Safe Bet

Dress and bloomer set by Little Me. From “The Age of Innocence,” Sept./Oct. 2023.

Global technology research and advisory company Technavio has made a powerful forecast, estimating that the global baby clothing market will grow by $33.8 billion from 2024–2028. The main driver? Rising awareness regarding safety and comfort for little ones.

Key players, according to the report, include top names like Adidas, Carter’s, Gerber, and Disney. The baby clothing market, it explains, has experienced significant growth due to the innovation of smart apparel. Think: biosensors in baby clothes to detect infant movements and transmit data to parents’ smartphones for monitoring. In 2021, for example, Nanit introduced wireless pajamas that could track breathing and sleep patterns, complete with alert settings to let parents know if baby is having trouble breathing.

But the growth goes beyond safety concerns. Parents are interested in modern and innovative designs that span socks, shoes, and underwear. According to the study, parents are also investing in smart clothing like temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking garments. Also to be expected, fun prints and character clothing are trending, as well as designs that focus on comfort and practicality (easy on and off).

Technavio did call out some challenges to the current market, including a shift to renting and leasing baby apparel to save money and reduce impact on the environment. Also along those lines, there has been an increased consumer preference for organic and eco-friendly materials, such as cotton and natural fibers, which can be more costly to produce. Overall, the report shows the baby market as a thriving industry, set to accelerate at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8% in the coming years.