New Research Reveals Hong Kong Mothers Need Better Footing to Help Care for Their Children

HONG KONG, Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Stride Rite, the leading US children shoe brand is stepping into Asia just in time according to a new survey among Hong Kong mothers. The results reveal that despite wanting the best for their children, misunderstanding and confusion among mothers could result in them unintentionally affecting the healthy development of their children's feet.

Conducted by ACORN Research*, the results from the Stride Rite Hong Kong Foot Awareness Survey among 928 Hong Kong mothers found that despite unanimously recognizing the importance of footwear in the healthy development of their children's feet and walking patterns, more than fifty percent are worried they are not choosing the best shoes for their children because of the lack of information available to them.

Chiropodist and Podiatrist Karlyn Harfoot reviewed the findings and confirmed, "The results reflect what I see and hear from mothers everyday in my Hong Kong practice. Without access to information and without any guidance, mothers can't be expected to know what to look for when getting their children shoes, no matter how much they want the best for their child. '

With over 90 years of history in helping US mothers find footwear that specifically meets the growing needs of their children feet, Stride Rite is aiming to offer the same support to mothers in Hong Kong.  Committed to kid-rite innovation, quality, health and style, Stride Rite has developed the S.T.E.P. (Scientifically Tested, Everyday Proven) System intended to help mothers make the 'rite' choice and ensure quality, healthy footwear for every key developmental stage."

Theresa Palermo, Senior Marketing Director of Stride Rite Children's Group USA said, "The effects of childhood foot damage can show up in a child's posture and walking gait even before they are fully developed. Our S.T.E.P. system helps address the needs of children's feet and provides parents with a tool that enables them to make the 'rite' shoe decision to meet the developmental needs of their children's feet. We are excited about the opportunity to help mothers in Hong Kong find the best shoes to support their children's healthy foot development."

"I have been practicing in Hong Kong for over 20 years but am continually surprised by how many mothers don't know how important it is to find the correct fitting shoes for their child," added Karlyn Harfoot.

"Shoes play a fundamental role in helping children learn how to walk. If their shoes are too tight, too large or too rigid they can cause children to form bad habits, which need to be corrected later in life," continued Harfoot.

It isn't just in the area of fitting that mothers need more information however, the findings also showed that:

• Seven out of ten Hong Kong mothers have been lead to believe that they should look for shoes with arches for children under two - which can interfere with their ability to learn how to walk
• One in four mothers don't know their child has their own unique walking pattern - which develops over many years and can be impacted by the shoes they wear in their early years
• More than a third would consider hand-me-down shoes for their children  - despite the fact that no two children's feet are the same, even if they're from the same family
• Seventy percent can't correctly identify when the critical bones in the foot form - and as a result are ill equipped to know how best to chose their children's shoes

The first Stride Rite Store in Hong Kong opened on December 5 2010 at Windsor House in Causeway Bay. It is serviced by Stride Rite Certified Fit Specialists who have undergone extensive training to master the principles of lengths, width and support. They can show mothers how when all these elements fit together, their child will have properly fitting shoes that provide both comfort and support for healthy foot development.

"Mothers can rest assured too that they do not have to forgo style to find the rite fitting shoes for their children. Stride Rite shoes come in over 250 different styles and colors from brands including Stride Rite, Robeez, Saucony, Keds and Sperry Top-Sider - there is a shoe to match every child's unique personality," confirmed Ms Palermo.

To help mothers make the best decision for their children's healthy foot development Karlyn Harfoot has compiled her top five fitting fundamentals:

1.        Make sure your children's shoes are fitted by a certified fitter - otherwise know what to look for.  Then you won't be pressured into buying the wrong shoe for the sale and not the fit.

2.        Make sure shoes are measured for the correct length and width every 2-3 months until at least the age of two because children's feet grow so quickly, in spurts and not evenly. Then every 3- 4 months.

3.        Look for shoes that have a toe area that is foot shaped. The wrong shape for your child's foot can cause damage without you realizing it.

4.        Look to see that the shoe has laces, Velcro or a "T" bar which holds the foot securely in the shoe and prevents it from slipping up and down and forward.

5.        Check the shape of your child's foot and buy the shoe accordingly. A wide shoe on a slim foot can do as much damage as a slim shoe on a wide foot.

The Stride Rite brand and its range of children's footwear opened its first store in Hong Kong on December 5 and will be marketed in Asia through Li Fung Children (Management) Ltd, a newly formed subsidiary of Li & Fung Retailing.

Argha Sen, Head of Marketing & Customer Relationship Management for Li Fung Children (Management) Ltd said "Purchasing your child's first pair of shoes is a very special and significant occasion, which marks a milestone in the journey of childhood. We hope parents will turn to Stride Rite for the information they need to ensure this journey begins on the rite foot."

For more information about Stride Rite visit www.striderite.com.hk

*The survey was conducted online by ACORN Research on behalf of Stride Rite among 928 Hong Kong mothers with children aged five or below in November 2010.

About The Stride Rite Children's Group and Collective Brands, Inc.

Stride Rite Children's Group, part of the Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group markets a leading brand of premium children's footwear in the United States under such brands as Stride Rite®, Saucony® Kids, Sperry Top-Sider® Kids, Keds® Kids and Robeez®, among others. For 90 years, the company's passion for excellence in design has been focused on ensuring the proper development of children's feet with a commitment to innovation, research and technology.

Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its nearly 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands Airwalk®, Dexter®, Champion®, Zoe & Zac™, the first-ever affordable green footwear brand, and designer collections Lela Rose for Payless, Unforgettable Moments by Lela Rose, Christian Siriano for Payless and Isabel Toledo for Payless, among others; the Performance + Lifestyle Group, focused on lifestyle and performance branded footwear and high-quality children's footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with its brands including Stride Rite®, Keds®, Sperry Top-Sider®, Robeez®, and Saucony®, among others; and Collective Licensing International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk®, Above The Rim®, Vision Street Wear®, STRIKEFORCE(TM), Clinch Gear(TM), Sims®, Lamar® and LTD®, World Snowboarding Championships(TM) and Hind®. Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand's units can be found at http://www.collectivebrands.com.

About Li & Fung Retailing
Li & Fung (Retailing) Limited, a member of the Li & Fung Group, was formed in 1985 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the privately held Li & Fung (1937) Limited. All the retailing businesses under Li & Fung Retailing are not related to the publicly listed Li & Fung Limited SEHK494.

Under Li & Fung Retailing, there are two listed entities: Convenience Retail Asia Limited, operator of the Circle K Convenience Stores and the Saint Honore Cake Shops in the Pearl River Delta; Trinity Limited, a leading high-end luxury menswear retailer primarily serving Greater China. There is also a privately held toys and children product specialty chain store Toys"R"Us in Greater China and South East Asia.

Li & Fung Retailing's businesses extend from Greater China to Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and other south East Asia countries through a combined network of close to 1,000 stores

For more information or to organize an interview please contact:

Irene Chua

Bite Communications
irene.chua@bitecommunications.com
Tel: +852-297-0222 
Mob: +852-9015-9445

Angel Cheng
Bite Communications
Angel.cheng@bitecommunications.com
Tel: +852-2973-0222 
Mob: +852-9736-4321