Amid one of the grimmest holiday sales seasons in decades, a startup in Fort Collins, Colo., has a hit with its eco-friendly, battery- free toys.
Sprig Toys debuted its first line of toys in the fall, and in a matter of months snagged mentions on NBC's "Today" show, three nominations for the Toy Industry Association's Toy of the Year and distribution deals with Whole Foods, Toys "R" Us and independent toy retailers across the country.
"We had the idea that if you could bottle the energy of a 4- year-old child, you would never need batteries," said Chris Clemmer, one of Sprig's four co-founders.
Sprig, which has nine employees, expects sales of around $3 million to $4 million this year and more than $9 million next year as the company adds more toys to its lineup and begins overseas distribution.
Sprig was started by four toy industry veterans who primarily worked as designers at the industry's marquee names, including Fisher-Price and Mattel.
Initially, the Sprig founders simply wanted to create a child- powered toy to help cut down on the estimated millions of batteries tossed into landfills each year. But once it started, Sprig decided to incorporate eco-friendly features into nearly every aspect of the toys. They're made of a child-safe composite of recycled wood and reclaimed plastic called "Sprig Wood." They use minimal packaging. And the raw materials and finished product are made in Canada, rather than being shipped long distance from China.
Sprig launched with its Adventure Series, which requires kids to push or pump the vehicles to activate an internal generator that powers lights and sounds. The flagship Discovery Rig four-wheeling vehicle features a USB plug-in for five Adventure Guide characters that deliver a different narrative about journeys ranging from a safari to the Himalayas.
"Parents are looking for toys that get their kids moving and give them a reward for interacting," said Steve Markey, Sprig's head of sales.
Next month, the company will begin shipping its next line: a series of construction trucks, including an excavator and dump truck made of Sprig Wood. The trucks will be priced in the mid-teens, compared with $59.99 for the Discovery Rig.
"We don't want to be the brand that's always more expensive" than other toys, Clemmer said.
Sallie Kashiwa, owner of independent retailer Timbuk Toys, said Sprig's Discovery toys have been in demand throughout the holiday season. But she said she's "incredibly excited" about the construction trucks because of their lower price and inherent appeal to children's love of pushing toys across the ground.
"They're going to influence the toy industry in a very big way" with their ecological approach to toys, Kashiwa said.
Also in the works for next year: a garden play set and Discovery Rigs being sold in Europe and elsewhere.
Sprig's tight-knit team means the one- or two-year product development cycle common at larger toymakers is compressed to a matter of months, Markey said, although the designers have ideas for the next five years.
"The great thing about a company led by designers is you go into any type of a meeting -- finance, distribution -- and they just start sketching these ideas," he said.
(Contact Joyzelle Davis of the Rocky Mountain News at XX(at)xxx.com.)
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