Passing Grade These crib sheets don't cheat the safety tests.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
When Lynn Trimble entered a product competition at a trade showwith her Baby-Be-Safe crib sheets, Good Housekeepingmagazine came by and asked for samples. They wouldn't tell herwhy, "but when Good Housekeeping makes a request,"Trimble reasons, "you do it."
Unlike traditional crib sheets that can come loose and suffocatebabies, Trimble's product has end pockets that wrap around thecrib mattress. Two months after the show, Trimble, 39, discoveredher brand was one of seven that passed a safety test conducted bythe Good Housekeeping Institute and the American Society of Testingand Materials. That led to coverage on the Today show andGood Morning America and in Good Housekeeping. Websales for Trimble's Jupiter, Florida, business, Our Kids Inc.,jumped 30 percent.
Buyers from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom nowlicense the product internationally. The sheets are sold inindependent U.S. stores, and 2003 sales are projected to exceed $5million. Now negotiating with major retailers, Trimble'sdedication to safety has made her product a household name--and anecessity.
