HOUSTON – Despite a ban on the international trade in ivory, elephants around the world are still being poached in large numbers. The Elephant Project has helped aid in the rescue, rehabilitation, and protection of hundreds of elephants globally.
The Toy Insider: This Adorable Baby Elephant Plush Helps Real-World Elephants
You can help elephants in the process of finding the perfect gift for the animal-loving kids in your life with the Baby Chaba elephant plushie from the Elephant Project.
Founded by Kristina McKean, who wanted to improve the lives of elephants held captive in Thailand and circuses in the U.S., The Elephant Project donates 100% of net proceeds to organizations such as The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, The Elephant Cooperation, and Elephant Nature Park.
Kiki was the first elephant plush in the project’s collection, soon followed by Tembo. Both plushies stood at 8 inches tall. But a new, adorably-smaller-sized plush is entering the scene. The Baby Chaba plush, part of the SaveUs collection, is named after the real-world baby elephant Chaba, who currently lives at Elephant Nature Park. She and her mother, Chailert, were rescued together last year.
The plush Baby Chaba comes with a children’s book that teaches kids about the real Chaba’s story. Proceeds from sales will go to the aforementioned organizations, all focused on ending poaching and providing quality care to elephants. Though the real Chaba won’t be wearing any clothes, the Baby Chaba plush comes wearing a pink polka-dot dress.
The Elephant Project’s plushies are a good chance to give back, with an adorable plush as a bonus. The children’s book and plush both provide an opportunity to teach kids about the treatment of animals and getting involved in causes they care about. The Chaba plush is available now for $39 from The Elephant Project’s website.
The Spruce: The 46 Best Gifts that Give Back of 2022
Our favorite picks from Conscious Step, Uncommon Goods, Parks Project, and more
The holidays are the perfect time to give back, and it's easier than ever to do so with these gifts from your favorite brands that donate a portion to worthy causes.
We researched the best gift-worthy products from notable brands that give back to the community, considering the price, cause, and portion donated. Our favorites include a pink clay mask from Klei Beauty, a personalized photo mug from Shutterfly, and cozy slippersfrom Bombas.
Here, the best gifts that give back.
The Elephant Project
When shopping for gifts for kids, consider an adorable plush friend from The Elephant Project. The Elephant Project sells huggable stuffed elephants like Kiki, who comes adorned with a cute pink dress. 100 percent of the proceeds from the dolls go to various organizations dedicated to caring for and protecting elephants from poachers.
Price at time of publish: $39
Verywell Family: The 38 Best Gifts for 3-Year-Old Girls of 2022
Finding the right gift for a 3-year-old is a delightful task. Full of discovery and blossoming independence, three-year-olds learn about their worldthrough play, often reimagining their experiences, such as playing doctor after a visit to their pediatrician or pretending to be a firefighter. They are also developing cognitively, and by age 3, many children can complete simple puzzles or build towers from blocks.1 That means the world of early toys and games is open to them, and there are many gifts that will make their day.
When buying a gift for a 3-year-old, look for hands-on toys that let them act out real-life scenarios. They may enjoy pushing a baby doll in a toy stroller or serving pretend ice cream in a play kitchen. Dress-up toys also go over quite well, whether they are real-life costumes like a construction worker or fantasy-based characters like Elsa from Frozen. Because 3-year-olds are beginning to move from parallel play to cooperative play, look for toys that will be equally fun played alone or with other children.
When reviewing gifts for 3-year-olds, we considered versatility, developmental milestones, design, safety, and ease of cleaning. We also looked for gifts well suited to a 3-year-old’s interests, such as dramatic play, outdoor activities, and huggable animal friends.
Based on our reviews, these are the best gifts for 3-year-old girls on the market today.
Honestly Jaime: HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE: GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK
The Elephant Project Stuffed Animals
I fell in absolute love with elephants after visiting an elephant sanctuary in Thailand – I feel like most people don’t know about the horrible conditions and torture that some elephants go through, and I won’t get into that right now. Right now is just about The Elephant Project and their mission to save elephants by selling these ADORABLE stuffed animals. My faves?
Tembo: Tembo, meaning “elephant” in Swahili, is an 8″ stuffed elephant doll made out of soft grey fabric and green overalls. 100% of net proceeds go to various organizations that help aid in fighting the poaching crisis and also provide care to injured, abandoned, orphaned, and abused elephants.
