Seattle's Child

Your guide to a kid-friendly city

Kirkland mom launches Beet World, globally inspired clothes for girls

Ashima Singhal believes that when it comes to kids’ clothing, you shouldn’t have to choose between natural and stylish, or functional and comfortable. After working for Microsoft for 12 years, she launched Beet World, an eco-friendly, ethically sourced clothing line for girls ages 2 to 12. All of the clothes are manufactured in her family’s factory in Moradabad, India, which has operated for nearly 40 years, and sold online.

 

“My parents were particular about us dressing well,” Singhal says. They impressed on her the importance of dressing for success, and she often wore dresses that her mother had embroidered herself.

 

Now based in Kirkland, Singhal is the mother of two boys, ages 3 and 5. She used her knowledge of fabrics gathered from growing up in the family business to develop a clothing line that enables kids to “feel comfortable, get messy, play in the garden or the sandbox,” but also look nice enough to give them a sense of pride in their appearance.

 

Singhal takes into account the texture, weave and weight of fabrics when making creative decisions for her line. She derives inspiration from the burgeoning art scene in Philadelphia’s Center City, where she spent time in her youth.

 

The Beet World line includes dresses, tops and back-to-school styles, in everything from plaid and floral designs to gingham and trendy culottes. The clothes are made of natural, breathable cotton fabrics that are gentle on the skin.

 

Singhal chose the name Beet World to represent how close the products are to nature. “I love the vibrancy of the word ‘beet,’ and I wanted to reflect that these are worldwide designs,” she says. She encourages her children to explore nature and feeds them healthy, whole foods. Her family has traveled everywhere from Italy and Chile to India and Switzerland, and the clothing line gives them an outlet to connect to the community and the world around them.

 

Singhal appreciates that Beet World gives her and her family a platform to promote what’s important to them. “We always try to connect to parents,” says Singhal, who views Beet World as “a wonderful way to be a vessel for positive messages.”

 

Clothes are for sale in the $30-to-$40 price range. For each garment sold from the Fall Favorites collection this season, Beet World will donate 1 percent of net sales to organizations dedicated to promote education and literacy among women and children.

About the Author

Katrina Otuonye