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A Visit to Eco-Kids

MP had the pleasure of visiting Cammie and Kip Weeks, co-owners of eco-kids, a Portland-based company that offers non-toxic and natural art supplies for children. Our team has long been fans of their eco-dough, paints, and crayons, but little did we know how much effort and time goes into making the products.

The company is based right out of the Weeks’ family home. The living room is filled with shelves and pegboards displaying their packaging, and the dining room table serves as an office for the eco-kids staff. Production happens in the basement, which is stocked with colors, more packaging, and some creative packing equipment designed by Kip. All the while, their two youngest children—Maggie, age 3, and Gus, 8 months—play in the family room with the sitter.

Cammie, Kip, and their staff pack all of the eco-kids products for shipping.

Cammie (at far right) and the staff at eco-kids at work.

MP stopped by on this particular day to learn about the Weeks’ newest venture, Maggie’s Naturals, a line of creative baking supplies for the kitchen. The first product in the line is an organic and gluten-free food coloring, made from natural plant, fruit, and vegetable extracts. The liquid-based food coloring comes in 6 colors, and looks especially impressive in frosting for cupcakes. And of course, the packaging is lovely. The wooden boxes that display the food colorings are made by The Nezinscot Guild—a Turner-based company that employs adults with developmental disabilities.

Festive cupcakes made with food coloring from Maggie’s Naturals.

Maggie’s Naturals is bottled in containers made from recycled milk jugs and features Cammie & Kip’s daughter Maggie on the labels.

MP is so excited about the new line. Kip promises that sprinkles and more fun baking supplies will be coming soon. We can’t wait to experiment with them all!

To learn more about Maggie’s Naturals, visit the company’s website or Facebook page.

Comments 23

  3. This is fabulous stuff! My 5 and 1 yr old would love to do fun crafts with this 🙂 thanks for the giveaway!!

  9. natural dyes made in Maine! My daughter’s bff is allergic to dyes – this product would add variety to cake color (we usually just use raspberries to color it pink)

  12. Thrilled to see these. We tried making our own these year for dyeing Easter eggs and didn’t have great success with beet juice or blueberries. Can’t wait to try these.

  14. Love it when you highlight our fabulous Maine companies. I would love to give Maggie’s Naturals food coloring a try!!

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