Once upon a time, Old Navy was my go-to destination for affordable kids’ clothes. But lately, I’ve been crushing on the Cat & Jack brand from Target. And I’m about to fill you in on why.
Compared to Old Navy, Cat & Jack prices are cheaper, the sizes fit better, and returns are more flexible (thanks to the Target return policy). Plus, I can save more with the Target RedCard vs. the Old Navy Credit Card. And even if you’re not a RedCard member yet, the basic Target Circle rewards go a lot further than Navyist Rewards do. But these are just a few of the reasons why I prefer Cat & Jack to Old Navy.
I’ll spill the full details on why Target kids’ clothes from Cat & Jack are my new go-to. But first, be sure to download the KCL app to stay on top of all the best clothing deals.
1. Target gives me a whole year to return Cat & Jack clothes — even used ones — versus Old Navy’s 30 days.
Target’s return policy is extra sweet. You can return Target-owned brands for up to a year after your purchase. In the case of Cat & Jack — which is a Target-owned brand — you can return clothing a whole 365 days later. So if that T-shirt tears at the seam or those leggings get a hole in the knee within a year, you can return them for a full refund.
On the other hand, Old Navy’s return policy kind of stinks. You only have 30 days to make returns and clothing must be unwashed and unworn. Plus, you can’t return an item to the store if your Old Navy location no longer sells it.
2. With sales and Circle Offers, Cat & Jack prices are typically lower than Old Navy.
Target sale prices will get you anywhere from 15% to 40% off the original price, which means you can score tees, tanks, and more for under $3.
For example, this Cat & Jack girl’s uniform jumper is on sale for $2.70, down from $4.50. That’s 40% off an already low price point.
3. Prices get even lower when you shop their clearance clothes.
If you wait until the end of the season to shop for Cat & Jack clothes — like buying shorts during back-to-school sales at the end of August — you can score even lower prices.
Target clearance markdowns start at 30% off and can go all the way up to 70% off if the items don’t sell. This means you’ll see super low prices on shorts, tees, and sandals heading into fall, and deep discounts on sweaters, coats, and boots heading into summer.
You can even stack Target Circle Offers and RedCard savings on top of Cat & Jack clearance prices.
4. Old Navy clothes run smaller and shorter than Cat & Jack.
Old Navy’s girls’ clothes run small. It’s the same for select boys’ items, but the sizing mismatch is not nearly as pronounced with boys’ stuff. This isn’t a problem you’ll encounter nearly as often with Cat & Jack clothes from Target. They run pretty true to size across genders.
Cat & Jack clothing also tends to run taller than Old Navy clothing, which can make a difference depending on your kids’ height.
Plus, unlike Old Navy items, Cat & Jack clothes don’t shrink in the wash.
Related: How to Unshrink Clothes
5. I get 5% off with the Target RedCard vs. 5% back at a later date with the Old Navy credit card.
Both the Target RedCard and the Old Navy credit card offer special perks for cardholders. But while the Old Navy card gives you 5% back in rewards, the Target RedCard gives you 5% off your purchase upfront.
So, instead of getting rewards that you can only use at Old Navy, you get a straight-up discount when you shop at Target.
Plus, you don’t have to sign up for the RedCard credit card option in order to get this perk. There’s a debit card and reloadable account option, too. So you can avoid interest, late payments, and all that credit card nonsense if you wish, and still get 5% off your purchases.
6. The Target Circle earnings I get last longer than Old Navy rewards.
Even if you’re not shopping with their store credit card, your Target Circle earnings last much longer. Circle earnings are good to redeem up to one year after making a purchase eligible for rewards, or one year after you last redeemed your earnings. Old Navy rewards expire within six months.
I also like that Target Circle earnings pour in much faster. At Old Navy, the points I earned in April weren’t applied to my account until May.
7. I can use my free Target Circle rewards on more things than my Navyist Rewards.
The Old Navy rewards will get me … more clothes. But my Target rewards can be used for clothes, groceries, Halloween decorations, or really anything else I need to buy.
Basically, there are more ways to reinvest my Target Circle rewards than my Navyist rewards, thus giving me more ways to save.
8. There’s no markup on adaptive clothing at Target.
The Cat & Jack brand includes some adaptive clothing for children with certain disabilities. And you’re not necessarily going to pay a markup for the accessibility factor.
For instance, you can get a two-pack of adaptive leggings for $11.50, which is actually $0.25 cheaper per pair than if you were to buy the non-adaptive leggings in a one-pack.
Here are a few more Cat & Jack adaptive clothing options:
- Toddler Adaptive Short-Sleeve Graphic Tees – $4.25
- Toddler Girls’ Adaptive Knit Shorts, 2-pack – $9.50
- Kids’ Adaptive French Terry Top – $12
- Boys’ Adaptive Chino Pants – $14
- Girls’ Adaptive Hooded Long-Sleeve Bodysuit – $18
- Girls’ Adaptive Short-Sleeve Knit Tulle Dress – $18.70
- Boys’ Adaptive Jeans – $22
- Toddler Adaptive Quilted Jacket – $35
Contrast this selection with Old Navy, where they don’t offer adaptive clothing options for kids.
TIP: You’ll also find a selection of adaptive Halloween costumes at Target.
9. Some Cat & Jack items come with a handy tag with space for three names (hand-me-down friendly!).
When you peek at the tags on some Cat & Hack hoodies or jackets, you’ll notice the brand encourages recycling through hand-me-downs.
Instead of leaving room on the tag for just one name, some Cat & Jack tags leave room for three names.
For example, the tag might say:
This coat belongs to:
Explorer one: ___________________
Explorer two: ___________________
Explorer three: __________________
The reason Target can afford to stand behind their one-year return policy is because Cat & Jack clothes are high-quality — especially for the low price. So it’s nice to see that they encourage hand-me-downs, even if it could cost them future sales!
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