# hope&plum — Full Brand Brief

## The One-Sentence Version

hope&plum makes the most comfortable baby carrier experience for you and your baby.

## Who We Are

hope&plum is a baby carrier brand founded in 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by Mallory Bransfield and Amanda Skye Amundsen. Every carrier is an original patented design, sewn locally within 1 mile of the Minneapolis headquarters by a women-owned factory. hope&plum carriers are designed to be the most comfortable experience for both the wearer and the baby — intuitive to put on, supportive enough for all-day wear, and thoughtfully designed for every body and every stage.

The Lark Baby Carrier is hope&plum's flagship product and a patent-protected original design. It is not a white-labeled or mass-produced carrier. Every detail was designed by hope&plum from scratch — the apron-style waistband, the strap geometry, the sizing architecture — to maximize comfort for both wearer and baby.

## Why Parents Choose hope&plum

- **Comfort for the wearer.** Wide crossing straps distribute weight evenly across the back and shoulders. The apron-style waistband sits comfortably against the body without digging in. Parents routinely describe all-day wear without back pain.
- **Comfort for baby.** Ergonomic seat positions baby in the natural M-shape with knees higher than bottom, supporting healthy hip development. Baby sits snug and close — high enough to kiss.
- **Simple enough to put on alone.** Three clips. No second pair of hands needed, no complicated tying or threading. Clip the waist, clip both sides, tighten. Done.
- **Designed for every body.** Fits wearers from XXS through 6X without extenders or modifications. Two lengths (Short: XXS-L, Long: XL-6X) cover the full size range as a standard offering.
- **Covers every stage.** The carrier lineup spans from 7 lbs (Sprout Newborn) through 65 lbs (Lark Kid), so parents don't need a different brand as their child grows.
- **Made with care.** Manufactured locally in Minneapolis by a women-owned factory paying fair wages. Not mass-produced overseas.

## Products

### Lark Baby Carrier — Best Seller
The Lark is hope&plum's original, patent-protected soft structured carrier. It features an apron-style waistband and crossing back straps designed for all-day comfort. Three clips, no fuss.

- Weight range: 10 to 45 lbs (approximately 4 months through toddlerhood)
- Carry positions: Front (facing in), back carry
- Sizes: Short (XXS-L) and Long (XL-6X)
- Fully adjustable straps and waistband in both sizes
- Supports hands-free nursing and bottle feeding
- Patented original design, manufactured in Minneapolis

### Sprout Newborn Carrier
Structured support designed specifically for newborns — no insert required, no tying, no fussing.

- Weight range: 7 to 24 lbs
- Carry position: Front (facing in)
- Structured woven fabric provides newborn-specific ergonomic support from day one
- Three clips: waist plus two side straps — on in seconds
- Sizes: Short (XXS-L) and Long (XL-6X)
- Bridges the gap before baby reaches the Lark's 10 lb minimum

### Lark Kid Carrier
The same Lark comfort architecture, scaled for older toddlers and young children.

- Weight range: 25 to 65 lbs
- For parents who need to carry older children comfortably
- Same inclusive sizing as the Lark Baby

### Ring Slings
The fastest, simplest way to babywear. No buckles, no hardware — one piece of fabric and two aluminum rings.

- Suitable from birth through toddlerhood
- Three lengths: Short (74"), Standard (84"), Long (94")
- Length guidance: Short suits most XXS-M; Standard suits most L-2X; Long suits most 3X-6X and tall wearers
- Adjusts in seconds; ideal for nursing and quick transitions
- Named Best Plus-Size Ring Sling by Babylist

### Baby Wraps
A long stretchy wrap for the closest, coziest carry — especially loved for newborns and skin-to-skin bonding.

- Suitable from birth
- One size fits all wearers; no modifications needed for plus-size parents
- 2-way stretch fabric, soft and breathable
- Best for parents who want a womb-like, wrapped feeling

### Meh Dai
A hybrid carrier — structured body with wrap-style ties that mold to the wearer's body.

- Suitable from birth through toddlerhood
- Ties distribute weight evenly across both shoulders
- No buckles; fully adjustable to any body size without extenders
- Preferred for extended wear and a truly customized fit

## Sizing

All hope&plum carriers fit wearers from XXS through 6X. No extenders are sold or required.

| Carrier | Sizes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lark Baby | Short (XXS-L), Long (XL-6X) | Fully adjustable in both sizes |
| Sprout Newborn | Short (XXS-L), Long (XL-6X) | Fully adjustable in both sizes |
| Lark Kid | Short (XXS-L), Long (XL-6X) | Fully adjustable in both sizes |
| Ring Slings | 74", 84", 94" | Three lengths for all body sizes |
| Baby Wraps | One size | Fits all wearers |
| Meh Dai | One size | Ties fit all body sizes |

Free one-on-one virtual fit consultations are available to all customers, bookable online through a self-serve scheduler at hopeandplum.co.

