Sustainable Lifestyle
miYim
Specialising in toys and infant accessories, miYim – China's first organic, plush toy company – uses organic cotton and natural dyes to create their adorable range of soft toys, rattles and blankets. The company oversees every stage of the manufacturing process at their facilities in China. “From purchasing organic yarn, to the dying process, sewing and stuffing – all these are done in our facility and managed by our own staff,” says CEO Han Chae. Han attributes the popularity of miYim products to the company's all-natural approach. “The most welcoming factor of miYim toys, for mothers, is their safety and non-toxicity.”
Han believes the Chinese consumer wants to go green, but that the benefits are not yet emphasised enough. “Another major factor is that people simply don’t have enough confidence in the word ‘organic’,” says Han. “The quality and manufacturing process should be communicated to the customer, so they know what they are paying for.”
Exhibiting at EDF has also allowed miYim to collaborate with like-minded companies to promote the concept of organic living. “After attending the first EDF, I was able to meet with other companies and make a cooperative effort to work together and promote this idea of living an eco-life,” Han says.
The Freshary
From humble beginnings, organic food company The Freshary has flourished to become a full-scale operation, with a full range of delicious, organic and vegan ice creams and baked goods. “We chose to be organic, because organic food production is more caring and respectful of our Earth and the people who create the foods,” General Manger Paul Bergman tells us.
The Freshary are bringing a variety of fresh, baked goods to the fair, including muffins, cupcakes, brownies, cornbreads and pretzels. The company aims to make all their products from scratch, every day – including the ingredients. “We grind all our flours from organic grains,” says Bergman. “We freshly roast all our organic vegetables and we mill our organic soybeans to create the dairy-free milk.” And as if the products themselves weren't wholesome enough, The Freshary has given their baked goods cutesy, diminutive names “to emphasise the value of smallness”. So if it's an organic muffin you're after, start looking for the ‘minnies’; those craving cupcakes should seek out the ‘cuties’.
Bergman believes it is getting easier to eat organic in Shanghai. “There are more and more restaurants and supermarkets in Shanghai that are doing their best to incorporate organic foods,” he says, “And a number of small, natural health food stores. It is important, however, to read labels and ask questions to better understand if a product is really organic certified or just put on the organic shelf!”
