Friday, September 25, 2009

Review: Mabel's Labels




As the mom of a 1-year old, I spend most of my time tracking down items that have become victims of hide and seek. Toys, sippy cups, clothes, utensils - they're all at risk when clutched in those chubby fingers. I think its in the Toddler Instruction Manual, page 56. I spend so much money on kiddie stuff. The last thing I need is to constantly replace our belongings when they're lost at playgroups, playgrounds or friends' houses.

Luckily, there's one little lady that has come to the rescue: Mabel. Mabel with her life-saving labels.

Mabel's Labels is a family-owned, Canadian-based business that manufactures fun, durable sticky labels for all the common things that kids lose. It began in 2002 when the four "mompreneurs" became sick of chasing down their childrens' items after leaving them in various places. They knew they weren't alone in their frustration, so they joined forces to find a solution. Hence, Mabel's Labels were born.

Mabel's Labels are customized to fit the style or personality of any child. Each label is personalized with a child's name (first and/or last name), favorite colors, and an icon of your choice (animal, flower, shape, etc.).

The Mabel's Label's product line includes :
  • Sticky Labels (classic labels which are dishwasher/microwave-safe and UV resistant)
  • Skinny-Minis (just like original Sticky Labels but smaller)
  • Shoe Labels (extra sticky, durable labels that fit on the insole of footwear)
  • Bag Tags (sturdy metal tags for backpacks, luggage, etc.)
  • Teeny Tags (smaller Bag Tags for lunchpacks, pencil cases, etc.)
  • Tag-Mates (peel-and-stick, laundry-safe clothing identification labels)
  • Iron-On Labels (laundry-safe adhesive labels for tagless clothing)
Mabel's Labels aren't just for kids - there are also products for us adults! There are household labels to identify and organize bins, canisters and cords, as well as stationary such as mommy cards and return address labels. Their most recent addition includes kid safety products such as allergy alert labels and "411" wristbands in case a little one wanders off.

The company has been a raving success, having been featured on shows like "The View" and "The Early Show", and in Parents magazine, The Washington Post and Newsday. They've won Best Product Awards from Baby Gizmo and iParenting Media and the owners were bestowed the 2007 SavvyMom "Mompreneur of the Year" Award. Celebrities such as Brooke Shields, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tori Spelling and Reese Witherspoon are even fans of Mabel's Labels!

I was fortunate enough to review a combination of Mabel's Labels, including Skinny Minis, Shoe Labels, Teeny Tags and Tag Mates. The colors were very vibrant and the sailboat design we chose was even more adorable in person. They were also packaged very securely.

The Skinny Minis are the perfect size for sippy cups, feeding supplies and small toys. I ran one of our sippy cups through the top rack of the dishwasher with a label affixed and it came out good as new. Since Nate is notorious for performing the latter on his Take 'N Toss cups and bowls, this will help set them apart when they land among his playmates' same exact ones.



I also placed some of the Tag Mates on Nate's clothes and washed them in mild detergent to see how they'd hold up. The label was still stuck in place after washing and drying. There were no air bubbles or signs of leaching ink.



The Teeny Tags were perfect to attach to our travel changing pad but they're so versatile, you could use them for any small to medium-sized bag.



Another feature I loved was that each package of labels had their own cute, fool-proof instructions.



We haven't yet tried the Shoe Labels but if they are as easy to use as the other sets, I'm sure we'll love them too.

Bottom line: Mabel's Labels may not save your items from being cast into the toilet or the trash can (is that just my kid?!) but they are priceless for daycare, church, playdates or school - where things are easily misplaced or popularly mistaken for others'. The labels are practical, sturdy and stylish and I would definitely recommend them for parents with school-aged children or younger.

BUY IT: Mabel's Labels can be designed and purchased online or by phone. You can purchase individual packs of labels or combo packs which include an assortment of labels. Prices range from $18-21 per package to $34-55 per combo pack. Considering the number of labels included in each package - and the number of belongings you will no longer have to replace due to loss - I'd say this is quite affordable.

Mabel's Labels also offers a creative fundraising program for schools, teams, clubs and other organizations. They'll even do the fulfillment of orders with their paperless system!

Don't dig through one more lost and found box. Just get able with Mabel.

Special thanks to Caitlin at Mabel's Labels for this review opportunity!

Disclaimer: I was offered this review opportunity because of my membership at The PR Place. As I mentioned, I was sent a variety of personalized labels along with a reusable tote bag from Mabel's Labels to facilitate my candid review. I was not compensated in any other way for my post.

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