Little Sun is:
An attractive, high-quality solar-powered lamp in the shape of a hand-sized sun developed by artist Olafur Eliasson and engineer Frederik Ottesen
A fun, easy-to-use, portable light source enjoyed all over the world by people of all ages
A way to get clean, reliable, affordable light to the 1.6 billion people worldwide without access to electricity
A global project connecting the world through the sharing of a common light
A global project connecting the world’s electrified areas with off-grid communities through the sharing of a common light
A work of art that works in life
A Work of Art that Works in Life Developed in 2012 by artist Olafur Eliasson and engineer Frederik Ottesen as a way to get clean, reliable, affordable light to the 1.6 billion people worldwide living outside the electrical grid, Little Sun is a high-quality solar-powered LED lamp that comes in the form of a yellow hand-sized sun. Not just for off-grid areas, Little Sun’s unique combination of beautiful design and exceptional engineering has made the lamp popular across the globe. Featuring 2 light levels, it’s easy to use: 5 hours of charging in the sun produces 10 hours of soft light or 4 hours of bright light. Little Sun puts the power of the sun in the palm of your hand – creating safe, convenient, sustainable light you can take with you wherever you go.
Little Sun makes a perfect gift and is ideal for: • outdoor activities and events such as camping, beach parties, BBQs, festivals, picnics, and hiking • children’s activities and games, both inside and outdoors • a versatile and stylish design element for use in home decor • garden and balcony illumination • saving money on household electricity through use as a nightlight, bedside lamp, or desk light • use as a flashlight around the house or for safe walks at night • spreading awareness about global energy consumption and the importance of solar power as a sustainable alternative
Little Sun is durable, UV and heat resistant, and dust proof.
The Little Sun Global Project
Innovative global business model Little Sun is not just a lamp – it’s a global project to get clean, affordable light to the 1.6 billion people worldwide without access to electricity, many of whom live in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Little Sun allows people living in off-grid areas to work, socialise, study, cook, and extend their daily activities into the night without using unsafe and toxic kerosene lanterns, a common off-grid light source. And Little Sun will save off-grid users 90% over a 2-year period compared to kerosene.
Little Sun lamps are produced and distributed by Little Sun GmbH, a social business that follows the principle of trade, not aid. It’s not just about delivering light to people – it matters how it gets there. We address the need for light in a sustainable way that benefits off-grid communities. Our company invests in the delivery of light to off-grid areas by supplying local distributors and small businesses with Little Sun lamps at low prices, creating local jobs, and providing retailers with the support they need to profit. The sale of Little Suns at locally affordable prices in off-grid areas is made possible by: • selling Little Suns in areas of the world with electricity to reduce costs of lamps off-grid • raising additional funds through Little Sun projects and events worldwide • working with our on-grid retail partners who agree, as we do, to take a reduced profit margin from sales of Little Suns to support the project
All funds generated by Little Sun are used to drive the project. We aim to spread light, safe energy, and profits everywhere we work.
Share the Light: Join the Little Sun Global Project “The solar-powered light and the activities it enables is just one element of the artwork – equally important is the way it connects us and what it tells us about the current state of energy access. Its distribution, business plan, and successful integration into off-grid communities – its entire journey from production to usage – is also all part of the art.” — Olafur Eliasson
Every Little Sun sold makes a difference You can join the Little Sun project by selling Little Sun lamps in your museum shop and getting the chance to bring light to off-grid communities. When visitors to your shop buy a Little Sun lamp, they also become a part of the project. Little Sun has two price sets: one for users living in areas within the electrical grid and lower prices for those living in off-grid areas. Your customers’ purchases enable Little Suns to be sold off-grid at prices that are locally affordable. It’s an attractive sales incentive: your customers buy a Little Sun for themselves and share Little Sun light with people who need it the most.
Little Sun officially launched at London’s Tate Modern in summer 2012. As a high-quality art multiple, Little Sun is a perfect fit for museum shops. Little Sun is being sold through a variety of outlets, including online, through special retailers, and at many major international museums and galleries, such as Tate Modern in London, MoMA Design Store in New York, Deutsche Bank KunstHalle in Berlin, Design Museum in London, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, Artipelag in Stockholm, Fondation Beyeler in Basel and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. Little Sun is in the design collection of Centre Pompidou and has been nominated for numerous design awards including Design Museum’s 2013 Designs of the Year award.
