Julie McWilliams never liked the idea of buying a toy that her three young boys would outgrow in a matter of months. An environmentally-conscious mom (@climatephriendlyparent on Instagram), she had long struggled with the tension between providing her kids with enriching play experiences and her desire to reduce waste. That’s why, last December, she decided to do all of her holiday toy shopping through Unless Kids, a Philadelphia-based online platform that promotes circular toy sharing.
“I really try to limit consumption in our house and be thoughtful about what we bring in,” McWilliams explains. “Unless Kids makes it easy to get secondhand toys without the hassle of going to thrift stores or dealing with flaky sellers on Facebook Marketplace.”
A New Approach to Toy Ownership
Unless Kids was cofounded by Nic Esposito, a longtime advocate of the circular economy. Esposito has spent years tackling Philadelphia’s waste problem, serving as the director of the City’s former Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet and cofounding Circular Philadelphia. The inspiration for Unless Kids struck when he found himself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of toys his own children received.
“The inspiration to start the company came from my own life experience of my wife and I trying to figure out what we were going to do with all of the toys our kids have outgrown, especially as they wanted new ones,” Esposito recalls. “ I thought there has to be a better way.”
Unless Kids offers a simple yet transformative model: parents purchase toys at a discounted rate, giving their children a chance to play with them without committing to permanent ownership. After a child grows tired of the item, families can return the toys or simply pay a small portion of the discount back to keep them.
Unlike traditional toy rental services, Unless Kids doesn’t require a subscription or have fixed monthly payments for items. Just like traditional e-commerce sites, parents can purchase as many toys as they need, keeping them for up to a year before deciding whether to ‘cycle’ them back to Unless Kids. “People want flexibility,” Esposito says. “Some months, they might not need new toys. Other times, they want to hold onto a favorite for longer. Our model lets them decide.”
The Problem with Toy Waste
The toy industry is a major contributor to plastic waste, with millions of toys ending up in landfills annually. Unless Kids addresses this issue by effortlessly ensuring that toys continue to bring joy from house to house instead of becoming single-use commodities.
McWilliams has embraced the system. “My kids are hard on things. We’ve already broken a few, but that’s part of the beauty of Unless Kids — you don’t have to return them.”
A Platform Built for Parents
Unless Kids allows parents to browse a wide selection of curated toys such as active play, imaginary play, dolls, puzzles, games and more. The platform offers clear pricing: a new toy typically costs 20% less than retail, while a gently-used one could be discounted further. If a child plays with a toy for six months and loses interest, the family can cycle it out for something fresh.
Esposito believes the key to making sustainability work is convenience. “We deliver new toys and pick up the old ones. You don’t have to figure out where to donate them or deal with selling them online. It’s as easy as shopping new, but much better for the planet.”
Looking Ahead
Unless Kids is part of a broader movement that rethinks ownership. Esposito hopes it will not only provide a practical solution for families but also inspire a shift in consumer habits.
“We want to show that sharing isn’t just an alternative, it’s the future,” he says. “If we can change the way people think about toy ownership, who knows what else we can change?
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