L’il Monkeys News

Happy New Year! 

 

It’s a new year and a new decade.  And it’s time for some L’il Monkey news!! I am very excited to share that we are working on some BIG things based on your feedback including an entire rebrand, loyalty and referral programs as well as a brand new website. 

 

And then this exciting thing happened – I was introduced to and able to work with a colour expert who is actually one of a select few in Canada who has specific training around predicting future colour trends. While I don’t want to officially announce our new colours yet, I can assure you that your favorites (Slate Grey, Navy and Marshmallow) are on re-order along with 3 fresh, new colours to complement them. I have never been more excited about our colour palate!

 

You may have noticed that some of our fabric colours are no longer available. I apologize for any disappointment this has caused and I’d like to assure you that we are expecting a new shipment of fabric in the next couple of months. When I started L’il Monkeys 15 years ago, I was able to purchase the fabric at our local fabric store. It worked out very well then as I carried no inventory and would simply purchase the fabric on an as needed basis. Towards the end of our second year in business, the fabric store decided to discontinue the waffle fleece that has become our signature fabric. As you know, it doesn’t pill, withstands thousands of washes, is super soft and cozy and can handle all the love that it is shown. While there were many other choices of fabric, I refused to skimp on the quality and was determined to keep offering the fabric that we had become known for. So…..once my panic simmered down a bit, I started to research wholesalers of fabric. What I was not prepared for was the minimum purchase that is required for a mill to manufacture the fabric especially for L’il Monkeys. I remember the first time I received the quote from our mill, I couldn’t believe it. I knew then that if I was going to place that order, I’d be in the business for the long haul. When the first shipment arrived from overseas, I was overwhelmed to see it filling an entire side of our double-car garage. We have ordered several times since and are now in the process of placing another order. 

 

As with any other trend, popular colours come and go. Due to the large quantity of fabric that we order, we need to ensure that our current colours will appeal to our customers and have staying power for at least a few years. May not sound so complicated, but after the results of a recent survey we sent out, only a few of our colours were obvious “keepers.” I was surprised by some of the other suggestions and felt more anxiety this time about placing the order than ever before.  Thank goodness for the help of our colour expert and now I’m so pleased I can’t wait to share the new colors with you. 

 

As always, I want to say thank you once again from the bottom of my heart for all of your business and continued support for L’il Monkeys. As we head into our 15th year in business it is hard to believe how many Monkeys have received our blankets: baby, toddler, tween, teen, adult and the furry kind. I love receiving all of your feedback and seeing photos of our blankets being loved. I want to wish you all a healthy, happy and cozy year.  

 

For our latest updates, be sure to follow us on Instagram @andiaizer and Facebook – L’il Monkeys Personalized GIfts Inc.