Made in T.O. || Back-to-School Clothes for Kids

Too cool for school. The wee ones are way better dressed than most of us, don’t you think?

While I try not to get caught up in back-to-school shopping, I can’t help but to get excited whenever I find made-in-Canada kids clothes that are stylish, comfy and eco-conscious. Plus, I love supporting local mama-run businesses.

Here are some Toronto shopping hot spots that will get your kids in TOw back to school in style – and on a dime (see #4.)

1. Made in Toronto: We first discovered OuiMe at the One of a Kind Show. Owner and mom Areta Gawrachynsky saw a gap in the boys clothing market (thank you!) and launched a clothing line that provides style with comfort by using materials that won’t irritate sensitive skin.

I drool over the designs and ethos of mini mioche. Known for their cool styles and neutral colours, every piece is made from start to finish in Canada and exclusively for them. You can shop online or visit one of their two Toronto locations: Queen West and Distillery District.

2. Pajama Day: Kids love dress up. Super cute organic cotton pjs by Playjamas are Toronto-designed and go up to size 8. I’ve got two ninjas at home. Here is a little robot. You can buy online or see all the styles in person at Little White Sneakers:

3. Show your Toronto Pride: Little hipsters can show off their love for ‘The 6’ with some cool kid-sized Blue Jays attire at Crywolf Clothing and the Drake General Store. For the little-library lovers in TOw, the Drake also has some retro-style Toronto Public Library sweatshirts.

4. Shop Pre-loved: Save on the back-to-school wardrobe by shopping second-hand at the westend store I-Spy Clothing and the city’s newest kid clothing store Little White Sneakers. The latter offers higher-end brands at hugely discounted prices and a great selection of Toronto designers.

5. Hats: We all know that September is the new August, so don’t forget to pack hats in the backpacks. Moms-in-the-know love MimiTENS‘ olourful long mittens (great at keeping snow and cold out in the winter), but we recently discovered their rad baseball caps. You can sport styles ranging from ninjas to flying unicorns. Speaking of backpacks, owner Anna-Maria Mountfort is currently working on her own made-in-Canada design. Here’s a peek at the work in progress: