This past September, Kickstarter celebrated its one year anniversary in Canada. In the year leading up to that date, Canadians pledged $24,140,424 to the more than 3,650 projects that found their way onto the platform. Among its first year big winners were campaigns like
The Tar Sands Reporting Project and the
Corner Gas movie, but few Canadian companies were as prolific on the platform as Toronto-based MIJLO.
Following the crowdfunding success of its
Better Backpack and
Everyday Watch, MIJLO returned to Kickstarter this past week with its most recent effort, Where's Wallet.
Where's Wallet is a wallet that, according to MIJLO founder Daniel Eckler, is impossible to lose. Using a combination of a sensor within the wallet and a downloadable mobile app, Where's Wallet will alert its owner if they're ever separated from one another.
It's also a simple accessory piece that's stylish without making a bold fashion statement, says Eckler.
Indeed, if there's something that ties together MIJLO's seemingly disparate group of offerings, it's an emphasis on simplicity and on creating a product that will last a lifetime. According to Eckler, it's a philosophy he was inspired to burrow from renowned Japanese retailer Muji—which, coincidently, recently opened its first location in Toronto.
“They take an approach that is simple and refined. There also have a philosophy behind their business that believes people should live simply,” he says. “I decided I wanted to found a company that had similar values.”
He goes on to add, “What ties all our products together is that each one can easily be the one product a person buy in a specific category and something that they'll be able to use and keep for a long time.”
As of the writing of this post, the Where's Wallet campaign has 29 days left to go and it has already raised $25,355 of its $30,000 goal. It seems MIJLO is doing something right.
Source: MIJLO