OBA: OBA, meaning “King Ruler” in West Africa, is an 8″ stuffed lion doll made out of soft tan fabric and a white jacket. 100% of net proceeds go to various organizations that help aid in fighting the poaching crisis and also provide care to injured, abandoned, orphaned, and abused big cats.
Voyage Denver: Daily Inspiration: Meet Kristina McKean
Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristina McKean.
Hi Kristina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey started a few years back after a trip to Thailand with my family. I was devasted to witness baby elephants on the streets of Bangkok being exploited for money. The mistreatment and abuse of elephants was heartbreaking, and I was outraged to find that this mistreatment carried on in the U.S. Back home, I learned about the widespread issue of circus animal abuse. I was unable to comprehend how animal abuse could be construed as entertainment in any way. After years spent signing petitions, protesting circuses, and creating social media campaigns to help spread awareness surrounding the mistreatment of elephants, I felt propelled to do more. Using my background in product development, I created elephant dolls lovingly named Kiki and Tembo. Each of our dolls comes with an endearing poem and information about the elephant crisis and our mission. The welfare of elephants has now become my passion and life quest.
Over the years, I have grown with The Elephant Project and have turned this passion project into an expanding business. 100% of the net proceeds from the sales of Kiki and Tembo go to various organizations that help aid in fighting the poaching crisis and also provide care to injured, abandoned, orphaned, and abused elephants. The organizations we work with currently include the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the Elephant Nature Park, and Elephant Cooperation. These organizations do hands-on work, providing medical aid, food, and sanctuary to elephants in Thailand and Africa. In addition, a large part of my mission is to spread awareness and education to children of all ages about the elephant crisis. I have expanded The Elephant Project to include other animals in need, such as Big Cats and shelter dogs (coming soon!). I am so grateful for all the support I have received and my elephant-loving community who have helped spread awareness for the elephants and ensure their welfare. I hope to continue to inspire others to make a difference and use their voice for change.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think it’s ever a smooth road when you start a business. I think knowing that there will always be challenges and obstacles makes the journey a little easier. It is a lot of work to source the fabric/material, work on marketing and advertising, and everything else that comes with it. I think it’s all part of the journey and you learn some things that work and some that don’t. I am grateful for all the experiences I have had so far!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I started my company-The Elephant Project because I wanted to create funds and awareness for elephants globally. It’s not just a stuffed animal but a toy that comes with a mission. I am grateful that I have had such an impact on children of every age. Each stuffed animal comes with information about our journey and a little poem. Gifts that have a purpose or give back are essential in our current climate. We must all do our part to give back!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think the toy/gift industry is slowly changing to gifts that have a purpose…whether it’s helping animals, people or the environment…we all need to be more aware of how we spend or money and time.
Pricing:
-$39 per unit
Contact Info:
Website: https://www.theelephantproject.com/
Instagram: @theelephantprojectofficial
Facebook: @theelephantprojectofficial
Twitter: @TheElephantPro1
Luxe Life NYC: Holiday Gift Guide 2022: Fun Finds For Friends And Family!
It is hard to believe that the holidays are just around the corner. I feel that it is never too early to start shopping, but if you are a hardcore procrastinator, thanks to modern technology you can wait until the day before Christmas and still get a package delivered via Amazon Prime. Here is a selection of items in all price ranges for everyone from tech geeks to fitness freaks and back again!
The Elephant Project give 100% of the net proceeds of this adorable elephant plush toy named Kiki to several highly respected agencies that care for orphaned, abused, and injured elephants. The organizations that they partner with have well-established programs and on-the-ground experience, ensuring that every purchase directly benefits the elephants. There is also a “brother” plush toy that is a lion called Tembo that you can also buy. Purchase your plush toy elephant for $39 here (it’s my favorite charitable holiday gift for 2022): Kiki The Elephant.
Authority Magazine: Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Kristina McKean of The Elephant Project Is Helping To Change Our World
Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Kristina McKean of The Elephant Project Is Helping To Change Our World
Don’t give up on what you feel is right. I have found that if you have pure intentions and a goal, you can empower yourself and others to make a real change in this life. Trust your instincts. It starts with a vision, but you must work hard to get there. The vision is not enough.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristina McKean.
