, all three owners say they recognized the importance of being in stores as well. Susie Woomer of Virginia-based Baby-2-Teen Furniture began carrying the Afrobabies line.

"I live in a melting pot of diverse cultures," said Woomer. "(Multicultural product) is an area that's been overlooked."

Woomer added that she is looking for artwork and other products geared toward minority and interracial children. She said it isn't easy to find product that reflects her entire customer base, but she is pleased with the efforts she is seeing. "I think it's long overdue," Woomer said.