At Aneta Kidz, we focus on health, sustainability and quality every single day. But we never forget to play. That's how we're building a culture of Playful Purpose, that every one of our employees, partners and customers can stand behind. To learn more about the inspiration behind this purpose, we sat down with our Founder & Creative Director, Zaneta Pogrmic to find out what inspires her, what makes organic cotton so important and what she has planned next for her clothing brand.

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You’ve had a very interesting career. Tell me how you got interested in making children’s clothes? Was it something that you picked up growing up?

I have two boys and when they were little, it was always very important for me to expose them to natural fabrics and ingredients as much as possible.  Growing up in a very small town in Europe, I didn’t have access to the Internet, so purchasing organic clothing wasn’t always easy.  Because of this, I had to find other ways to incorporate organic into their life. 

Living on farm, I raised farm animals and always made sure they were fed fresh, pure ingredients because I knew my family would benefit from this.  I also understood the importance of sustainable, quality fabrics and always chose the highest quality cottons for my boys’ bed sheets and towels. It’s that same philosophy that I used when building Aneta Kidz.  

 Why did you name your brand Aneta Kidz?

I always knew that I wanted to incorporate “Kids” into company’s name because kids are the reason for everything that I do.

I had also planned on incorporating my first name into the company and had toyed around with the idea of calling it “Zaneta Kidz”. Whenever I visited my girlfriend’s house, her daughter would always call me “Aneta” because she had trouble pronouncing my name.  Over time, “Aneta” just stuck and one day my friend looked at me and said, why not “Aneta Kidz”?

I instantly knew this was the name of my company.

You’ve lived in some incredible cities in both Europe and North America. What brought you to New York?

Out of all the cities that I’ve lived in, I never imagined ending up in New York City.  My sister moved to America first and when I was looking for a bit of a change, I decided, why not? There’s no better place to be than New York City when you’re looking for a job in the fashion industry.

The city has such an incredible energy.  And it’s so much fun to explore all of the different neighborhoods and feel their energy. It makes my heart so full!

New York City is where you want to be when you’re in fashion. I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be.

How do you define quality?

Quality for me is something that looks good, feels good and is well made. When making clothing, it always starts with the fabric. 

After finishing school, I was hired at the Vienna Opera House.  This job was a complete immersion in precision with fabrics and patterns. I remember working with Versace fabrics (sometimes worth the price of my entire month’s salary)! I had to learn to stitch so carefully and take great care in what I was doing.  One mistake and I would have to work for a whole month without pay just to pay back what I had ruined! I never faltered under the pressure – sewing was my passion.  I thrived on the fact that every single stitch had to be perfect.  It’s there that I really learned to appreciate that importance of quality.

What is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Certification and why does that make a difference?

GOTS Certification means a few different things, but most importantly it means:

• Facilities that meet the basic standards for fair labor practices
• Materials that are at least 95% organic
• Fibers that have inputs (like dyes and oils) that are biodegradable
• Fibers that haven’t come from genetically modified organisms

Although it all seems very technical, it’s these standards that ensure that when buying organic, you can feel confident that you’re getting a quality product.

How do you pick the prints for your collection?

I believe that bedtime is the most important time of the day for kids.  I always look to choose soft, soothing patterns that help them to have a healthy and more relaxing sleep.

It doesn’t hurt if the patterns are cute too. 😉

Are any of your prints original?

Yes! Our Penguin Nina Collection is an original print inspired by a children’s book that my sister authored, and I illustrated. This was such a passion project for me, and I’m so proud of how it turned out. Penguin Nina will always hold a special place in my heart.

You are currently living in Brooklyn, what do you like most about it?

Brooklyn is such a great place to live and so full of culture.  I have fallen in love with its diversity.  Cross any street and you feel like you’re immersed in a completely different country, whether it be Italy, China – the possibilities are endless!

What does a typical day look like when you are in creative mode?

When I’m in creative mode, there’s no sense of time and the days feel too short.  The sound of my sewing machine and the sharp sounds of the scissors cutting the fabric always spark my imagination.  The thought of spending the day sewing always makes me so content – it’s truly my passion. Designing clothing for kids is a process that I could do over and over again.  I never get bored. 

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not working?

I love to be active – it’s just not possible for me to sit around and do nothing, it’s not in my DNA! Whether it’s roller skating, horseback riding or ice skating I love feeling of the wind in my face and feeling free.

I used to work in Manhattan, and some days, on my ride home I would purposely pass my station just so I could see the Statue of Liberty in person.  For me, it was a reminder of how far I’ve come and something that never gets old for me.

Do you have planned next for Aneta Kidz?

We have so much planned, we’re never short on ideas! I believe it’s so important to incorporate organic fabrics into as many aspects of a child's life as possible. The less a baby’s skin encounters harmful chemicals the better.  This belief has inspired me to think beyond clothing and explore other key elements of a newborn’s life.  I don’t want to give too much away, you’ll just have to stay tuned for updates, but I promise they’re coming soon!

Shop the latest Aneta Kidz collection here.