HOTSLINGS®

Kristen DeRocha is the owner of Hotslings®, a multi-million dollar small multinational corporation. Kirsten is a mother of two and an entrepreneur. Kristen grew up in Arlington , TX and came from very modest background. She has always been obsessed with clothing and has always creatively dressed due to budget constraints. She graduated from Sam Houston High School (Arlington, TX) in the top 3% of class. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. Kristen taught high school Biology for 6 years in both low socioeconomic as well as privileged areas in Texas. She sewed creatively at home as a past time.

What was the inspiration behind the creation of your company in 2003?

I became involved with Attachment Parenting/Breastfeeding groups after the birth of my first child in 2001. Attachment parenting embraces the use of baby slings as a gentle parenting tool. I developed a baby carrier for my toddler daughter that satisfied my need to look stylish and feel comfortable. I saw a pouch style sling at a La Leche League meeting and had to have one. I had used adjustable slings with rings and tails up until that point and was never comfortable with them, the rings were constantly having to be re-adjusted. I looked around at pouches and found nothing I liked. So I sewed myself one out of some funky fabric I had around the house. This became my sling of choice. People began seeing me with this groovy pouch around town and wanted me to make them. So I set up a small website and named her designs “Hotslings®” to make people think of something fun, easy and hip. My ideas took off and eventually I was able to quit teaching and hire out sewing to create a constant supply of Hotslings®. The Hotsling® is a copyrighted, original design. "We are always striving to improve our products through obsessive fashion trend watching. We innovate and create excellence."



Can you tell us about the Hotsling® Collections?

HOTSLINGS® currently offers 3 collections: the Everyday, Designer and Seasonal plus Accessories.

• Everyday - affordable price point of $44

• Designer - specialty prints and reversible styles designed by top fashion fabric designers as well as in house - higher price point $56-$60

• Seasonal - our Deluxe Pool Pouch is available in the summer months - great for the pool and shower

• Accessories - Kid-sized slings and Detachable pockets (viewed here)

Can you tell us about the features of your Hotslings®?



FEATURES (according to Hotslings®)

• Sleek, one-piece fitted design.

• Fashion fabrics in today's colors and styles.

• Easy to use! No snaps, rings, buckles or fuss.

• Many sizes for a precise fit.

• Wide shoulder that spreads evenly across your back.

• Original sleek leg padding design to minimize cutting into tender knees.

• Extremely compact. Folds down to nothing in your diaper bag or purse.

• Promotes bonding, breastfeeding, closeness and trust.

• Calms fussy babies with swaddling effect.

• Hands free.

• Live your life with a calm, close, attached, happy baby.

• 3-5 carrying positions.

• Great for newborns up until the toddler stage.

• Easy care. Machine wash, hang dry.

• Made in USA under fair labor conditions.

AWARDS:

• iParenting Media HOT Award Winner.

PURCHASING DETAILS:

• Shop the Hotslings® Online Store

• Retail locations: Please click here

Success Through Play™ Comments:

Hotslings® sent us samples of their hemp/organic cotton Hotsling® and their Summer Pool Pouch. Our engineer was very impressed with the design and high quality of the pouches. "The fabric stretches in just the right places to support baby, it's genius!". These pouches well very well received by both the moms and dads on our panel!


The Hemp/Organic Hotslings® is Hotslings® "greenest fabric: carry your baby with eco-consciousness". We applaud Hotslings® for offering this chemical free pouch. This hemp/organic cotton/Lycra blend stretch twill is undyed and unbleached and our parent panel fell in love with the soft luxurious feel of the fabric. This pouch boasts the Original Hotslings® leg padding which is built in. The panel commented that this pouch provided "superior support to baby who was blissfully happy being carried in the pouch!"


The Summer Pool Pouch features two layers of Solarveil® mesh which is reported to provide 90% UV protection. Our parent panel really appreciated the breathability of the material and found the this pouch to be invaluable during warm weather. The key/toy loop won praise with our panel.



Since the Hotsling® is a non adjustable pouch, selecting the correct size is imperative. To assist you in selecting the correct size, please visit the sizing guidelines by clicking here.

Each Hotsling® arrives in a handy carrying case and and an instructional DVD and booklet is included with each purchase. The Hotslings® DVD "introduces you to the fashionable side of babywearing!" We were very impressed with the content of the DVD which covers a wide range of topics and includes a greeting from the owner of the company, Kristen DeRocha, detailed instructions on how to fold your Hotsling® correctly and demonstrations of 5 different carrying positions. Not be missed are the safety tips and guidelines for determining whether the Hotsling® fits you correctly. This is important because taking the time to make certain that you have the correct fit will minimize potential back and shoulder discomfort.

The Hotslings® website is very well designed and easy to navigate. The full catalog can be viewed by clicking here. Wearing instructions can be accessed here. Hotslings® lives up to its motto of "introducing us to the fashionable side of babywearing and boasts a beautiful line of trendy and hip designs". By offering these trendy designs, we believe that more parents will be intrigued to learn about carrying your baby and thus the benefits will be extended to many more parents! What can we expect from Hotslings® in the future? Kristen is working on nursing wear for a new generation of moms who don't want to be censored. Stay tuned for details!