May 17th is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia and a time for the world to celebrate sexual and gender diversity. To join in the festivities, we've made a selection of some of our favorite gender neutral brands that participate at our shows or are available on our Marketplace! Here at Playtime, we value gender neutral fashion and the freedom it provides children to be themselves and express their identity. Childhood is a crucial moment where gender norms are typically established. Fashion is an important place to break down gender stereotypes and empower kids to accept themselves and others from a young age.

Let's celebrate inclusivity!

MONKIND designs sleek, minimal, and playful collections for kids and adults. With organic and sustainably made materials, their unisex collections bring their motto to life - "Creative consciousness, join the new normal."

Meet them at Playtime Paris July 2-4 and all year on the Marketplace!
Instagram: @monkind_berlin

Little ones will be ready for anything in OUTERPROOFS™ by the brand GOSOAKY! Their multifunctional products are designed to be timeless, genderless, and easy for kids to play and enjoy the world in, regardless of the weather.

Get your pass to come discover their booth at Playtime Paris!
Instagram: @gosoaky_outerproofs

Founded to celebrate childhood, CarlijnQ's clothes are made for kids to have fun in, with colorful prints and high quality natural materials that enable them to move and play. Made with organic and recycled materials, they put a focus on gender neutral silhouettes.

Register now to meet them in Paris!
Instagram: @carlijnq

Designed for 4-14 year olds, WAWALAND is teaching kids self confidence and expression through their unisex collections! Their timeless garments are sustainably and ethically produced to bring the best to children and the environment.

Meet WAWALAND year round on the Marketplace!
Instagram: @wawalandkids

Telling a story twice a year through their collections, Cos I Said So is bringing comfortable, seasonless, and unisex clothes to children everywhere. Working a lot with pre-orders to avoid over-production, they produce as sustainably as possible.

Come find their booth at Playtime Paris!
Instagram: @cos_i_said_so

The crush of Playtime's Event Director at the winter editions, genderless brand Tom & Boy illustrates the simple joys of childhood through their collections for children and young adults.

Discover their booth at Playtime Paris!
Instagram: @tomandboy

Borne has well-made, practical leisurewear for children ages 0-10. With a minimalistic aesthetic, Borne's gender neutral collections are durable, ethically produced, and embody their motto, "Let them be little," perfectly with designs that enable play and movement.

Explore their latest collection in Paris this summer!
Instagram: @borne_kids

Bringing tennis style to the every day, the self-proclaimed "casual sporty chic" brand Raquette merges the elegance of tennis, versatility of sportswear, and utility of functional clothing to create their genderless collections.

Place orders on their SS22 collection available for immediate delivery on the Marketplace and discover their SS23 collection in Paris!
Instagram: @raquette_eu

Coming from their core values of inclusion, solidarity, and sustainability, Perpète makes lovely unisex collections. They encourage customers to return their products when kids outgrow them so they can be resold or upcycled.

Read more about this eco-friendly brand and meet them in Paris in July!
Instagram: @_perpete

Looking for everyday classics with a twist? Look no further, CO. LABEL's genderless collections are conscious and contemporary, making them the perfect wardrobe staples.

They'll be at Playtime Paris!
Instagram: @co.label

UPÉ produces collections that are completely recycled and produced locally in France for children ages 2-12. They make beautiful, simple garments with what already exists for maximum style and sustainability.

Before meeting them this summer in Paris, place orders on their AW23 and SS22 collections on the Marketplace!
Instagram: @upe.family

May 17th was selected as the day to draw attention to the violence and discrimination the LGBTQI community faces because on May 17, 1990 the World Health Organisation declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder. Today, it is celebrated in over 130 countries and recognized by international organizations including the European Parliament and most United Nations Agencies. As a celebration of freedom for everyone to be themselves, there is no centralized campaign, but May17.org offers an annual theme and posters that are free for anyone to use. The theme for 2022 is "Our bodies, Our lives, Our rights" and is about claiming everyone's right to live their sexualities and express their gender without the threat of violence or discrimination. It is a reminder that it is a basic human right to live freely and in dignity!

This day is meant to be a moment for everyone and anyone to take action, raise awareness for the issues they are passionate about, and to do so however they like. May 17th is a day to celebrate all identities and work for the advancement of the rights of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.

As members of the kid's fashion and lifestyle industry, we can work together towards a more inclusive future. Stores like Babesta in New York City never had divisions of "boy" and "girl" sections, preferring instead to separate their store by color. This selection of brands all design with the intent for any child to wear their clothes. There are so many ways to incorporate inclusivity into your store, from celebrating gender and identity acceptance to offering adaptive fashion for differently abled children.
Let's come together to include and accept everyone!