The Piola Footwear team aim to work with Peruvian rubber and cotton producers on a project to pay them fairly for their raw materials. Molouk Y. Ba-Isa Saudi Gazette A couple of weeks ago, Quentin Richard contacted me from Piola to tell me about an innovative international product line that would be launching on Kickstarter. Project Piola started from scratch though a random encounter in the Amazon Rainforest. Assisted by the USAID and WWF, Piola's aim is to set up a fair trade development project with Peruvian rubber and cotton producers. Piola will pay wild rubber and organic cotton producers in Peru from three to five times the market prices for their materials. Created by French designers, Piola footwear is a cross between sneakers and dress shoes, made with high quality, eco-friendly materials including: * Natural rubber from the Amazon Rainforest, Iberia Peru. * Organic Tanguïs Cotton from Ica, Peru. * Premium Italian leather. Quentin and his team decided to turn to Kickstarter to get their project funded rather than going to a bank. In 33 days they'll either have raised the $60,000 needed to make Project Piola happen, or they'll have to think of something else. Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com) is the world's ground funding platform for creative projects. Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative, and imaginative projects that are brought to life through the direct support of people everywhere. In the case of Project Piola, supporters go to www.kickstarter.com/projects/475480645/project-piola and by providing a credit card number, pledge to purchase one pair of shoes, or two or five, or buy a rainforest experience. Shoe prices start at $50. The team has to sell $60,000 worth of shoes online in advance of their manufacture to let Piola footwear leap forward. They have until April 16 to collect enough pledges for shoe purchases. If the project succeeds in reaching its funding goal, all backers' credit cards are charged when time expires. If the project falls short, no one is charged. Funding on Kickstarter is all-or-nothing. “We need your support to bring Project Piola to life. Our success depends on you,” said Quentin. “If we can get our project off the ground then this will offer so many advantages to our raw material suppliers in poor areas of Peru. We need at least $60,000 to make the project happen as our partner in charge of the assembly needs minimal order quantities to launch production. The initial order of shoes will be delivered in May/June 2013.” Kickstarter has been used to fund projects producing everything from books to watches. Every creative project launched on the site must meet certain minimum standards, and is investigated in advance of launch by the Kickstarter team. There are special rules for design and technology projects and each registered project team is responsible for all elements of the project from conception to fulfillment. Charities or “causes” cannot be funded through Kickstarter. Since the online platform's launch on April 28, 2009, over $500 million has been pledged by more than three million people, funding more than 35,000 creative projects. While some nations have been the focus of many Kickstarter projects, other places haven't taken an interest in the funding platform. For example there have been 153 projects with a focus in some way on India, but only two projects that are linked with Saudi Arabia. That's really a pity because Kickstarter can be used to fund creative projects with budgets from just a thousand dollars to millions. The platform currently only allows permanent US and UK residents to start projects, but many projects are joint efforts between individuals in different countries. Anyone, anywhere with a credit card can pledge to fund Kickstarter projects. So go online today and buy a pair of shoes to help launch Project Piola. While you're at Kickstarter also consider giving a few dollars to the project, “Asir: Sand in an Hourglass,” an effort to create a complete photographic record of the hill tribesmen of Saudi Arabia's southern region.
