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Just Jump It Offers Perfect Twist of Fun and Safety Company Reinvents Jump Ropes and Other Classics
In 1992, 17 years after the founding of Cressline Rope Works, a sales rep for the bulk-rope purveyor suggested to Owner Darrel Cresswell that the company create a jump rope. Darrel and his partner at the time, Don Meeker, jumped at the opportunity to give it a try. NO HANDLE, NO WORRIES  Once their first 8’ jump rope was ready, they took it to toy trade shows under the company name Just Jump It, explaining to potential customers that the washable, polypropylene double-braided rope “would rotate around itself, which is why it needed no handle,” Chris Kalberer, director of operations and sales for Just Jump It, and Darrel’s son-in-law, told TDmonthly Magazine.The “rope in a rope” is cut with a hot knife to melt the ends, and the ends are then knotted, forming a sort of handle. There is no fraying, and the ropes now come in both 8’ and 16’ options, said Chris, who joined the family business after a career as a commercial pilot. “People love the fact that the ropes can be washed and that they last, and there’s no handle for a child to be hit with,” he added. The company originally produced the jump ropes themselves, but as business grew, there was a need to outsource.  Just Jump It chose a facility in China because of cost, ensuring that the manufacturing partner understood their established standards for quality. Some product, however, is produced in-house for customers who require items made in the USA, Chris said. MORE THAN JUMP ROPES Although bringing the first jump rope to market was fairly simple, since it was an extension of the company’s current business, material research and a solid plan were crucial for other products Just Jump It would offer, he added. Over time, the company has added other toys, putting a modern spin on classics with consistent themes — all of the toys involve rope, are simple, and are designed to get kids moving. In addition to jump ropes, Just Jump It creates Steppers, similar to the old cans with ropes, which are molded with a flared base and anti-slip textures, and use braided polypropylene line for the handles. Another option, the Skipper,has a molded end-ball and the same braided polypropylene line.  In addition to attending shows and marketing to specialty toy stores, the company also pursued teacher supply stores and marketed its jump ropes directly to schools. As Chris said, “Teachers love them.”Independent stores continue to be the company’s only retail outlets. “The best advice we received was [to] stay with specialty retailers,” he told TDmonthly. “The company was approached by a big-box store that made a big offer, but we decided that the mom-and-pops got us where we are.” See products by Just Jump It below: Jump Ropes by JUST JUMP IT Skipper by JUST JUMP IT Stepper by JUST JUMP IT Lariat by JUST JUMP IT  Writer's Bio: Terri Hughes-Lazzell is a freelance journalist based in Ossian, Ind. After spending nearly a decade as a daily newspaper reporter, she has worked as a freelance journalist for more than ten years, writing about a variety of topics. Her work appears in newspapers, magazines and specialty publications nationwide. Read more articles by this author |
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