Both of my daughters seem to live in their hoodies at the moment – they are comfy, cool and super practical. And my youngest daughter can now boast that one of her hoodies is bursting with environmentally friendly, green credentials which means she can look cool with a clear conscience.
KOOKOOBUTKIND is a small kids’ wear brand with a big personality; they believe in limited waste, investing in, and protecting, land with trusted conservation partners and promoting issues of animal welfare and the protection of their habitats. All of their garments are made from the best quality raw materials, which are produced in a way that is kind to both the planet and its inhabitants, are printed using solvent-free dyes and are packaged in FSC certified tissue paper that can even double up as colouring paper later.
But it’s all very well having great eco and ethical credentials, but the clothing has to be appealing, well-made and comfortable too. KOOKOOBUTKIND have three product lines: Denim, Endangered and Be Kind. The Denim range contains some quite stunning denim jackets, featuring motifs from the other ranges and each one is slightly unique. The Be Kind range contains some really lovely t-shirts with eco-friendly images (think Eco Warrior and Future Leaders) and are made without plastic, chemicals or other nasties. Finally, the Endangered range features rhinos, gorillas and tigers with bright and attractive a SAVE ME message.
We were sent a lovely grey hoodie featuring a tiger from the Endangered range. My daughter is 9, and is tall and very slim; we normally buy her age 11-12 clothing. She said she wanted an ‘oversized’ hoodie, so we ordered the age 12-14 hoodie for her, and it was just the fit that she wanted – long and roomy without looking too big! If she had wanted a more normal fit, I would imagine the next size down (9-11) would have been fine.
The first impressions of the hoodie were great – it comes packaged in very attractive and quirky packaging, and was wrapped in white KOOKOOBUTKIND tissue paper. The eco credentials stretched even further than sustainably sourced tissue paper – they design on the paper is designed to be coloured in, and there was even a little pack of pencil crayons included to do this with!
When we unwrapped the hoodie, the quality of the materials was immediately evident. My daughter said it was the softest feeling hoodie that she’d ever seen, and the slightly fleecy inside of it feels so cosy! The fit of the hoodie is spot on, and even though it is oversized for her, it doesn’t look shapeless and slouchy at all, and the extra length means it looks fabulous with a pair of leggings or fitted jeans. The tiger motif is stunning and is so bright and eye-catching, and it has prompted conversations in our house about why tigers might need ‘saving’, and what responsibilities we as humans have towards their habitats and natural environments.
The dyes and inks that have been used on the motif are definitely a cut above what is often found on kids (and adults) clothing as they are 100% solvent-free water-based inks, meaning no plastic or chemicals at all. We have washed the hoodie a few times now (machine wash at 30 degrees, do not tumble), and the image hasn’t faded or cracked in any way at all. The hoodie has kept its shape perfectly too, and the material still feels thick and new.
My daughter loves her new hoodie and I love seeing her wear it – it just looks fantastic, and I think it makes a real and vital statement. Knowing that the company’s ethos and production practices also back up the message that the clothing shouts so loudly about is great too. The whole product line at KOOKOOBUTKIND is stunning, and I am sure she will be asking for other items from the range in the future.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £40 (available in sizes from 3-4 years to 12-14 years)
For more information or to buy, visit www.kookoobutkind.com.
