Crowdfunding Project for LunaDisc on Kickstarter will Benefit MayanArtisans in Guatemala through Fair Trade Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) June 27, 2012 The new LunaDisc, a crocheted flying disc with LED lights, is notjust another Kickstarter project aimed at funding a new product. Its creators and co-founders,Patrick Groft and Chris Larsen, also have a broader vision in mind:helping support Mayan weavers in the Solola region of Guatemala. Groft and Larsen formed their company, PhD Productions, in 2007,after getting an idea from Groft s daughter, Savanna, a thirdgrader at the time. After seeing a crocheted school project shemade a round doily shaped like a disc Larsen grabbed it and threwit to Groft. A light bulb went off.
They tinkered with the designto add a more substantial lip to the disc, making it easier tothrow. They named it the Pocket Disc and decided to form a newcompany to produce and sell it. The Secret to Pocket Disc: Finding the Right Weavers It turned out that the circular design of the 100% cotton crochetedPocket Disc was trickier than they thought. Each disc would need tobe made by hand, not using a machine. So Groft and Larsen began aquest to find the best weavers who could affordably mass producethe Pocket Disc.
We also wanted to do more than just make a great new disc, Groft said. We wanted a company that created sustainable jobs andbrought fun to people who bought our products. So the two began exploring the idea of finding talented workers whocould make the best product while improving the weavers livesfinancially. Through a veteran importer they met, Groft and Larsen learned aboutcooperatives of Mayan weavers in villages within the regionsurrounding Panajachel in Guatemala.
The Mayans of Guatemala have been weaving and crocheting brightpatterns for centuries, and they bring a deep cultural talent forhandwork, Larsen said. Each village specializes in a fewpatterns, and the patterns of a village are passed down through thegenerations. In return for the artistry that these women add to the Pocket Disc,they are paid a fair wage and work under good conditions. The money they make crocheting Pocket Discs and other handmadeproducts enables their children to stay in school longer and helpskeeps them out of poverty, in a country where 75% of people livebelow the poverty level, Larsen said.
Original Pocket Disc is a Hit with Disc Golfers, Dog Lovers andOthers The Pocket Disc has quickly become one of the hottest discs on themarket for teens, college students, children, outdoor and disc golfenthusiasts and dog lovers. What started as a homework assignmentin Savanna Groft s third grade class now earns rave reviews forits performance, safety, portability and versatility. The PocketDisc is a 100% cotton, brilliantly colorful flying disc thefirst true indoor/outdoor disc for all ages. Pocket Discs can be purchased at a variety of retailers nationwideincluding Eastern Mountain Sports, L.L. Bean, Learning ExpressToys, many independent Play-It-Again Sports and over 1,500specialty outdoor, sporting goods, toy, pet and gift retailers.
Thecompany has added additional products to its line, such ascrocheted footbags, pouches and a variety of headbands. Launching the New Fair Trade LunaDisc through Crowdfunding In early 2012, Groft and Larsen hit on the idea of adding LEDlights to the Pocket Disc. After making a few prototypes, theydetermined to bring their LunaDisc to market. Still soft and safe, the LunaDisc is a new variation of the PocketDisc. However, the LunaDisc will have LED lights throughout, makingit fun to play with both in and outdoors and now at night.
But first, they needed to raise the money at least $50,000 forthe materials. They decided to use the crowdfunding websiteKickstarter to pre-sell LunaDiscs. As part of our fair trade commitment, we supply all the materialsup front," Groft said. The money we raise on Kickstarter will gotoward buying the materials and pliable LED wires needed for thefirst round of LunaDiscs. Since launching the Kickstarter campaign on June 15, they haveraised over $12,000 toward the $50,000 goal.
The campaign runsthrough August 5, and Groft and Larsen expect to meet or exceed thefunding goal. We are excited and hopeful about bringing the LunaDisc to lifethrough our backers on Kickstarter, Groft said. It s a great,fun product and will continue to benefit the Mayan weavers andtheir families.
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