Clover New York makes its debut collection in Fall 2009, with a limited collection of styles for boys and girls in sizes 2 through 6. Clover New York uses only certified organic cotton (certified by Control Union Certifications) and does all of its manufacturing in India. The company has focused on developing its own fabrics by hand block printing its own unique designs. "The process of hand block printing begins with an artisan carving intricate patterns into blocks of wood. A single pattern is often comprised of multiple blocks as each colored element requires a separate block. The blocks are then handed off to other craftsmen who dip them in specially prepared dyes and stamp them over a length of fabric. Hand block printing is an ancient Indian craft kept alive by artisans who hand their technique down through generations." Dyes are currently low impact but not GOTS-certified...but designer/owner Mariette Groen is seeking to transition to GOTS-certified dyes. Currently operations are at such a small scale and the company is at such an early stage that it has not sought fair trade certification....something else to watch for as the company progresses.
Certified Organic Cotton
This designer empire dress by Clover is navy blue with hot pink shiny thread accents at waist and collar. It was designed for fall, but we like it for kids because it is multi-season. It needs to be layered over long sleeves and leggings in colder climates, because the fabric is a lightweight organic cotton (though not as light as Serendipity's empire dress if you are familiar), but short sleeves and a versatile color will make it a year round favorite. For matching boys' and girls' clothes, consider the navy pants, also by Clover. True to size. 100% organic cotton