Subscribe by EmailUnplug the i-Pod and Plug Into Nature
Our friends at Mountain Sprouts (great name, but no, we’re not related) have been designing durable, high quality outerwear for kids since 2000. Their multiple lines of canvas, base layer, softshell and organic outdoor clothing are intended to help families play outdoors together and outfit kids for any outdoor adventure.
Mountain Sprouts recently introduced their “Plug Into Nature” campaign which promotes outdoor exploration for children and creating opportunities for them to learn about the natural world. As part of this campaign, they designed a special line of organic tee-shirts with various “Plug Into Nature” graphics for infants, toddlers and kids.
We loved the idea of ”plugging” kids into nature and thought the tee-shirts were super cute so we contacted our friend Jen Rieke Taylor, Founder and Global Brand Manager of Mountain Sprouts, to ask her some questions and learn more about what they are doing.
Melissa: What is your Plug Into Nature campaign all about and where did the idea come from?
Jen: The term “Plug Into Nature” came about on a road trip where my husband and I (this time without kids, funnily enough) were on our way into the Utah mountains, discussing the importance of the Mountain Sprouts mission (encouraging kids and families to recreate outdoors together), and the importance of this topic on a national level. In near frustration, using hand gestures to express my inner passion, I said, “I just want to plug these kids into the outdoors, into nature! Like they plug into their i-pods!”. I then described this image in my head of a kid sitting in a tree with earphones on, but plugged into the tree instead of an i-Pod, like a branch. My husband said, “Yeah - Plug Into Nature!” That was the ‘ah-ha’ moment.
The campaign started with our Nature Organic Tee collection and putting the Plug Into Nature logo on the tee’s. It began the first step in a campaign that has aspects which are in various formative stages - education outreach, interpretive elements, national tour, web outreach, corporate partnering, etc. We have more ideas about the Plug Into Nature campaign than we have resources for, so it’s one step at a time for the moment.
Mountain Sprouts believes that this is our humble way of providing a puzzle piece to the ‘bigger picture’ for current and future generations of outdoor families. We work hard to develop a product line that is designed for kids to be used and abused in the Great Outdoors, keep them comfortable, and look good at the same time (everyone likes to look good!). If the kids are happy, the parents are too and will likely extend their time spent outside.
Melissa: What trends in the marketplace do you see that contribute to the success of the campaign and the Nature product line? Why did you feel it was important to promote this to consumers?
Jen: The nation’s recent attention to our disconnect with nature is the biggest component to our success. Mountain Sprouts has been forging a path in the Outdoor Industry and beyond for 5+ years, and we’ve started to see the topic finally get the acknowledgment that it deserves. But there’s a long way to go and a significant shift in household lifestyles and priorities is required for real change to happen.
The importance of the Plug Into Nature campaign to consumers goes to the heart of the matter - the kids. Well, the kids AND the environment. It’s not news that parents are strapped for free time, kids are over-scheduled and the access to electronic media is pervasive - everything is topsy-turvy. We struggle with the balance in our own household of three kids (ages 8, 12 & 17) just like everyone else. But the rate of accelerated detachment from the natural world that’s taking place generation to generation is appalling. Kids develop common sense, humility, self-confidence, a connectedness with nature, basic life skills and much more when engaged with the natural world and allowed/encouraged to think for themselves. Then there are the memories that last a lifetime, and the experiences that they’ll want to re-create for their own kids and grandkids.
Melissa: What is the Mountain Sprouts philosophy when it comes to kids and the outdoors?
Jen: Go Get Dirty!!!!! Too often kids hear, “just don’t get dirty” or other such things. Many kids don’t know what it’s like to play in the rain or dance in a mud puddle or pull up rocks to dig for earthworms. These are simple, instinctual behaviors for kids that have been replaced with high-sequenced cartoons and plastic games that talk. One of my favorite times of the day is when I kick my kids outside and tell them “I don’t want to see you until dinner” (in a loving way, of course). Just like I heard as a kid.
Our mission is simple, strong, and for me, the ultimate driving force that feeds my passion for what we do here at Mountain Sprouts: Let the children play, OUTDOORS!
Mountain Sprouts Plug Into Nature organic cotton tee-shirts are available in a range of colors for both boys and girls and feature six different graphics to choose from. They are available in sizes for babies, toddlers and kids. You can find more information about these and the entire line of Mountain Sprouts outdoor clothing for kids at http://www.mountainsprouts.com/.
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