1994-1999
In 1994 Gill Pittar hand-knits a double-ended wool doll for her New Zealand-made shop in Auckland, and the Milly, Molly concept is born. There is a strong undercurrent of ill feeling in New Zealand at this time between the Maori and Europeans over land claims and settlements. The Milly, Molly product is found to have market appeal. With the doll as a primary tool, Gill sets out to promote tolerance, communication, understanding and love between people in New Zealand, and around the world.

Milly, Molly–the Reconciliation Doll for World Peace and Harmony–is conceived. Milly (dark) and Molly (fair) carry the message, "We may look different but we feel the same." All people, irrespective of race, creed or colour, share the same feelings and emotions of love, pain and grief (to name but a few).

In 1995 Milly, Molly goes through a developmental stage, and Gill designs her own pattern for knitting machines, while continuing to refine the product.

1996 sees the Milly, Molly pattern re-designed to suit computer-operated machinery–thereby reducing hands-on labour, and increasing output.
The Milly, Molly website is set up, and the dolls are marketed internationally, with the majority of interest coming from the U.S.A.

Over the next few years, Gill Pittar expands the doll's colour range to fifteen choices of pure wool dolls. Milly, Molly tea towels are manufactured in India.

Milly, Molly House is opened in Gill's home town of Gisborne, NZ to greet the new millennium, and to promote the United Nations' new millennium catch phrase–acceptance of diversity.

The Milly Molly Charitable Trust is established, under the direction of a multi-cultural Board of Trustees. Through partnerships with non-profit agencies, NGO's and international foundations, the Friends now promote the Milly, Molly message to countries that cannot afford to buy the books and dolls.

It is at this time that Gill begins writing children's stories around the characters of Milly and Molly and their multi-cultural friends. This is a major turning point, and it gives Gill the tools to touch children from all corners of the world.

2000-2001
In 2000, John Pittar joins the business as Managing Director, and develops a global Business Plan for Milly, Molly. It remains the template for the business.

Gill Pittar contracts a local illustrator, Cris Morrell, to help bring the girls to life. The first four Milly, Molly books are exhibited in October 2000 at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Television New Zealand expresses firm interest in creating a children's television series. Interest is also received from a London based television producer.

The response to Milly, Molly grows as the need for ethics-based, character development children's literature becomes ever more apparent around the globe. Professor Dr. Sigrid Markmann, Dean of Lirerature and Linguistics at Osnabruck University, and internationally recognized developer of curriculum English in Germany and Canada, pReviews & Mktg the first 32 stories and gives them an outstanding endorsement. She writes:

"The underlying morals inherent within the texts are important for children of the twenty first century to take as their own... the language used to carry the stories is lively and exciting for young readers... the language and style is simply good literature... suitable as teaching texts in social studies or health programmes anywhere in the world where difference is an integral component of a community." This endorsement is now printed on the back of every Milly, Molly book.

Milly, Molly develops a sound working relationship with Rhythm Printing in Malaysia.

Market research, along with discussions with Canadian distributors, leads to the incorporation of Milly Molly (North America) Limited.

At the Bologna Book Fair, sixteen countries express firm interest in the Milly, Molly Books–for trade, and for character education purposes. Bologna is followed by market research for Milly, Molly dolls and books in Rome, Berlin, Paris, London, New York and Chicago.

Four more books are launched at the Frankfurt Book Fair in mid-October, together with a Series of eight School Journals and Teaching Guide. Thirty nine countries have now expressed firm interest in Milly, Molly.

2002-2003
Sixteen more books are published in 2002. Attendance at several international book fairs leads to a dramatic increase in the number of international contracts for Milly, Molly. Gill Pittar is encouraged to write more Milly, Molly stories and adventures.

As the concept expands, several international markets contract for as many as forty-eight books.
Milly, Molly donates five thousand dolls to the Marine "Toys for Tots" program in New York. 3,000 dolls are distributed to the children of Afghanistan by New Zealand Army personnel. A further two thousand dolls are donated to needy children in East Timor.

Milly, Molly inks an interim agreement to produce a series with international television producer and distributor, Beyond Group.

Kate Pittar is appointed Sales and Marketing Manager, Europe.

Milly, Molly gives generously to a number of organizations. 16,000 books are donated to children in Fiji, and a further 16,000 to First National Book Bank in the United States.

16 books are now published, and Milly, Molly has contracts with 64 countries, with the stories translated into 18 languages.

Milly, Molly's Spanish and Portuguese publishers request that their contracts be extended to 64 books. Scholastic secures distribution rights for Australia and New Zealand. Design improvements are made to the dolls.

2004-2005
In 2004, the first Milly, Molly books are released in North America and the United Kingdom. Strong endorsements are received in both countries. Internationally recognised child psychologist Dr Myrna Shure (author of "Raising a Thinking Child") writes:

"Kids who are lucky enough to meet Milly and Molly will experience a wide variety of captivating adventures designed to help them appreciate diversity and learn to cope with challenges of life. Suitable for families worldwide, this creatively written and beautifully illustrated series gives parents a unique opportunity to help their children think about how to get along with others, and learn values that will help them become happy, competent, and successful human beings."

Best selling children's author Robert Munsch writes, simply:

"Milly, Molly is a wonderful bunch of books."

Eight more books are published, bringing the total to 48.

Contracts are signed with Heinemann South Africa, EDT of Italy, and others as Milly, Molly expands to 103 countries, and is published in 25 languages.

The Friends of Milly, Molly Inc ., a 501 (c) (3) registered charity is incorporated in the United States of America. This Trust aims to promote the acceptance of diversity and the learning of life skills through literacy–'for every child, a book.' Part of the proceeds from the sale of every book in North America goes to The Friends of Milly, Molly Inc.
At the Beijing Book Fair, Milly, Molly books and dolls receive enormous interest, and the company signs a rights agreement with Beijing Normal University Press.

Milly, Molly enters into a joint venture agreement with Singapore's Popular e-Learning Limited to produce multi-lingual interactive CD-ROMs, for the advancement of character education through literacy.