the william carter co. news

Carter's Introduces Child of Mine Brand; Complete Line of Children's Products Available Exclusively at Wal-Mart

(Atlanta; July 30, 2003; PRNewswire) Carter's, the number-one baby and young children's apparel marketer, announces the arrival of a new brand in children's wear. Child of Mine is a complete line of layette, sleepwear, bedding, toys and room decor that captures emotional imagery in a fresh new way, available exclusively at Wal-Mart, the country's largest retailer.

Carter's has been trusted by mothers and grandmothers for more than 135 years to provide design leadership, soft fabrics, comfortable fit and easy care. The Child of Mine brand leverages Carter's heritage as well as the Wal-Mart tradition of exceeding customer expectations with quality products at every day low prices.

Fred Rowan, Chairman and CEO of Carter's, said, "The Child of Mine brand makes quality children's apparel more accessible to millions of consumers. This launch has the potential to grow the $19+ billion category by tapping into consumer needs that are unfulfilled by current product lines."

Quality fabrics, designs and construction are a part of everything in the Child of Mine collection -- including soft cotton bodysuits with coordinating pants, layette gowns, terry and interlock sleep & play (sleepers), warm caps and booties, whimsical bibs, cozy receiving blankets and hooded towels for bath time. The collection also includes nursery decor and accessories, including bedding, diaper bags, memory books, mobiles, lamps, plush animals and interactive toys. Comfy Child of Mine sleepwear is available in baby and toddler sizes.

"We are pleased to introduce the Child of Mine collection to customers," said Celia Clancy, senior vice-president, general merchandise manager for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. "From head to toe apparel to everything for the nursery, this trusted brand allows us to continue offering the quality products that our customers have come to expect from us."

For more information on the new Child of Mine brand, please visit www.ChildOfMine.com

FACT SHEET

Industry:

* $19 billion market

* $7.2 billion currently done in the discount channel

* Current baby boom is projected to last for more than a decade with

over 4 million births in the US annually

 

Market Dynamics:

* 62% of all purchases are done by mothers

* 38% of all purchases are gifts

* 60% of the layette was received as a gift

 

Carter's Brand:

* 95% brand awareness

* #1 market share in baby category (34%)

* #1 market share in sleepwear (36%)

* strong gift orientation (47%)

* 9 out of 10 mothers agree that Carter's is a brand they trust

Source: Carter's