By Hannah Kelley
With the number of doll manufacturers in existence today, it is necessary for dollmakers to play to their strengths in order to differentiate themselves from the competition. Maplelea Canadian Girl Dolls (aka Maplelea, which is pronounced like “maple leaf” without the “f ”) has done just that, by fully embracing their Canadian roots and incorporating unique cultural aspects into their products.
Maplelea is a brand of Avonlea Traditions Inc., of which Kathryn Gallagher Morton is the founder and sole shareholder. “Avonlea Traditions Inc. originally was created to design and sell products based on the classic Canadian story Anne of Green Gables, a book which is popular around the world. I noticed that the Anne products were being purchased not just by visitors to our country, but by Canadians themselves,” Morton said. “Canadians were proud of our home-grown Canadian Anne of Green Gables character. But Anne only represented one time and place in Canada’s history. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were characters that hailed from the many different regions of Canada? And what if they were modern characters that told Canada’s story, past and present?” Morton pointed out that, although Canada is a large country geographically, its population is relatively small. Therefore, toys and other forms of entertainment often come from elsewhere, as opposed to being made with Canadians in mind.
Realizing there was a lack of Canadian-themed dolls, as well as a constant push for play dolls to focus on body image, Morton saw an opening to make a positive difference in the lives of Canadian children. However, she already had a growing business and a young family, so it took 10 years for her to finally commit to the idea. She said, “From there, it took three years to put a solid business plan together; find a manufacturer for the dolls and accessories; find a Canadian artist to do the sculpt for the molds; hold focus groups with girls, parents, and toy store owners; create the first four characters; find writers for the story journals; design all the outfits and accessories; get the dolls, accessories, journals, and packaging into production; and then launch the line.”
Sales were slow in the beginning, but Maplelea has since established itself as a top Canadian doll company, with parents and children finding value in the relatable dolls. Staying true to her original goal, Morton said, “All research, writing, designing, sculpting, illustration, translation, marketing, and distribution is done by Canadians. The stories are set in Canada and are Canadian-themed. The fashions reflect what real Canadian kids might wear and often have little design elements that reflect Canada and Canadian culture. Even our spellings are Canadian!”
Today, Maplelea successfully produces 18-inch dolls with fabric bodies and vinyl heads and limbs resembling those of children aged 10 or 11, and the clothes, accessories, and stories that accompany them realistically reflect the lives of children in this age group. The dolls even have hands that are molded to hold objects, making them more fun to interact with.
Maplelea has two sub-brands. For children wanting to journal their own doll narratives, there are Maplelea&ME! Dolls. Otherwise, there are the popular Maplelea Girls, which come with an established background. Morton said, “Each Maplelea Girl is a unique individual with her own preferences, interests, and strengths, but all are bright, energetic, caring girls who are happy with just who they are at this time of their lives.”
Although production, marketing, and shipping costs have increased in recent years, Morton is unwilling to sacrifice quality to increase profit margins. In doing so, it would take away an important part of what makes Maplelea products special: their attention to detail.
Product Development
With degrees in social work and business, Morton said, “In every decision I make, I try to ensure that it is a sound business decision, but also a socially responsible one.” She and her staff do research on the internet and observe the children in their lives to learn about what is important to these developing minds. On occasion, Morton will reach out to the Maplelea community for their thoughts. All of this information is used to brainstorm new products that are age appropriate, relay a positive message, and are representative of the various cultures and heritages of Canadians.
Maplelea Girls are built on the idea of authenticity, so Morton isn’t afraid to put in the extra effort to achieve accuracy. When the company wanted to incorporate a doll with Inuit heritage, Morton said, “I was nervous about making a doll to represent an Inuk girl of Canada’s north. That was not my heritage and who was I to tell their story? But the Inuit of the north are a very important part of Canada’s population and a very fascinating one, too.” To mitigate the possibility of misrepresenting the Indigenous people, Morton and her staff consulted numerous people over a two-year period, and Morton and her family traveled to Iqaluit, Nunavut, to get a better sense of the day-to-day life of a child growing up in the northern community. It was truly an immersive experience, and families were happy to provide input for the future doll. A Canadian artist was commissioned to sculpt Maplelea Girl Saila, and her outfits and accessories were designed using the extensive information that was gathered. To make this doll even more special, her journal is available in English, French, and Inuktitut, and her Amazing Amauti garment is made by Inuit craftspeople in Nunavut.
Following Saila’s release, fan letters and emails poured in, asking for a doll from the West Coast. Online research was conducted, but to understand what life is like in that part of the country, Morton again determined an in-person visit was necessary. Locals from Salt Spring Island and surrounding areas shared their experiences with her, which helped flesh out the backstory for Charlsea Woodhouse.
In 2023, the company decided to add a new Indigenous outfit. Morton said, “I approached an Indigenous knowledge-keeper and regalia maker, Teresa Snow, to create the design for me, as I wanted it to be accurate and I didn’t feel qualified.” The result was Canyon’s Dress.
Three to four new Maplelea&ME! Dolls are released each year, as are new outfits and accessories. Maplelea Girls take longer to bring to life, as each doll’s background requires a significant amount of work, but Morton said they are hoping to release a new one within the next year or two.
When asked whether she has a personal favorite when it comes to Maplelea’s products, Morton said, “One recent item that I am particularly proud of is Brianne’s Classic Cowgirl outfit. I grew up in Western Canada. My dad was a rancher in his early days and participated in rodeos. When I designed this outfit, I put every Western detail in it I could, from the white pearl snaps on the shirt to the traditional heel on the cowboy boot, not to mention the extensive embroidery on the front and back of the shirt’s yoke.”
What People Are Saying
Because Maplelea’s dolls portray children from a variety of cultures, there is always a risk of misrepresentation. However, it seems the time spent on research has paid off. With Saila, initial feedback was positive, and Morton said she breathed a huge sigh of relief. What’s more, she said, “Later, when the Nunavut Department of Education used their cultural learning materials budget to place an order for enough Saila dolls and outfits to supply every childcare program in the territory, it was another validation that I ‘got it right.’ Whew!”
Morton has also received notes from families who were inspired to travel to and learn about places described in the Maplelea characters’ stories. “One parent told me that she asked her daughter to choose where they should go on a family holiday, and she expected an answer like, maybe, Disney World,” Morton said. “Instead, the daughter said she wanted to go to Sandy Lake, Manitoba. Why? Why did she want to go to a small town on the prairies? Because that is where her doll Brianne is from! The family spent a very fun week exploring the prairie farm country and visiting interesting places in Manitoba! They said that they would have never chosen that for their holiday, but they had an absolutely wonderful time and we were so glad they went.”
Another customer wrote, “The quality of the Maplelea dolls and accessories is by far the best of any brand I’ve ever purchased from. The price point is very fair. I love every doll and item I’ve received.”
Even if they don’t send written reviews, many families send in their doll photos. Morton goes through all of them, and the smiles on the children’s faces are evidence of the good work she and her staff are doing. The dolls are fulfilling their purpose: building children’s self-confidence as well as their appreciation for the country they live in.
Perhaps not surprising due to the quality of the dolls and accessories, Maplelea has fans outside of Canada, too. A number of them are across the border in the U.S., but collectors in Europe have also taken a liking to the child dolls.
Morton said, “I have been able to do something major Canadian toy companies have not done — make a product that is Canadian-themed, and sell it successfully in Canada and beyond.”
