News from the past
BABYBJÖRN celebrates its 50th anniversary this year – and to celebrate this milestone we turned to our roots. The result was the creation of the BABYBJÖRN Retro Line. BABYBJÖRN Babysitter Balance is one of the favorites we have chosen to fashion in three different fabrics from the ’60s and ’70s.
Each bouncer has a unique look!
The blue and orange/brown baby carriers and bouncers which are part of the BABYBJÖRN Retro Line have a pattern positioning that gives each bouncer a unique look. The retro collection is a limited edition line.
’60s
Durable and warming corduroy fabric, in combination with the delicate floral pattern, derives from the ’60s.
’70s
We recreated a classic pattern in brown/orange and blue for the ’70s collection.
In the BABYBJÖRN Babysitter Balance, your child’s movements are transformed into a fun and soothing rocking motion.
Age
From newborn to approximately 2 years (8-29 lbs/3.5-13 kg).
Materials
Fabric consists of 60% cotton and 40% polyester.
The textiles closest to the child have been tested and approved in accordance with Oeko-Tex Standard 100, class 1 for baby products. They are guaranteed harmless to children’s sensitive skin and will not trigger allergies.
Product care
The fabric is easy to take off and machine wash, warm (40°C).
Manual
Download our Owner’s Manual in one easy click. (25,9 MB).
Technical information
Floor measurements: 16 in x 32 in/39 x 79 cm
Weight: 5 lbs/2.25 kg
Several colour schemes in one
The reversible fabric and harness create several colour schemes.
Keep in mind:
The BABYBJÖRN Babysitter Balance has three positions: play, rest and sleep.
Different maximum weight for each position.
Play: max 29 lbs/13 kg
Rest: max 22 lbs/10 kg
Sleep: max 15 lbs/7 kg
Under Questions and Answers you will find the most frequently asked questions about our bouncers.
BABYBJÖRN Retro Line – News from the past
What better way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of BABYBJÖRN than with a retro collection?
When we started to create our retro collection, we looked to the past and got inspiration from the archives. We decided to resurrect fabrics from the 1960s and 1970s. Two of our most loved products, BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Original and the BABYBJÖRN Babysitter Balance, are now available in retro fabrics. It's a homage to bright colors and patterns.
New challenges
Technology has changed and demands are much greater today – these were the greatest challenges.
Despite what you might think, new technology has actually made it harder to create the patterns from the 60s and 70s. With the old technology, it was easier to get the rich detail in the small floral patterns, and the large patterned fabrics were easier to adjust. In addition, a lot has changed in terms of fabric dyes and chemicals. Customers also think differently today ¬– people want to have the best of the best.
How did we do it?
“We have a completely different inspection process today,” says Lillemor Jakobson, regarding the question of what is different now. Lillemor is the Creative Director at BabyBjörn and has been part of the team since the beginning.
The fabrics for all BABYBJÖRN products are approved according to the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, Class 1 for baby products. This means that the fabric does not contain any substances that can be harmful to either the parent or the newborn baby. Meeting the requirements for Oeko-Tex, in addition to our own requirements in terms of durability, for example, makes the process quite lengthy.
In addition to testing for chemicals, tests for fade resistance, color fastness, wear and tear, tension, durability, tearing strength, shrinkage, burling, dry spotting, saliva tests and wet spotting are also performed.
The last type of test is very important in terms of what a little dribbling or a leaky diaper can do to the fabric.
Once everything had been tested and approved, we could finally present our three textile versions in 100% cotton!
The 1960s: Corduroy
During the 1960s and 1970s, our corduroy products were among the most loved. It was a trend that lasted a long time in the Nordic countries, maybe because the corduroy fabric was a little warmer and therefore particularly suitable.
“The corduroy that we use today is better than the fabric used then,” says Lisen Elmberg, fabric designer at BabyBjörn. She feels that the technology has progressed enormously in terms of dyes and chemicals. Customers also think differently today – people want to have the best of the best.
The look of the corduroy can vary and this depends on the direction of the nap. For the corduroy baby carrier, the nap is brushed up from the bottom to achieve a beautiful luster. The delicate floral pattern on the inside, together with the corduroy, is a recreated design from the 1960s.
The 1970s: Brown, orange and blue
Of all the fabrics that you could choose from, why did they pick these?
“This type of fabric was unbelievably popular in the 70s. Brown and orange children's clothing was suddenly modern. I remember buying a lot of brown baby clothes for my daughter,” says Lillemor Jakobson.
Lisen Elmberg also remembers the fabrics from that time:
“I had dresses in exactly this type of fabric that I really loved.”
Even though we have recreated the fabric today, it is very similar to the original. And the big diagonal pattern means that no product is alike because the cuts are always different.