Jeff and Kathryn Ames believe they’re onto something with their line of clothing, Bruz Wear. And with good reason.
The idea of pants and shorts with padded knees for infants and toddlers was born when the Ames’ son, Nicholas, who suffers from Severe Hemophilia A, was learning to crawl. His bruised knees sparked the idea of a padded clothing line.
“There must be an easier way,” Kathryn thought. “We couldn’t find pants with pads. I felt like I had to do something as a mom for my son and other kids.”

But the clothing line is just as effective for any child who crawls, the Ames believe.

The Circus Train in Gunnison recently picked up Bruz Wear at the urging of Mindy Vickers, whose son, Sammy, also suffers from Severe Hemophilia A (see related story).

“They’ll work for any child,” says Circus Train owner Mary Esther Field.

It’s the first product she’s seen on the market with padded knees.

“For little guys, their knees are out of the pants and skinned all the time,” Field adds. “The idea is to support young parents and their needs.”

“We received a Bruz Wear gift set from the hemophilia clinic and were blown away,” Vickers says. “The clothing is adorable and functional; what a fantastic idea.”

Now, 1-year-old Holden Vickers has a pair of his own.

The Ames, who designed the clothing, started selling it last summer at open-air markets in the Denver area and soon picked up a few wholesale accounts.

“The response has been amazing,” Kathryn says.
The clothing comes in various colors and styles for boys and girls, and in sizes 6 months to toddler.

Most people are attracted to the style, Kathryn says. “Then they notice the kneepad. Then we tell them the story and they’re hooked.”

The Ames, who live in Centennial, currently donate product to events for hemophilia and plan to contribute financially to research for the disease once the clothing line takes off.

“That is something we really feel strong about,” Kathryn says.

Bruz Wear is made in the Denver area. The products can be viewed at the company’s Web site, www.bruzwear.com.