It’s a stripey, stripey world

Stripes, durability and functionality - what does that spell? Well, for a Swede it invariably means Polarn O. Pyret (which roughly translated means 'Buddy and the Little Guy') – a brand of children’s wear that first saw the daylight in 1976. Most Swedes have at least one striped piece of baby clothing that belonged either to themselves or their children, waiting to be pulled out of the closet and worn again. And again. Because clothes by Polarn O. Pyret are practically indestructible. 

  • Jennifer Athanason, Managing Partner for Polarn O. Pyret USA.

  • Despite her Nordic looks, Jennifer Athanason has no Swedish connections whatsoever, but what she does have is an eye for detail.
    “I have an affinity and appreciation for quality,” she says. “And when you touch a garment from Polarn O. Pyret you notice the quality right away.”
    Athanason, who is Managing Partner of Polarn O. Pyret USA, explains that she was first introduced to the Swedish brand when her children were young, and Swedish friends gave her Polarn O. Pyret baby clothes.
    “I was living and working in Moscow, Russia, at the time and made several trips to Sweden. Polarn O. Pyret seemed like low-hanging fruit, ripe for picking, something to introduce to the American market.”
    That was back in 2003. Fast forward to today and you have an up-and-running Polarn O. Pyret online shop. And Athanason has no doubt the Swedish brand has a promising future in America.
    “Not just because of the high quality, but because of the breadth of the line; we have everything from diaper covers to rain boots ... now they don’t have that at GAP. Also the styling, it’s so fresh and distinct. When your child wears Polarn O. Pyret you see the child, not the clothing. With some other children’s clothing your child will look cute, sure, but at the same time he will be cold. Not so with our clothes.”
    Athanason is also smart enough, however, to understand that there might be some training ahead for the consumer. Polarn O. Pyret, like most Scandinavian children’s clothing, has none of the bells and whistles of American children’s wear. You will see no pink princesses or Superman t-shirts here. No frills or bows. Instead the appeal is the fresh simplicity and unisex thinking that Swedes have long cherished. Athanason thinks American customers will hook onto it, too.
    “Perhaps two years ago, an American mother would spend $150 on designer jeans for her kids, not so today. Instead buy something red and let both Bob and Cindy wear it. I find the unisex aspect of it very attractive and believe other Americans will, too.”
    And the clothes will last through wearings by many siblings. Most people associate Polarn O. Pyret with the stripes, and indeed the stripes were there from the very beginning. The designers behind them are Katarina af Klintberg and Gunilla Axén. The striped clothes have been copied a lot throughout the years.
    “What also made me fall in love with the line was the caring for the consumer. It’s such a wonderful philosophy, the attention to detail, the thoughtfulness…. There’s the social responsibility*, there’s the ECO aspect. We have an ECO collection manufactured from 100% organic cotton. Our entire line of striped clothing is ECO. Also, rain gear like Polarn O. Pyret’s doesn’t really exist in the U.S. I told them in Sweden, when it rains in America our kids are inside watching TV, but Swedish children, of course, are outside playing, no matter the weather. So they need rain gear that keeps them both warm and dry.”
    Polarn O. Pyret’s online shop was launched earlier this year, but you can also expect a store in the near future.
    “It’s a brand with a story and a heart,” Athanason says. “A brand with integrity. Not just Swedes love it, but just about anyone who’s been exposed to the brand in Europe.”
    For more information:
    www.polarnopyretusa.com

  • * Because social responsibility is a priority for Polarn O. Pyret, the company has been a member of BSCI, the Business Social Compliance Initiative, since 2005. BSCI is an independent, non-profit European initiative within the area of social responsibility. Polarn O. Pyret’s code of conduct helps ensure that their suppliers offer their employees a safe and secure working environment. The code of conduct regulates environmental requirements and standards for waste management as well as chemical and other hazardous materials management and disposal.