Kids, core values and consumerism

Here at MiniMonos, we have been working on our business model, thanks in part to being at the amazing XMediaLab. We were lucky enough to be mentored by some of the world’s best at this stimulating event.

We have always had a plan to provide free content and sell subscriptions for premium access. This is the only business model we all felt comfortable with. We didn’t want to be in business of selling stuffed toys, plastic USB drives and crap people don’t need.

Interestingly, the market researchers are telling us that mothers prefer to buy junk in order to get access to websites (because then if the website sucks, the kid still has the toy). We just don’t buy it. We know we don’t want any more plush toys!

As a mom, I am happy to pay for a subscription when I know that means my child is safe, and not exposed to advertising. I am hugely inspired by the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, and have thought hard about how we run a sustainable business with children’s interests at heart.

I've previously blogged about how the virtual worlds industry is one that usually solves a problem for marketers (how to sell more stuff to kids), rather than one that thinks about how to serve the children themselves. For MiniMonos, we rejected the advertising model -- because we don’t want to be part of a machine that tells kids they have to buy stuff to be happy.

But are there any advertisers selling good things to parents, consistent with our values, consistent with who we are? Thanks to the stimulating and challenging discussions we have had recently, we've been asking ourselves that question.

Not all stuff is created equal, so I began a quest to see what's out there. As of now, I'm slightly amazed by how difficult it is to find good quality products for children. I Googled organic kids, eco kids, kids and gardening, ethical gifts, fair trade gifts, fair trade kids gifts.

I found a lot of Fair Trade stuff that I wouldn’t buy and that didn’t appear to be very sustainably produced. I found a Fair Trade wholesaler selling what I thought looked like junk at really low prices. I struggled to find Fair Trade and organic at the same time -- and for kids? Forget it.

I also struggled to find organic clothing for big kids. There was a lot in the organic baby section… but for children older than two it was pretty hard.

Even more surprising to me was that most of what I found was based in the UK! Even a number of the .com sites were based in the UK. Australia had the next biggest set. The US came way third. I'm now going to start searching in French, Spanish and German to see what turns up.

I figured MiniMonos could help people find gifts and things we need that are in line with our values:

1. Sustainable. The companies which make them care deeply about the environment and communities they live in. They take a long-term view, are probably organic producers, and possibly carry some kind of carbon certification.
2. Generous. They pay a fair wage, treat suppliers and customers with respect, and treat the earth and animals well.
3. Delightful. Their products or services add joy to the world.

If you are one of these suppliers let me know!

These are some of the things I went looking for:

• Gardening sets for kids: quality tools meant to be used for years and handed on
• Funky composting systems with kids in mind (size of buckets/bins, quality of materials)
• Books: sustainably produced, with uplifting themes
• Organic kids clothing sizes 2T to 12
• Cool lunch sets (I did find some of these – calico lunch bags and steel drink bottles)
• Non toxic (in every way) toys that rock for bigger kids 8-12

What do you think? Got any great sustainable, generous, delightful companies you love?

Comments

[iona elwood smith]

Hi

I like these guys www.seedling.co.nz "planting ideas, growing minds" Products quality made in Milan. I like their philosophy regarding growing creativity. Check them out

Iona

[mark houghton brown]

melissa, fyi all the major best respected official certified organic standards have significant fair trade provisions in them; there is quite a bit of complex history between the two families of organisations and quite a few variances in the detail of different fair trade and organic standards, so its impossible to make definitive generalisations. However there is imho a lot of fair trade product which is unsustainable and polluting. Organic standards try to define a fair (& premium) price and fair employment practices in addition to ecological production methods which are on their way to sustainability. Fair Trade Certifiers charge far more (as much as 2% on sales) and recycle those funds into projects in the producer communities, but have no restrictions on artificial fertilisers or pesticides.

[Melissa]

Thanks to both of you. Iona - I love the seedling site! Thanks