Kind + Jugend 2022 Trends & Insights
Last month the MODYN team hit the road for Kind + Jugend, the leading international trade fair for high-quality baby and toddler products. Having worked on everything from child bike seats to strollers, car seats, scooters, kids toys and more, the two-day event in Cologne, Germany was a great opportunity to mingle with others in the industry and get inspired for future projects.
K&J 2022 was also a long time coming. With the coronavirus canceling the show in 2020 and the 2021 show taking on a smaller profile, this year visitors and exhibitors were excited to get back in the same room together to share ideas and meet in person again.
So after two years, what was it like? Our CMF Designers Mandy van der Heijden and Viktorija Šarlāne were there to gain insight and report back on all the trends. So whether you were there and want a quick recap or you had to miss it again this year, this post
“Okay maybe we’re a little biased,” Mandy admitted. “But we thought that Thule by far had the best stage of the show. Not only was it this big beautiful stage, but they revealed some really innovative products, like their new stroller with an air purifier integrated into the canopy.”
This innovative canopy addresses the pollution problem that urban families face worldwide by using proven air purification technology to purify the air around your baby. Connected to an app, it also allows parents to monitor air quality levels.
“There was also the reveal of Thule’s car seat, their first ever product in this category. We are really proud of our team for working on this project with Thule, so to see them present it to the world at K&J while we were there was special,” Mandy explained.
Besides Thule’s Shine Air Purifier Canopy, Mandy and Viktorija noticed a few innovations in the stroller space.
“One of the highlights we see developing over the years, was integrated stroller lighting. Next to reflective trims, soft goods and rims, this is the next step into better visibility. We think it’s going to be the new normal!”, Viktorija noted.
Another one of their favorites was the Jiffle Wagon. “It has everything that parents on the move need. It’s a clean-looking stroller, it has a ride-along step-up board, and next to that it can be converted into a spacious wagon cart which can be used for your child or any of your belongings you want to take with you when on an adventure. We weren’t surprised that this newcomer won the Kind + Jugend innovation award.” Mandy and Viktorija noted.
Of course, our CMF Designers had something to say about the colors, materials and finishes displayed at the K&J fair. “CMF is an integral part of baby and toddler products, and this year you could really see how the pandemic affected the design choices made,” Mandy admitted.
“Overall, it was a very nature-inspired color pallet,” Viktorija explained. “We saw a lot of great shades of green, as well as sand and terracotta colors. After the pandemic, we’re seeing that there’s this real desire to reconnect with nature, and that was evident across Kind and Jugend this year. Next to that, we also saw some nice combinations of contrasting textures to give the child and parent a more tactile experience. This goes hand in hand with using high-performance fabrics for different weather conditions. Like UPF50+, durable water resistance, and breathability.”
At last, there’s one trend our team is happy to see become the new norm. “We saw many more stroller brands use recycled fabrics,” Mandy told us. “It’s good to see that the majority of the toy and furniture brands are switching to more sustainable materials and ways of producing. Only together we can make the change.”
So, what did you think? Reach out to us on LinkedIn and let us know your thoughts.
