"The End of Boys and Girls"

Gender neutral: These Companies Are Going to Change How Your Kids Dress

Several of the startups share a common origin: They were borne out of parental frustration with major retailers. Simply shopping in the opposite gender's section isn't the answer, these parents say. Cultural norms mean that as kids get older, designating certain items as male or female can confuse and frustrate them. A girl may not want to wear something designated for boys, and vice-versa.

"Most kids and parents are going to the big retailers and seeing all these messages of what its means to be a boy or a girl," says Sharon Choksi, founder of clothing line Girls Will Be. Choksi's daughter Mya, now 10, never liked sparkles or "feminine" colors, so the Choksis would shop for Mya in the boys' section. As Mya got older, Choksi worried that "boy" and "girl" labels would unnecessarily upset her daughter.