Clothing can help us look and feel our best, and even though they are small, Tiny Humans deserve to feel like this as well. Tiny Human Apparel offers fun onesies, shirts and bibs for the tiniest humans in our lives.
Located in The Runway, Allie Siarto offers a quirky line of clothing perfect for showers and as “welcome to the world” gifts.
Founded:
Allie Siarto
The Problem Being Solved:
The onesies, shirts and other apparel designed for Tiny Humans (aka, “babies”) are simply meant to be fun, quirky pieces to make you smile.
But, Allie has a product in development that will help solve a problem she faces everyday with her own, one-year-old daughter. Her sweatshirt shoes for little ones will be a flat bootie mean to walk around in but they will have a strap that will tighten around the ankle, making it harder for baby to pull them off. They will also close the gap between the pant and shoes, keeping the little one’s feet warmer. Perfect for daycare, inside or out, the shoes are protective, warm and much more practical than some of the current options.
Where the Idea Came From:
“Having a daughter,” says Allie “was inspiration for all of it.” She was the original tester for the onesies and she presented the problem that spurred Allie to invent the shoes. “The first thing she does in the car is pull off her socks and shoes.” The kicker came when she picked her up from daycare and she was wearing another kid’s socks. So, Allie started wondering, “What can I make that will keep these on your feet?”
Sometimes when you look at the shoes they make for kids, Allie says you can’t help but wonder what they were thinking. Tiny Human sweatshirt shoes offer and cute and practical option. And she has tested them on her daughter. She says so far they’ve been good and she’s had a much harder time getting them off.
Exciting Opportunities:
Up until now, Allie has always worked in the digital field where all the products were electronic, so she’s excited by the idea of having physical product. “People can actually see (and hold) what I’ve put my heart into.” She gets excited at the idea of taking that product home with her and sharing her excitement.
She enjoys seeing the reactions when her daughter wears them and enjoys being able to share her excitement and solve a problem at the same time.
Biggest Challenge:
On the other side of the coin, having a physical product also adds an aspect of worry. “You always have to play the inventory game,” Allie says. “Knowing how much to buy and make is always tricky, and it’s much more expensive than digital.”
Surprises:
“Learning how intricate everything is has been a lesson,” says Allie. “I make a list everyday and I’m lucky if I get one thing done.” She’s been surprised to find out how much easier easier it is selling pixels than is than making a tangible item.
Funding:
Self-funded
The Future:
Allie would love to be able to focus on making the booties in the near future, and she is also working on reaching out to boutiques and getting her products into those. “There is so much potential in just starting locally and expanding from there.”
She would love to have the products on the floor somewhere where people can see them and get excited, and share them as gifts or at showers.
Advice:
Allie would like to stress to new entrepreneurs how important it is to consider your lifestyle and start an emergency fund as you get started. It’s such an uncertain area and she says, “You won’t want to end up in a position where you are making decisions out of fear.”
You can find Tiny Human Apparel on their website.
Lansing’s newest incubator, The Runway, one of 7 best places in Lansing to start a business, is up and running and is now open for retail sales. The state’s first fashion incubator, it houses individuals and companies creating unique, innovative, and of course, stylish lines of clothing.
You can learn more about the Runway here:
