Looking out for the future of kids

Published 12:00 pm Wednesday, June 7, 2006

A new Bainbridge company puts a progressive edge on toy and game sales.

The aura surrounding Julie Hall and Sarah Lane is strong.

While making their professional names as published writers and curriculum and book editors, they nurtured other creative callings through such pursuits as web design, soap making and photography.

When their desk work became spiritually and physically grueling and the arrival of their baby changed their perspective, they experienced an awakening that spurred them to launch Progressive Kid, an online store that promotes positive influences in families and how they view the world.

“It’s a political message in the sense we have strong values and we think a lot of people in the country do, too,” Lane said.

“We support the earth. We support kids,” Hall said, adding they want to offer children something that speaks to more than their vanity and preoccupation with appearance. “We were trying to do this through writing and editing in the education field.”

Once unwilling to embrace commerce, Lane and Hall realized they could use environmentally friendly T shirts, books, games and toys to honor diverse lifestyles and reinforce feelings of self-respect, creativity and empathy toward people and the earth.

“There is a continuity, a thread in our lives that makes a lot of sense,” Hall said. “We’ve never been afraid of risks.”

Their product line teaches children about the world and “gets them to think about a bigger place than where they live,” Lane said. They found others who shared their views and set about launching their message-based business 18 months ago. Their good karma was apparent when Whole Foods approached them for orders.

“We were kind of overwhelmed. We got ready fast,” Hall said.

About every week they get a call from a national market wanting to carry their items. Being eco-friendly means a lot of things, Hall said, such as not using pesticides, not engaging in slave labor and not selling lead-free vinyl lunch bags. And they buy as many items as they can from U.S. makers, she added.

“It’s surprising how we touched people,” Hall said. “Our challenge is to get our message out there.”

The name “Progressive Kid” speaks to the company’s target audience as well as its purpose. Alphabet cards show different ecosystems. Adult and children’s T-shirts and stuffed mountain goats are made from organic cotton. A memory card game features the faces of children from around the world. Items from China are made by paid adults.

The company has a Co-op American Green Businesses certification and tries to be as earth-friendly as possible. Links on the stylish and informative website take viewers to compatible organizations.

From their fan mail, they know “people are so grateful to have these things articulated.” They are filling orders from the United Kingdom and Canada.

Hall and Lane attend conferences and shows in search of products that share their values, although they still mostly find organic clothing and food.

Soon to come is a product-free kids page for the website. The fun page will give children something to think about and center around the company’s main message.

The couple moved to Bainbridge 12 years ago from Chicago. They meant to find a home in Seattle, but a couple of days on the island with friends changed their minds.

“We are very good creative partners and always have been,” said Hall, who manages the wholesale division while Lane tackles the design work.

They both design the soft T-shirts embellished with water-based ink designs and messages that they try to remember to follow themselves. Their squashy “hug-a-planet” globe balls in two sizes are popular with kids of all ages, as are the baby bath bags, soft bath critters on surfboards and Mexico-made crayons cast from pure soybean oil instead of petroleum wax.

Some of their products are manufactured by other companies in the U.S. and abroad. Others they create themselves, including the polished writer packets for teen authors, cards on recycled stock that are produced locally and five fun themed party boxes for ages 5 to 10 that feature high-quality favors and activity cards.

Every decision Hall and Lane make personally and professionally centers around their values: to love and protect things; act on principle; strive to be self-aware; live healthfully; honor difference; challenge gender roles; and think creatively.

“It’s the only hope to change things in the world,” Hall said.

“It feels good at a time we could be feeling really depressed,” Lane added.