Hottrends in baby and toddler equipment in 2024

We can look forward to many new products from the baby and toddler equipment sector in 2024. But which products are particularly innovative and stand out? We spoke to Katja Keienburg, who has been head of the international magazine baby&junior since March 2020, to find out. For the second year in a row, she is part of the Kind + Jugend Innovation Awards jury and is taking a close look at the nominated products with her expertise. What does she pay particular attention to in her assessment? The innovative character of the products!

Sustainability has been an important topic for many for quite some time and plays a particularly important role in the purchasing decisions of millennial parents. This is also reflected on the product side in baby and toddler equipment: recycled materials are being used in more and more strollers, car seats, fashion & accessories, bottles, pacifiers and care products. Some manufacturers already offer their own recycling and upcycling programmes that allow customers to send their used products back for reprocessing.

But sustainability is only one aspect. "Families are travelling together more often, whether it's short trips from the supermarket to back home or longer journeys. That's why combination and all-in-one systems that offer, for example, a baby car seat, pushchair and stroller in one are in demand," observes Katja Keienburg. Products that are suitable for everyday use, grow with the child and are suitable for a wide variety of situations will be at the top of Katja Keienburg's list of trends in 2024. As a positive side effect, all-in-one systems are not only incredibly practical, but also often cheaper compared to the individual components - which saves parents money!

All-in-one sounds good, but is there more to discover? The digital age does not stop at strollers and smart technologies are increasingly in demand. For instance, innovative manufacturers are offering strollers with mechanical support when pushing and an integrated rocking function. One hand can be used to push the stroller while the other is free for a mobile phone, iced coffee or umbrella.

"Manufacturers are listening to their customers more carefully, they do their own research, study competitor products and respond to the ever-changing needs of their target group," Katja Keienburg tells us. Instead of focusing on temporary trends, manufacturers are increasingly focussing on developing products that offer practical solutions for families' everyday lives. For example, there are innovative solutions such as baby bodysuits that grow with the child or drinking bottles that allow the baby to control the flow of liquid themselves. This customer-centred approach enables manufacturers to create innovative and valuable products that meet the real challenges of their users and their everyday lives.

Katja Keienburg is already excited for Kind + Jugend 2024: "Hundreds of international companies come together here and you can discover products and labels that you wouldn't otherwise get to know without extensive research and travelling." A visit to the leading trade fair is worthwhile for exhibitors and trade visitors alike. Over the three days of the trade fair, innovative products from all over the world are presented to a broad international audience - and at the same time, the well over 600 exhibitors offer a unique opportunity for inspiration.

Innovations are also discovered, presented and promoted away from the stands: "The Innovation Award is a great opportunity to draw attention to yourself and your products. An award emphasizes individual products and highlights their special features," enthuses Katja Keienburg. In addition, the award-winning products receive a seal that highlights the quality and innovative strength, which not only promotes visibility for the award-winning products and companies, but also contributes to sustainable development and innovation in the industry.

As you can see, things remain exciting in the world of baby products! Come and see the special product innovations that will be presented at Kind + Jugend 2024 in person from 3rd to 5th September!

Innovation Award: https://www.kindundjugend.de/events/events-vor-ort/innovation-award/