Kristina McKean is the founder of The Elephant Project. A seasoned entrepreneur and product design specialist, Kristina has leveraged the extensive experience she gained while working for multinational clients and corporations like The Gap to create a cuddly way for the next generation of philanthropists to help action sustainable change today: The Elephant Project. Kristina has doubled down on her life- long passion for animal protection and wildlife conservation by creating this luxe line of plush stuffed elephants and donating 100% of all net proceeds to the aligned, on-the-ground non-profit organizations that directly benefit the toys’ real-world counterparts. To date, Kristina and The Elephant Project have helped aid in the rescue and protection of hundreds of elephants, while fostering numerous orphaned elephants, increasing family education around the ethical and physical complexities of elephant tourism, and delighting children the world over with her adorable SaveUs™ branded collection of Kiki, Tembo (and soon, Baby Chaba) plushies. Kristina has been profiled by a multitude of local, national, and international media outlets, including The Today Show, Vogue, People, Santa Barbara Magazine, The Montecito Journal and The Santa Barbara Sentinel. Her partner non-profit organizations include The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Elephant Nature Park, and The Elephant Cooperation.
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Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Iwas celebrating my honeymoon with my husband in Thailand. Near the beginning of our trip, I saw a baby elephant begging on the street (“Begging elephants” are elephants that have been taken and held captive by beggars and are typically emaciated and severely malnourished. They are made to walk long hours throughout Thailand’s towns — paraded around to perform tricks to gain money). When I saw the enslaved baby elephant looking helpless, restrained, and in despair, it completely broke my heart and, frankly, kind of ruined our trip.
I thought, “How could this be? How could humans be so cruel to these beautiful creatures?” It bothered me so much that by the time I came back home, the only thing I had on my mind was how I could help end this practice. While I was overwhelmed with frustration at first, since I didn’t know where to start, I knew this inner, nagging feeling was a calling. All I wanted to do was figure out how I could play a role to remove this horrible practice from this planet and save these animals. I started signing petitions. I joined rallies that would protest and bring awareness to cruel circus practices. Over time, I met others who shared the same passion I had to get as many of these elephants as possible into safe, humane environments. However, our scope of impact was relatively small in the beginning, because we didn’t yet have social media or digital campaigns to amplify the awareness that was needed.
Then one day when I saw my daughter playing with a stuffed animal, everything clicked. What if I could make a stuffed animal that taught children about this cause and raised awareness for elephants before they’re completely extinct? I knew from my petitioning days that most of the people who were dumbfounded by the abuse of elephants were young girls. That was my audience. If I was going to make any kind of impact, it was going to begin with them. I ran with the idea. I had mock-ups made until I honed in on the right design, found a manufacturer, and The Elephant Project was launched in 2017. Since then, this passion project has taken on a life of its own, and we’ve been able to help rescue hundreds of elephants from captivity and abuse. Profit incentives were never the goal. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to donate 100% of the net proceeds to make the difference I was called to.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
Lek Chailert, my personal hero and the founder of the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand was visiting the U.S. While she was here, a woman from Direct Relief (a humanitarian organization) encouraged us to have a showing of Love and Bananas that highlights the daring 48-hour mission across Thailand that Lek and a team of elephant rescuers took on to save a 70-year-old, blind, captive Asian elephant and bring her to freedom. We hosted a viewing in Santa Barbara and gained great support from that community of people who were inspired to help and to learn more about why riding elephants and other common tourist activities were so problematic and abusive. That experience revealed to me that, when shown the painful truth behind the curtain, most people are receptive and want to help activate change. I saw that there’s definitely an audience out there who will listen and get involved, if I was willing to put in the work to help educate them.
That’s why our stuffed animals are so much more than toys. The company is the mission. It is about saving majestic, powerful, innocent creatures. It is about leading the way for other people to help. I’ll never forget when Lek told me that “elephants pick their people.” That must be true, since I have received so much press and support for these efforts already. I felt the first taste of the impact we’re working toward when I was able to gather 200,000 signatures to safely and humanely retire an aging elephant at the local zoo to an elephant sanctuary. I learned that one person can actually make a difference, and I now teach my daughters to be their own advocate, to stand up for what they believe in, and to know that they are capable of making a bigger impact than they may think at the outset.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I first started developing the collection, I put an ad on Craigslist to hire seamstresses who could create the prototype. Several people responded, and I tried to explain to each of them how the elephant should look. I cut and pasted doll ideas — but, with my lack of artistry and bad drawings — they couldn’t really understand my vision at first, and I knew I had a lot more work to do. Turns out, designing stuffed animals and creating prototypes is much harder than you might think.