What Being a Little Sun On-Grid Retailer Means
Little Sun posters
When you become an official Little Sun on-grid retailer, not only do you get the chance to join an exciting, growing global project, you receive: • an in-demand, high-quality art multiple with a captivating story • mentions on the Little Sun website and social media sites as an official partner of Little Sun • marketing materials for your shop’s Little Sun display such as Little Sun posters, postcards, promotional videos, and an A4 informational display card at the point of sale
Little Sun – a work of art that works in life Artist Olafur Eliasson and engineer Frederik Ottesen developed the Little Sun solar-powered lamp to get clean, reliable, affordable light to the 1.6 billion people worldwide without access to electricity. Little Sun allows people living in these off-grid areas to work, socialise, study, cook, and extend their daily activities into the night without using unsafe and toxic fuel-based lighting such as kerosene lanterns. In addition, Little Sun saves off-grid users 90% over a three-year period compared to kerosene. Every Little Sun sold makes a difference. Buying a Little Sun lamp at the regular price makes it possible for Little Suns to be sold in off-grid areas at much lower, locally affordable prices.
Pricing The global Little Sun project addresses the need for light in a sustainable way that benefits off-grid communities. Little Sun aims to spread light, safe energy, and profits everywhere we work.
Little Sun
twitter: @LittleSun
Little Sun postcards Innovative global business model
• An attractive, high-quality solar-powered lamp developed by artist Olafur Eliasson and engineer Frederik Ottesen to get clean, affordable light to the 1.6 billion people worldwide without access to electricity
Little Sun’s unique combination of beautiful design and exceptional engineering has made the lamp popular across the globe. Featuring 2 light levels, it’s easy to use: 5 hours of charging in the sun produces 10 hours of soft light or 4 hours of bright light. Photos: Merklit Mersha
• A social business that produces and distributes Little Sun lamps by establishing sustainable trade routes all over the world • A global project connecting the world through the sharing of a common light • A work of art that works in life
The lamps are the clean alternative to unsafe and toxic fuel-based lighting such as kerosene lanterns, a common off-grid light source. An evening of breathing the emissions of a kerosene lantern is the equivalent of smoking 2 packs of cigarettes. Little Sun is not only healthier, it’s more affordable: in the course of 2 years, Little Sun will save off-grid users 90% of what they would spend on kerosene lighting. And with Little Sun, users enjoy a quality of light that is 10 times stronger and better.
Little Sun leporello
‘Light is for everyone – it determines what we do and how we do it. This is why Frederik Ottesen and I have developed the solar-powered lamp Little Sun. One part of the artwork is the lamp and the activities it enables. The other is the successful distribution of Little Sun in off-grid communities, its journey from production to usage. Little Sun is a wedge that opens up the urgent discussion of bringing sustainable energy to all from the perspective of art.’
Olafur Eliasson Photos: Merklit Mersha
Little Sun allows people living in off-grid areas to extend their daily activities into the night. Children can study, families can cook together, businesses can remain open, and people can socialise.
www.littlesun.com facebook.com/ilovelittlesun twitter: @LittleSun
In order to power our distribution system and keep prices low for off-grid users, we sell Little Suns for a higher price in areas of the world with electricity. Additionally we work with on-grid retail partners who agree, as we do, to take a reduced profit margin from sales of Little Suns to support the project. We raise additional funds through special Little Sun projects and events around the world.
A work of art that works in life
Thank you for joining the Little Sun project! You have just invested into the delivery of sustainable Little Sun solar-powered light to off-grid areas of the world. If you’d like to get further involved in the project, visit us online and become a part of the global Little Sun community.
Little Sun is perfect for camping, at the beach, festivals, BBQs, hiking, and children’s activities. Light your garden or balcony, or use it indoors as a household energy-saver. Little Sun puts the power of the sun in the palm of your hand – creating safe, convenient, sustainable light you can take with you wherever you go.
Little Sun lamps are produced and distributed by Little Sun GmbH, a social business based in Berlin, Germany. Little Sun addresses the need for light in a sustainable way that benefits off-grid communities, creates local jobs, and generates local profits. We use on-grid investment to kick-start off-grid small businesses that sell Little Suns, providing funding for sales agents to receive business starter kits and micro-entrepreneurial training.
Photo: Olafur Eliasson
Little Sun is:
Every Little Sun sold makes a difference
We look forward to working with you!
The Little Sun solar-powered lamp
Photo: Studio Photos: StudioOlafur OlafurEliasson Eliasson, Gustavo Huber & Börkur Arnarson
Welcome to the world of Little Sun!
To place an order, please contact: business@littlesun.com
www.littlesun.com facebook.com/ilovelittlesun
Photos: Maddalena Valeri, Michael Tsegay, Helen Zeru & Mihret Kebede
For pricing and shipping information, please see the Little Sun sales conditions.
To find out more about the Little Sun project, join us online:
www.littlesun.com facebook.com/ilovelittlesun twitter: @LittleSun