While perusing the many vendors at Salmon Days this past October, one display called out to me - visually - and drew me to it like a magnet.  I saw bold yet earthy colors and a sea of friendly faces on the bodies of what can only be described as  unusual creatures.  Come to find out that tent belonged to one very talented local mom (living in Snoqualmie) and her Zomsters.  After speaking with Ronda Bergman, I learned there’s a clothing line, a commitment to green, and a much bigger message behind those zany Zomsters.

I have to know, where did you get the inspiration for your business?
The inspiration for Zomsters came from the sharing of ideas and words of encouragement from friends. I happened one day to come across a French artist who made these wonderfully, simplistic, blob-like characters - and I loved them! With a background in apparel design, and being a child at heart, I knew that I wanted to start a business that involved clothing and allow my inner indie artist to bloom. The characters and my friends inspired me!

Next, I had to decide what I was going to do with these funny little characters. What I did know was that I wanted them to be fun and carefree. I wanted to be organic, sustainable, chemical-free, and ‘green’ wherever possible - while still being able to offer affordable collections. I wanted to promote an awareness of the benefits of change: making small changes in our lives can make big differences in helping our planet.  And I wanted to make learning fun, and I wanted to work from home to be there for my two children, Presley-Anne and Henry.

And the name, Zomsters?
Now my characters and company needed a name. I have always loved Dr. Seuss and his playful way with words. And I have always loved anything with monsters. The word ‘monster’ can be a bit scary for some kids, so I ‘Seussed it up’ and came up with Zomsters, friendly monsters of sorts. So I plunged forward, my  Zomsters and I.

How did your business get its start?
We launched Zomsters in August of 2009 at the Urban Craft Uprising show in Seattle.  We offered organic cotton onesies and toddler tees with hand sewn labels and handmade hangtags. We had canvas totes and notecards/cards made from 100% post-consumer paper. We made buttons, magnets, pocket mirrors, and art prints with Zomsters characters, all put together with the help of my wonderful friends.

I am still a little indie artist at heart, and you will find that on my Zomsters Etsy site. But I have big ideas for Zomsters, and we want to bring their green, fun, and carefree attitude to everyone, so we’ve been building out our www.zomsters.com website too. We are a growing family with 21 Zomsters characters, all with names and soon all to have bios.  The Zomsters bios are intended to be a learning tool for kids. On Zomsters.com you can find the characters with their bios and stories that will link to fun, useful information - for example, you would be able to click on Brussels sprouts and learn about the history of the Brussels Sprout!

What else should we know about your business?
The Zomsters future is bright and busy going into the new year.  I will be blogging more, adding more Zomsters characters, and creating our Zomsters Alphabet book.  We have partnered with a local stainless steel water bottle company to keep you and your kids hydrated and BPA free.  We’ll also be expanding www.zomsters.com with more fun stuff, and building out retail accounts.  In the future you might just be able to find stainless steel water bottles, wall art, growth charts, canvas art prints, bedding, car seat and travel accessories, stuffed animals, books, and much more from the Zomsters family.  

Come grow and play with us…Be green, eat green, live green.

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Need a little incentive to get to know the Zomsters? Ronda is generously offering a discount for Macaroni Kid subscribers.

Two simple steps qualify you ...

1. Visit www.zomsters.com
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling your favorite item ...