Living An Organic Life-Baby Style

Fierce Hugs, an organic baby clothing line, has only been live since December, but already it is getting some big name recognition. Owners Hani Hong and Ashburn resident Tina Fusari recently took their online clothing line on the road to The Silver Spoon Hollywood Dog and Baby Buffet in Century City, CA, where celebrities, including Dancing with the Stars' Marissa Jaret Winokur, Tori Spelling and Full House's Jodie Sweein, picked up the clothes. Not bad for a company that just over a year ago was not even an idea.

Fusari, a computer programmer, and Hong, a graphic designer, both worked from home and were constantly trying to think of new business ideas. During one phone conversation between the friends, Hong mentioned baby clothes to Fusari, mother to a then one-year old.

"It wasn't something that I was thinking of," Fusari admitted. But then Hong suggested organic clothing, and Fusari, who lives an organic lifestyle, started to research organic cotton. "As we got answers to our questions, and started to throw other questions back and forth at each other, before we knew it we had this company."

This company is Fierce Hugs, the organic baby clothing line for newborns to two year olds. Fusari and Hong both say that the real benefit of organic clothing for babies is for the planet, Fusari said. The cotton is made without pesticides or insecticides and the people tending to it are not exposed to the chemicals.

"All of our cotton comes from India and our manufacturers are in India and China," she said. "We only use companies that work with fair labor."

While, with eating organic, organic clothing may be a new fad in fashion, Fierce Hugs offers something a little different, an original piece of art created on each piece of clothing.

The idea to include artists' work on the baby clothing came from Hong, who said she had a nephew born around the time the two friends were coming up with the idea for the company.

"I was shopping for baby things, and there was not the level of novel imagery out there," Hong said. "And we both love art. So it really fit into both our lives."

The two artists currently being used by Fierce Hugs are both from Europe, Silvia Osella from Italy and Dagmar Meinders from The Netherlands. Hong found both artists on Flicker, the online photo-sharing Web site.

"I found artists I liked and showed them to Tina and we commissioned original artwork from them," Hong said.

"We give them ideas of what we're looking for, but they do all the drawing," Fusari said.

The original drawings, as well as the unusual colors-no pastel pinks or yellows here-help give Fierce Hugs a look that stands out from the other organic clothing parents can buy. And the company is getting a lot of positive feedback,

"People are thrilled with the softness of the cotton," Hong said. "And they love the designs. A marmalade jar chasing a strawberry is something they've never seen before."

Fusari and Hong also try to keep the merchandise rotating, as it would in an art gallery. They currently have seven designs with five more scheduled to premier next month.

"This really is a gallery of art to us," Fusari said. "So we'll only show something for a certain period of time. We consider this organic wearable art."

For more information about Fierce Hugs or to view the products, visit www.fiercehugs.com or call 571-482-7272 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.