I first heard about Peekaboo Beans while chatting with the owner of a children’s consignment store in Vancouver. “Have you heard of Peekaboo Beans?” she asked with enthusiasm. “Peekaboo what?” I replied. She went on to describe this line of high-quality children’s playwear with a dedicated following of collector moms eager to snap up used pieces at higher-than-average prices, and I said: “Oh! So it’s like AppleCheeks cloth diapers, but for clothes?” To which she replied: “Apple what?”
I have a very precise knowledge of cloth diaper brands, but know very little about children’s clothing. We all have specialty knowledge in one domain or another. I used to be able to name every episode, in chronological order, of the first five seasons of “The X-Files”. Now I can engage you (perhaps against your will) in an informational session on cloth diaper brands.
So back to the Beans. Cub’s first Peekaboo Beans outfit lasted a good year and a half thanks to the stretch and generous fit (which is impressive considering how much toddlers grow). I’ve saved those pieces for his little sister, since they still look as good as new. That’s right, tucked away in my children’s closet are some vintage Beans! Yes, that’s a thing.
So let’s cut to the chase: what’s so great about Peekaboo Beans? They’re adorable and kid-approved. Cub was out of his clothes and into his Beans as soon as we brought them home:
But looks aren’t everything!
Designed by a mom, sold by moms
Founded in 2006 in Vancouver by momtrepreneur Traci Costa, Peekaboo Beans clothing is sold exclusively by moms known as Play Stylists. Peekaboo Beans prides itself on “giving moms earning power.” Since 2011, “the company has paid out over $2 million in commissions.” You can read more about Traci’s business model in this Entrepreneur Mom Now article from earlier this year. My Calgary Play Stylist is Leah Jones, a mother of two boys who has been growing her Peekaboo Beans business for two years. She is passionate about Peekaboo Beans because she believes in the importance of play in children’s development. She needed clothes for her kids that would stand up to the rigours of play. Says Leah: “I became tired of purchasing clothes from retail stores that would shrink and fall apart after just a few washes. Peekaboo Beans are manufactured without the use of any harmful chemicals or dyes and have many features that prevent them from wearing out after a couple of washes. Try them out and if for some reason you don’t like them (which probably won’t happen) you can return or exchange within 45 days!”
Ethically manufactured
With partner manufacturing facilities with “high safety standards” and four Peekaboo Beans team members on the ground in China, Peekaboo Beans isn’t shy about having their production overseas. You can read more about their ethics here.
Supporting Playground Builders
Peekaboo Beans supports Canadian registered charity PlaygroundBuilders, which “builds happy havens for over 250,000 children in war-torn areas.” It’s easy for us and our children to take the playgrounds that populate our neighbourhoods for granted!
Designed for play
So what do we think of all those selling points? Little Miss received Long Embrace Leggings which will totally grow with her thanks to the ruched legs!
While a bit fiddly to get up and onto squirmy legs, I love how the ruching keeps her ankles covered in the baby carrier!
To match, she received the Lollipop Tunic in Cherry Jubilee. Right now it’s a dress, but as she gets taller it will be a super sweet tunic! You can get adorable tops from your Play Stylist for layering underneath or on top of this short-sleeve piece. I paired it with a plain white onesie in a pinch:
Cub is rocking Hang Out Pants, which are essentially loose jeggings for boys. Reinforced knees and an elastic, drawstring waistband make them a way better choice than stiff, button-fly denim. We chose size 4 to accommodate his height, but I suspect we would’ve been okay going one size down. The draw string does go tight enough around his waist, but his lack of hips has them sliding down as he plays. Luckily, there is a lot of room left in length, so we can save this pair for KINDERGARTEN!
For his top, Cub received the Kick Flip Tee. As with his very first Beans t-shirt, the twill tape at the hem prevents twisting in the wash and also allows the shirt to hang nicely over his jeans.
Besides loving the socioeconomic values behind this Canadian company, what I love about Peekaboo Beans is the attention to detail. I am notorious for shrinking clothes in the wash. Do not sell me children’s clothing that will shrink or deform if I choose the wrong wash or dry setting! Little Miss’s outfit accidentally went through a hot, heavy duty wash with our cloth diapers and was no worse for wear. Children are hard on their clothes; we all know that! I was so concerned about Little Miss ruining her new leggings by crawling everywhere at the playground.
Peekaboo Beans are made with a custom quality fabric that can actually handle what kids throw at them. No point in having leggings that will grow with her if they don’t last! Peekaboo Beans also come with fully removable tags. There’s not even a rogue stitch left behind to irritate sensitive skin.
You can definitely consider Peekaboo Beans clothing as investment pieces for your kids. That might seem weird, but it’s true. This is clothing that will last through a couple of growth spurts and still be in super shape to be handed down to a friend or sibling, or sold as vintage to another Bean lover!
Shop & Connect
Join Leah’s Peekaboo Beans Facebook Group to keep up with sales and promotions, and to order! You can also order directly from her Peekaboo Beans Play Stylist Store!
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