A great article came out this week featuring Town Hall and the value of quality and sustainable kid's gear in the current retail and outdoor environment. Author Kelly Bastone wrote for Outside that “a big change may be afoot...The past two years have seen a surge in boutique brands bringing premium children’s apparel to market with unusual success.” Bastone goes on to interview some key players in the kids outdoor gear market including us at Town Hall, namuk, Reima, Picture Organic and Hootie Hoo. Additionally, she pulled some great stats and interviews with sharp buyers and retailers, one of whom Town Hall is honored to partner with: evo. 

Of course, we are flattered by the press and to be mentioned in the same article with such big names. But the bigger takeaway is the fact that kids are in need of and deserve great apparel that lasts much longer than one winter, and that’s the value we offer kids, families and communities with our kid’s winter gear.

We at Town Hall are laser-focused on sustainability and community 

What does that mean, exactly? We are working every day to ensure that our gear is as durable as can be to 1) stay out of the landfill for longer and 2) keep kids comfortably playing outside for longer. 

How does Town Hall make durable gear for kids? 

From the fabrics and trims (think: zippers, velcro, snaps) to the design process, we ensure that there is the right amount of fabric and reinforcement in those key wear areas where kiddos tend to play harder. We build in grow seams so that you can extend the life of the product for an extra year or two, as your kiddo grows up. And, being a brand born and built deep in the Rocky Mountains, we test the heck out of our gear, on real mountain kids, who live to rip, slip, slide and play hard outside. 

How Town Hall makes sustainable kid’s gear

From a sustainability perspective, our Mountain Town Winter Jacket and Mountain Town Winter Pants are made with roughly 98% recycled materials. Everything except for the zippers, velcro, wrist gaiters and snaps are recycled. Yep, that great fabric, insulation and even the interior tags are all made of fabric built from recycled plastic bottles. And we are working hard to get those recycled in future seasons. 

Community is everything

As for community, we believe that all kids (heck, all humans) need to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They want to belong and feel welcome and express themselves. We are outfitting kids to play and love outside. The longer kids can joyfully stay outside, the longer you, the parents, can too. 

We believe in Hand-Me-Ups, not hand-me-downs

We are building fresh and different kid’s ski and snow garments that are so durable, well-built and coveted that, when outgrown, they are lovingly called Hand-Me-Ups. The next kiddo to wear that Town Hall piece will wear it with pride, knowing that the previous adventures in their gear were vast and they did right by extending its life and keeping their apparel in their community, amongst friends.

Sustainability and durability creates longlasting value 

So, yes, you can find cheaper kids gear out there. But, we encourage you to learn more about how its made and the materials used. We are so confident that our gear will last, and according to this article, that’s what more and more outdoor families with young kids are looking for.  

Featured Image and Above Photo Credit: Elisa Maines Photography