Entrepreneur starts new clothing line that has positive message
By Maria Prato-Gaines
CRANBURY With a trip to the mall and inspirations from all the wrong places, a T-shirt company that was born in the depths of a Cranbury basement has been launched to national success.
The company’s owner, Jennifer Laurash, has three daughters and said she was tired of finding shirts featuring inappropriate sayings like “Future Hotties” during their routine shopping ventures.
Gambling thousands of dollars on equipment and armed with a simple concept, Ms. Laurash created the Tiny Little T-Shirt Company a little over six months ago.
The company’s objective is to provide uplifting and inspiring messages on its products, which range from T-shirts and sweatshirts to bags and totes.
”Here you’ll only find T-shirts with good vibes,” the company’s Web site states. “No insults. No throwing rocks at anyone. There’s enough of that out there.”
Some of the T-shirt slogans include “Life, Live it in flip flops” from the beach line and “Life, Where’s the love, ya’ll?,” from the inspire line.
”We’re family-oriented feel-good apparel,” Ms. Laurash said.
The company carries a number of lines ranging from beach duds to sportswear to shirts with Live Green T-shirts, which sport environmental messages.
Trying to share her success, Ms. Laurash said 5 percent of all the proceeds from her Live Green apparel line will go to the Environmental Defense fund.
In addition, the company pulled in national support for its products when it was recently featured on the CNBC’s television show, “The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch.”
Since the show aired in December, Ms. Laurash said, her Web site traffic has seen a dramatic spike.
”They love it,” she said. “It’s a product that speaks to everybody.”
She said her products are carried by more than 20 retailers from Wisconsin to Aruba, including Cranbury’s business district at the Pied Piper Kids store, 60 N. Main St.
”The slogans are great,” said Pied Piper employee Victoria Randazzo. “And the fabric, it’s so soft.”
Ms. Randazzo said Pied Piper, along with its customers, has supported what Ms. Laurash has been trying to do.
”There are so many things out there that kids shouldn’t wear,” she said. “We would like to keep their innocence. We keep style, but it’s not racy.”
An average T-shirt costs around $25 and for about $40 customers can personalize a sweatshirt or duffel bag.
For more information on the company visit www.tinylittletshirtco.com.