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
Since we’re technically a toy manufacturer, The Elephant Project is not considered a non-profit, but we do give 100% of our net proceeds to support well-established NPOs who share our mission. I work with is the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. Most of their elephants are baby elephants whose mothers died due to poachers and trophy hunting. They have a program that allows people to foster elephants, in the same way you can foster a child from far away and are given regular updates. This can actually be done quite inexpensively, and every little bit counts. We have an ongoing relationship with the organization. Another organization we support is The Elephant Nature Park (again, founded by Lek Chailert and based in Thailand). It’s an authentic and passionate organization that has established a beautiful sanctuary and rescue center for previously captured and tortured elephants. I think Lek and her team are doing amazing things, and they deserve even more support to truly make the impact that they are capable of making.
We currently offer two stuffed elephants — both inspired by real-life elephants that have been rescued and a stuffed lion. All the proceeds from these sales go to organizations that are actively fighting against the cruelty that elephants suffer. We’ve also offered limited edition style options including Halloween outfits, summer themes, pajama editions, and more. We even did special blue-and-yellow outfits for our elephant dolls in honor of the animals at danger in the Ukraine crisis. And, ultimately, the purchase of each of these carefully designed stuffed animals goes toward helping end this cruelty and restore the lives of their real-world counterparts, which feels like a really positive social impact to me.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
Hands down, it would be Lek Chailert. She continues to exert heroic efforts to change brutal practices and provide sanctuary at her Elephant Nature Park and has even been featured as one of Time Magazine’s “Heroes of Asia” in 2005. She doesn’t have a corporation behind her. She is a grassroots change-maker and has rescued hundreds of animals. Her park provides sanctuary for disabled, blind, and orphaned elephants that have often spent decades working in the logging and tourist industries.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
Yes, we can start with small things that really make a difference. Celebrities can stop taking and posting selfies with extinct animals. We can stop offering elephant rides and stop using elephants in circuses, renaissance fairs, and zoos. We can change the way we relate to animals and stop viewing them as commodities to own. We can implement legislation to enhance animal rights and direct more funding to groups that protect them. It is more beneficial to share stories of how we can make an impact.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
A leader is someone who is strong, unafraid, and who takes on issues that no one else wants to take on. Leaders have a positive attitude for change and know that one person can make a difference.
Hollywood Digest: KRISTINA MCKEAN – THE ELEPHANT PROJECT
“We admire elephants in part because they demonstrate what we consider the finest human traits: empathy, self-awareness, and social intelligence. But the way we treat them puts on display the very worst of human behavior.” Words beautifully stated by Graydon Carter. This quote inspired me ahead of my great interview with Kristina McKean, founder of The Elephant Project, which helps in the rescue and protection of hundreds of elephants while fostering numerous orphaned elephants, increasing family education around the ethical and physical complexities of the elephant and delighting children all over the world with her adorable plush line of stuffed elephants. I believe it’s so wonderful all net proceeds from her luxurious elephants are 100 percentage donated to on the ground nonprofit organizations that directly benefit the elephant.
As a seasoned entrepreneur, Kristina was inspired to start the Elephant Project by the heartbreaking sight of an emancipated, begging elephant on the streets of Thailand during her honeymoon years ago. Prior to launching the project Kristina made a name for herself as a local philanthropic powerhouse by successfully spearheading animal rights and petitions. She has been profiled by many publications nationally and internationally including The Today Show, Vogue, People and an array of others. I’m honored to be among the list of great media she’s taken time to speak to. Both she and her company are truly inspirational. Read more here:
Let’s start by describing the project.
I create little elephant stuffed animals. I have a girl that’s name is Kiki and a boy that’s named Tembo. Tembo means elephant in Swahili. I created them to create awareness and funds for elephants globally after seeing an abused elephant. They are 8-in stuffed plush animals. They come with a little poem about how you’re helping to make a difference for elephants. You adopt them basically. 100% of the net proceeds go to organizations in Africa and in Thailand specifically, and some in India that help orphaned baby elephants and some older ones depending on where they’re located. So, it’s a great way to make a difference for elephants and you get this cute little stuffed animal. It’s perfect for grandparents and parents who want to gift them to little grandchildren. It’s a hit during the holidays and for baby showers. The great part is it’s a gift that truly gives back.
That’s great. What inspired you to start this project?
