DILDOS 4 (our) FUTURE!
Other Nature turned 14 this year! This should be a reason to celebrate, but things are looking anything but rosy.
Like many other community projects, we are facing serious financial difficulties. A year ago we moved due to rising rent and because our old premises had become far too small and no longer met our needs as a team and a store, e.g., in terms of accessibility and our desire to offer more workshops and events. Sadly we couldn’t have anticipated that things would take such a sharp financial downturn afterwards.
Don’t get us wrong, we love our new premises. Several times a day, we hear from our customers how much they like the new store and how grateful they are that we exist. But unfortunately, this is not reflected in our figures so far – quite the contrary. Since the move, we have been taking in 30% less on average than in the previous year, and currently even up to 50% less.
We are aware that our financial problems are also due to many external economic factors, such as the economic crisis and recession in this country, and the many cuts in the social sector and the cultural industry in Berlin, which directly affect many of you. These are noticeable every day, and not only in our store.
We are not your typical business
In 2021, we transformed the store into a collective enterprise. The non-profit association ON Kollektiv e.V., which organizes our educational programs, is the business’ sole shareholder: This means that Other Nature is no longer privately owned. The major advantage of this is that all income can be used solely for operational purposes– to the benefit of our team and community. We are not out to make big profits, and operate on a cost-covering basis. However, this only works as long as we can plan with a regular level of income.
The majority of our running costs cover the purchase of goods, followed by salaries – both of which are existentially important items that we have to cover every month in order to keep the store running. And that is precisely where we are facing acute problems. After the last two months were worse than ever, unpaid bills are piling up. But in order to bring in money, we need enough products to sell. This is a downward spiral that we urgently need to break out of.
It's not that our shelves are empty. But many items that are in high demand are sold out. And part of our inclusive concept is being able to offer a wide variety of products. We don't want to have to constantly weigh up whether we can buy vibrators, transtape, or books this month. It's important to us to offer products for people with different budgets, interests, and needs, but we can't afford to do so at the moment.
But there is also good news: it's not too late.
The most important thing is for us to return to regular financial stability in order to remain viable for the future. Over the last 14 years, we have advised hundreds of thousands of people in our store. If just one in five of them would support our project with one or two euros, we could fill the current gaps and buy new merchandise. That sounds pretty doable, we think!
How can you help?
In order to restock our shelves and pay outstanding bills, we primarily need financial resources (but—spoiler alert—you can still help even if you don't have anything to spare yourself).
For anyone who wants to contribute to our continued existence, give us a birthday present, or already has an overflowing toy box, we have set up an option for this on our website. This is also possible in the store—just ask at the checkout.
Otherwise, the best way to support us is still to shop with us. This gives us the financial resources we urgently need, and you get something out of it too.
And if you want something that is currently sold out, why not get a gift card! You can redeem it when the product is back in stock. Or start thinking now about who you can make happy with an Other Nature gift card!
You can also help us by telling people about us and our situation. Every day, we hear how much you like our concept and the new store. Unfortunately, however, an incredible number of people still haven't noticed that we've moved, and the number of visitors remains below what we would like to see—and what we need to survive. So come by the store with your friends, lovers, or whoever else you'd like to explore Other Nature with!
We’d also like to take this opportunity to highlight the measures we’ve created to make our products more accessible, which are particularly important to us and which we want to maintain, even in times of crisis.
These include, above all, the Gender Ex Fund, to which you can contribute here, as well as our sliding scale. We have been asked repeatedly whether it is possible to pay more to support the solidarity pricing system. We are happy to adopt this great idea now that it is needed: Please feel free to use this support option on the website.
By the way, it is also possible to support both offers in our local store!
And for anyone who is interested, we would like to point out that the ON Kollektiv Verein, which organizes our educational work, is a non-profit organization and can issue tax-deductible donation receipts if you would like to support it with a donation. Furthermore, the association is also interested in new direct loans in the short and medium term in order to return money to supporters who need to be paid out in the near future.
Here's what you can do to help us:
• Shop with us - we also have gift cards!
• Support us and our solidarity pricing here
• Contribute to the Gender Ex Fund
• Spread the word—the more people who learn about Other Nature, the better!
• Tell others about our situation and our new location.
• Offer us your time or skills, e.g., for distributing flyers, taking “professional” photos, etc. Send us an email at office@other-nature.de.
• Come to our workshops & events.
• Donate or lend money to ON Kollektiv e.V.
Other Nature is for everyone
For us, Other Nature is a labor of love, a safe space, a community space, and part of Berlin's queer feminist history. Given the current political climate, our existence is more important than ever, but it is anything but a given.
Perhaps you also remember finding your favorite vibrator here? How you tried on a binder or gaffs for the first time? How you found time to unwind and recharge in our book corner after a difficult day? We have shared many emotional moments with you, and every day we hear from you how important you find our work, how comfortable and safe you feel with us.
At the end of the day, that's what motivates us to keep going even in difficult times—your kind words, the joy our products bring you, and the gratitude we feel in our work.
Whether you've attended one of our workshops, regularly order your go-to lubricant from our online shop, or share our posts on social media; whether you were there for the opening in our first year, congratulated us on our 10th birthday, or just found the store for the first time yesterday—you are part of the Other Nature community.
We all want to continue for at least the next 14 years, not only to maintain Other Nature, but to allow it to grow further. Because we are convinced that this project is more relevant than ever and has not yet reached its full potential. With your support, we want to continue to give many other people the opportunity to experience and help shape this very special place.
Save your local feminist sex shop!