Iw is pronounced [i:ve], not [elˈwi:]! 😀 Iw as Iw (Ivana) Řezníčková who created these wonderful hoodies. Aside from hoodies, Ivana and her team also sew babywearing jackets and pockets, pregnancy and also ˈnormalˈ non-babywearing clothes (while they also offer clothes for babywearing dads and non-babywearing men!) and they even manufacture dog collars, all in the unique Iw style. However, the colorful studded hoodies ˈIwiesˈ have always been their signature article.
Although it has been (according to the Internet) more than 3 years since Iw entered the babywearing fashion market, the main boom of Iw hoodies came about a year ago, in my opinion. About that time I also had my own hoodie made.
You can find all the information about Iw design and their products at their Facebook page. All the communication with Iw also happens on Facebook, or Messenger to be specific – this is probably the only thing I find a bit problematic about the ˈIw conceptˈ, i.e. the non-existence of a proper website. However, considered how popular Iw is and that practically a hundred per cent of the virtual Czech babywearing world lives on Facebook, one has to admit that it is possible to live and prosper like this, too. 😉
I had my ˈIwieˈ custom-made – you can basically design your own hoodie from scratch using the sampler – you can choose a model (2in1 for front-wearing, 3in1 for both front- and back-wearing and 4in1 with two inserts), thin french terry or thicker, ˈwinterˈ brushed french terry, its colour, fabric for lining of both hoods and pockets, colour of elastic cords, studs and cuffs. And there is so much to choose from! In fact, every hoodie can be completely original and unique; actually, I would be very surprised if there were two identical ˈIwiesˈever sewn, considering the inexhaustible amount of patterns and colours that Iw offers. And of course, you need to send her your measurements, or what size you match the best according to your measurements, but it is also possible to agree on sewing an atypical size – for example, my own hoodie is ˈsize M plus 1 cmˈ. Well, I should wear size S by now but I really could not even dream of losing over 15 kg in a year which I actually did… 😀
However, this ˈat-home-measuringˈ is a bit tricky – you can measure yourself wrong quite easily, especially if you are not experienced in it at all (I got the length of the sleeves wrong by a few centimetres, but fortunately by a few centimetres longer).
The materials and sewing is of high-quality – I did not find a single loose thread or a crooked stitch on the hoodie and after one season (one and a bit) of intensive wearing and several launderings (I have nothing else to wear – just this one hoodie and a babywearing soft-shell jacket) it still looks great – no lumps, no stitches ripped out, the studs are in their places, the fabric around them is untouched and the varnish on them is not chipped at all – you can say the hoodie is almost in a mint condition. OK, not really, because my little sweetheart once decided to chew on one of the cord stoppers – that is certainly not Iw’s problem; all the other cord stoppers look like brand new.
My hoodie is 2in1, i.e. for front-wearing only. I decided to buy this model because I thought that I would carry Emilka only in front during the first cold season and if I decided to wear her on my back, I would wear her over my clothes or under the babywearing jacket only and would dress her adequately to the outer temperature – it actually worked like this last winter and still works this autumn; I guess we do not really need a hoodie for back-wearing.
I was afraid of the manipulation with the studs at first as I thought it would take too long to fasten the hoodie – well, I was wrong, it just takes some practice; also unfastening of the studs does not bother my sleepyhead at all (as I read somewhere some time that someone was bothered by this). 😉 Moreover, the ˈstud systemˈ allows to put the insert in (at least) two positions; however, it is too short for Emilka in the lower, ˈdefaultˈ position (my solution of this problem is to fix the upper hem of the insert by the elastic cords to the buttons primarily intended for fixation of the insert’s hood). On the other hand, in the upper position not all the studs meet their counterparts. But, these are just tiny details I am more than willing to forgive to my beloved ˈIwieˈ. Furthermore, is there any other system that allows putting the insert into two positions in such an easy manner? So, the only thing I am not completely happy about is the neck protection – actually, it is ingeniously simple, you just fasten the studs on the neck, without any additional unnecessary ˈneck protectorsˈ or ˈneck insertsˈ, but on the other hand, if the little one falls asleep, the only place s/he can place her/his head is on the cold cold studs.
Iw design hoodies are basically perfect in my opinion – beautiful, playful, of high quality, and the best thing is that virtually every piece is original. If you buy one, I am sure you will shine bright in your ˈIwieˈ in the ocean of boring black, grey or dark blue jackets!