I have always been a big animal advocate. I was in Thailand over 20 years ago, during my honeymoon, and I saw a baby elephant in Bangkok in the street. It was just one of those moments where I thought this is so wrong. I couldn’t just go on with my day at that point. It really inspired me to do something to make a difference. I started protesting circuses and signing petitions. I realize that maybe I could do something more. My daughters were playing with stuffed animals, and I thought that would be a really good idea to make a stuffed animal that would not only educate children about elephants and what we need to do to save them, but also create funds and awareness for them. I started it over 7 years ago. But I only launched it five years ago. It’s been an incredible journey because I feel I have helped so many elephants and created so much awareness for them.
Are elephants an endangered species?
They are. In fact there are many types of elephants in Asia and Africa that are endangered and most people don’t know that.
I don’t know a lot about them except that they’re really cool. You see these commercials on television, when a baby is separated from his mother, it’s terrible.
They are one of the only definitely known animals that mourn for their death and they are highly intelligent. They are so large, and they need a lot of space. I feel that because of that they are a target for abuse, and since they were becoming extinct their ivory is very valuable to people. They are such amazing intelligent creatures and I am really empathetic to their community. They can live 70 to 80 years and they want to be with their herd. If they don’t have a mother, there aunt or nannies will take over and take care of them in the herd. When elephants pass away, they have a ceremony for them. They are very intelligent creatures and I feel that we all need to help them in any way we can before they become extinct. I felt this was a really great way to do that. My initial intent was to help them, but I also had so much fun creating the stuffed animal.
What are you seeing from the project as far as helping them?
Well, I have specific partnerships that I work with. I’ve been able to help over 300 elephants, with their rescues and helping care for them. A lot of times the babies will get sold to zoos. Sadly, they use the money to prevent this. Sanctuary is a super expensive way to care for them. In Thailand it helped to teach the people not to ride them, so I help the sanctuaries there. In Africa, it’s a lot of the baby elephants that are being orphaned because of human animal conflict or poaching and trophy hunting.
I just don’t get how people could do that.
I don’t either. It’s baffling to me, I don’t understand it at all. It’s truly heartbreaking.
I’m not a real animal lover per se, but I really have a thing for elephants, because I feel like they’re innocent. There are a lot of celebrities that are trying to help them too.
I’m so grateful for that. They need all the help they can get. I think so many people are helping to raise awareness for them, and social media is helping them do that. For example, Alec Baldwin, one of the sanctuaries I support in Thailand, he always talks about this woman her name is Lek. She’s about 5 ft tall. She grew up in Thailand and she couldn’t take the abuse the elephants were getting so she kind of rebelled against her whole family and started her own sanctuary. She reached out to Alec Baldwin for help, and he always shares about her story and the elephants there.
What do you see as the future for your project?
I branched out a little bit to some other animals. I’m so grateful for the platform that I’ve created. So many kids are so enthusiastic. I actually have a baby elephant coming out. I have a girl and a boy elephant, but I have a baby elephant coming out this holiday. It is after a real-life baby elephant that they saved in Thailand. I wanted to do that so people will follow his story and become more involved. I’d like to expand it so I can help as many elephants and animals that I can. I also want to teach children that one person can make a difference. Every bit helps. I think the next generation, I have teenage daughters, they are very strong and have strong opinions and they want change. The next generation is really strong- willed. They see something wrong in the world and they want to make a difference. I thought if I could curtail my project towards the younger generation that they will grow up and make a difference.
If someone wants one of these elephants how do they get one?
They are on my site which is https://www.theelephantproject.com/ . I donate 100% of the net proceeds to elephants globally. So, people like to donate but I think it’s fun to donate and get something back. They are great gifts especially for the holidays.
Do they come in different colors?
I do some in special editions. I did an elephant in Ukraine colors like blue and yellow, little elephants to help some of the zoo animals and I teamed up with some of those organizations that were in the Ukraine. Those were so popular I sold out in like an hour and a half. So, I do all these special costumes which is really fun. I did one for Halloween, and I will do one for the holidays. They come in little different outfits which is kind of nice because you can collect them all.
The Montecito Journal: The Elephant Project
Estimates say that there are nearly 2,000 nonprofits in Santa Barbara County, each with a mission of supporting the local or at-large community in some way. But as far as we know, only one organization – The Elephant Project – has exactly one full-time employee.
But don’t underestimate the impact of Kristina McKean, the founder of The Elephant Project, which turns five this year and continues to work to help fund the rescue and rehabilitation of endangered or mistreated elephants worldwide. The project is a result of a personal passion.