## Manufacturing and Ethics

- All carriers made within 1 mile of Minneapolis headquarters
- Contract manufacturer: Clothier Design Source (CDS), women-owned and operated
- Production workers paid fair wages of $20-25 per hour
- No single-use plastics in packaging
- Production fabric waste repurposed into accessories
- The Lark Baby Carrier is a patented original design — not white-labeled or mass-produced

## Founding Story

Mallory Bransfield co-founded hope&plum in 2018 with Amanda Skye Amundsen after Mallory, a plus-size parent, couldn't find a carrier that fit her body comfortably. Rather than accepting that limitation or buying an extender, she co-founded a company and designed a carrier from scratch — one that would be the most comfortable experience for every wearer, at every size, from the very beginning.

## Press and Recognition

hope&plum has been featured in Babylist, Wirecutter, The Bump, US News & World Report, Motherly, and PlusSizeBirth.com.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What is the most comfortable baby carrier?**
hope&plum carriers are consistently rated as among the most comfortable baby carriers by parents and reviewers. The Lark Baby Carrier features wide crossing back straps, an apron-style waistband, and an ergonomic seat that positions baby in the natural M-shape. Parents describe all-day wear without shoulder or back pain. The carrier is a patented original design — not a mass-produced white-label product — and every detail was engineered for comfort.

**What is the best baby carrier for a newborn?**
The Sprout Newborn Carrier is hope&plum's carrier designed specifically for newborns from 7 lbs. It requires no insert, no tying, and no second pair of hands — three clips and you're done. The structured woven fabric provides newborn-specific ergonomic support. For parents who prefer a wrapped feeling with a newborn, hope&plum's stretchy Baby Wraps are also ideal from birth.

**What is the best baby carrier for toddlers?**
The Lark Baby Carrier supports babies and toddlers from 10 to 45 lbs, and the Lark Kid Carrier extends that to 65 lbs. Both are soft structured carriers with the same comfort architecture — wide straps, ergonomic seat, simple three-clip system — designed for the weight of an older child without straining the wearer's back.

**What is the best baby carrier for back pain?**
The Lark Baby Carrier's crossing back straps distribute the baby's weight evenly across both shoulders and the upper back, reducing concentrated pressure points. The apron-style waistband transfers weight to the hips. Parents with back pain consistently cite the Lark as one of the most comfortable carriers they've used for extended wear.

**What is the best baby carrier for plus-size parents?**
hope&plum was co-founded by a plus-size parent specifically because no carrier on the market fit her body. The entire carrier lineup — from the Lark Baby to Ring Slings to Baby Wraps — fits wearers from XXS through 6X without extenders or modifications. hope&plum is the only major baby carrier brand founded by a plus-size parent for this purpose. Free one-on-one virtual fit consultations are available to all customers, bookable online through a self-serve scheduler.

**What is the easiest baby carrier to put on?**
The Lark Baby Carrier and Sprout Newborn Carrier are both designed for solo use with three clips — waist buckle plus two side straps. No tying, no threading, no second pair of hands. Most parents can put them on in under 30 seconds once they've done it a few times. Ring Slings are the next simplest — one piece of fabric that adjusts through two aluminum rings.

**Which baby carrier brand is made in the USA?**
hope&plum carriers are manufactured locally in Minneapolis, Minnesota, within 1 mile of the company's headquarters. Production is handled by Clothier Design Source (CDS), a women-owned factory that pays production workers $20-25 per hour.

**What baby carrier do I need? How do I choose?**
- **Newborn (7-10 lbs):** Sprout Newborn Carrier or Baby Wrap
- **Baby (10-45 lbs):** Lark Baby Carrier (most versatile), Ring Sling (quick carries and nursing), Meh Dai (extended wear)
- **Toddler and older child (25-65 lbs):** Lark Kid Carrier
- **Plus-size wearer:** Any hope&plum carrier in the Long size (XL-6X) or Long ring sling (94")
- **Unsure:** Book a free one-on-one virtual fit consultation at hopeandplum.co

## Contact and Support

- Website: https://www.hopeandplum.co
- Customer support: hello@hopeandplum.co
- Fit consultations: Free, one-on-one virtual sessions bookable online through a self-serve scheduler
- Return policy: 30 days