Devastated by witnessing baby elephants on the streets of Bangkok being exploited for money, McKean spent years signing petitions, protesting circuses, and creating social media campaigns to help spread awareness surrounding the mistreatment of elephants. All before founding The Elephant Project to more directly impact the cause.
Largely through donating 100 percent of net proceeds from direct sales of Kiki and Tembo, the first two adorable stuffed elephant animals she designed, McKean has been able to support a few select preserves and organizations that help aid in fighting the poaching crisis. These organizations also provide care to injured, abandoned, orphaned, and abused elephants, giving rise to the slogan “Saving Elephants, One Stuffed Animal at a Time.”
But McKean’s mission isn’t to inundate folks with the horrible animal abuse and torture stories she was flooded with over the years, but rather to help them have fun while helping out the cause.
The Elephant Project and Chantecaille collaborated to produce limited-edition floral overalls and a summer dress to add new touches to Kiki and Tembo (photo by Andrea Russell)
“It paralyzed me because I didn’t know how to take any action to actually significantly help them,” she explained. “People really want to help and it’s an easy way to donate where you actually have something to show for it: a cute, happy little toy.”
McKean’s passion and energy to grow the project and do more to help seemingly knows no bounds. Promotion, marketing, publicity – it’s all part of her bailiwick, and her commitment has propelled the small organization to be featured in many national magazines and online publications, with The Elephant Project having also been cited on The Today Show and elsewhere. “I just got on another site this morning as one of the best children’s products of 2022,” she reported when we talked last week. “It’s really great!”
McKean, who worked as a designer for The Gap and is the daughter of a former designer for Tonka Toys, also spends time developing new cute stuffed creatures, including expanding the organization’s reach even beyond the elephants that initially sparked the project.
There’s been a flurry of activity just since The Giving List book came out in November, starting when McKean created a cuddly lion named Oba, which means “King Ruler” in West Africa, as the newest addition to the collection of carefully crafted stuffed animals. Profits from Oba head to big cat sanctuaries and people actually working hands-on in rescues of the abused lions.
“I’m kind of re-branding myself as someone who wants to save all the animals,” McKean said.
A collaboration with Chantecaille, the plant-based makeup, beauty, and skin care family company, resulted in McKean and co-founder Olivia Chantecaille co-creating new designer clothing for Tembo and Kiki, including limited-edition floral overalls and a summer dress for the 8-inch soft grey elephant dolls. Launched on Earth Day and coming to a close this week, the new clothing proved a big hit.
“They’re a real high-end company and it was in conjunction with their new baby line. It sold out on their site in less than eight hours, which is amazing,” McKean said. “It was really well-received and we got it into Vogue in China and WWD. Collaborating with these really big companies like that really helps my brand.”
A series of different outfits designed by McKean for the elephants – including one with a blue and gold outfit to support Ukraine – are also available so fans can continue to enjoy the elephants as collectables.
There’s also a new baby elephant doll on the way for Christmas, named Chaba after the real elephant at a sanctuary in Thailand, the first time McKean has been allowed to go that route.
“It will have a little book where kids can follow her progress at the sanctuary,” she explained. “It’s great to have gifts that give back, but it’s even nicer to have the tangible aspect where you can actually see that the [stuffed animal] is helping a real, live baby elephant.”
Also already headed for production is a stuffed dog doll, inspired by the golden retriever rescue dog from Istanbul McKean adopted.
“I just love him so much I wanted to do something to support groups that help dogs, especially one that rescues dogs in China that are literally going to be slaughtered for food,” she said.
While McKean does have some help from a few interns who assist with various tasks, reaching out for more collaborators and expanding The Elephant Project’s scope is largely up to the founder. She attributes her astonishing success and attention to authentically living her mission.
“When I’m contacting important people and $200 million companies like Chantecaille, it’s not coming from a development director or marketing team,” McKean said. “I’m literally sending them emails from my personal Gmail account. They can tell that my passion is genuine and I think it comes across when I talk to them that I’m truly doing whatever I can to help the animals.”
Ways to help McKean and her mission include making a direct donation, buying a stuffed animal (or a bunch), and maybe helping to spread the word about The Elephant Project’s goal to save the largest land mammals on earth, and educating children and everyone around the world about the ever-increasing dangers elephants and the other creatures face.
The Elephant Project
Kristina McKean, founder
theelephantproject.com
Email: info@theelephantproject.com