mokopuna merino

In the summer time when the weather is high

2011-10-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

It's nearly summer - yeah! Well, here's to hoping. And what best way than with some new fantastic colours, some great pics from one of our favourite NZ parent sites - babybites - PLUS a brand new shop in Wellington little league - showcasing the whole mokopuna range.

It's been quite an exciting time here in mokopuna HQ! We launched the maternity range back in August (that is great for all, not just for pregnant ladies), we're available in a great new store in Wellington called little league, & we also introduced our new summer colours that have been quite a hit!

Here's a looksie at mokopuna at little league, Wellington!


gorgeous snap from our friends at http://www.babybites.co.nz/

Check out the new colours below:

Some fans are pretty excited:

" Don't rub it in! We are just pulling out the comforters for the crisp autumn nights. Thank goodness for NZ merino on baby."

"They look gorgeous! Can't wait to get some for my new nephew"

Read more comments here!

For October only: FREE FREIGHT on all internet orders during October - get shopping & have a super weekend

Nics - mokopuna team

Mokopuna goes maternity!

2011-08-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

Mokopuna merino is pretty snazz-tastic for little ones, and last year we grew our range to suit older kids! This year we’re keeping mums-to-be stylish & cocooned in mokopuna merino too!

The mokopuna maternity range will be launching very soon! To start we’re launching four staple garments, designed in house at HQ in Wellington, New Zealand – prefect for the office, meeting friends at the cafe or chilling at home – designed with comfort & adaptability in mind. The AMAZING wrap dress (that I, who is not preggers, will be ordering once in stock!!), is perfect for work, play or after you’ve had your wee bean – we’ve thought about how your body adapts to feeding and living with a newborn – these garments don’t have a life span – they are classic & a wardrobe must!

The amazing thing about merino is that is adapts to your body, it can stretch and grow as you do, without losing shape!And what’s more – mokopuna maternity range is the only range on the market that is made from 100% NZ merino – it’s got all of the qualities that our younger ranges have: breathability, odourless, and temperature regulating qualities– making it winter warm and summer cool – how incredible does that sound!

You can head to one of our stockists or shop online & have the items delivered to your doorstep: shop.mokopuna.com. At this stage the range is only going to be in black, let us know what other colours/styles you’d like to see, or that you think will be flattering for late pregnancy and post birth – email feedback@mokopuna.com

Just in time for Santa’s arrival, we’ll be introducing two new skirt designs to add to your collection. The range will go live mid - late August and will be just what you need throughout pregnancy & beyond.

Nics

A new love of mokopuna merino...

2011-06-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

Back when when my husband and I were just talking about pregnancy and Olivia was simply a little star somewhere glittering in the sky, we decided that it was time for a lifestyle change. I became obsessed with creating an environment that was as natural and pristine as possible for the child we'd be bringing into the world. We'd always leaned toward the eco-friendly route so making a few more changes wasn't too difficult for us and that's when we jumped on the organic/all-natural bandwagon.

We especially felt that with a newborn baby, it was very important to keep the level of toxic products down in her environment. Fortunately these days, almost every major grocer and company creates affordable alternatives and creating a clean environment and lifestyle is a relatively easy one. The one draw back that I have come across the most, however, is the lack of actual 'style' to a lot of the all natural kids clothing (which is dire when you also happen to work in the fashion industry ;). I've found it a bit difficult to find clothes that are both cute AND comfortable while still falling into the all-natural realm. Let's be honest, a lot of the natural clothing out there is, well, rather bland. So I must admit that I have found myself purchasing a lot of 'regular' clothing along the way. But that doesn't mean that I ever stop searching, I am always on the look out for all things stylish and non-toxic.

Which is why I was very excited to be introduced to Mokopuna. I was a little skeptic at first since I've also found much of the organic clothing to have a lack of elasticity or give. But I am happy to say that Mokouna is truly everything it bills itself to be! The color ranges are very vibrant (and don't fade with washing), the pieces are stylish and most of all the comfort is there. This brand does not disappoint.

I get so frustrated with clothing labels that make garments that may look cute, but do nothing except restrict and hinder the movements of your child. But the Mokpuna Merino is not only extremely soft to the touch, but it's stretchy too and has a lot of give. For a busy baby or active toddler like mine, this is a must! Check out some photos of our miss on a playground outing with her little Mokopuna sweatshirt and hat. This has become a staple piece of our Spring wardrobe. It's perfect for a chilly morning and keeps my girl warm but the coolest thing is that as the day warms up, the Merino breaths and doesn't overheat (it actually helps keeps the temperature equilibrium). Love this!

Remember that every little bit helps. So even if you can't make a large lifestyle change, the small changes you can make here or there add up too!

A tribute to the Godfather of merino!

2011-06-08T21:51:00.000-07:00

It's a sad time in the world of merino, and for New Zealand losing a national treasure in Shrek the sheep. The world met Shrek the Sheep in 2004 after he avoided being caught and shorn for six years. Merinos are normally shorn annually, but Shrek apparently hid in caves, avoiding muster. He was named after this fella...

Later that year, Shrek was shorn on national TV, and his fleece contained enough wool to make suits for 20 men, weighing a humongous 27 kg! To put into context, an average merino fleece weighs around 4.5 kg. Shrek turned into a high profile figure in 2004 when he met New Zealand’s Prime Minister at the time, Helen Clark & to celebrate his 10th birthday he was shorn floating on an iceberg off the coast of Dunedin, NZ!

Shrek’s owner John Perriam said the sheep, who was nearly 17-years-old, was euthanised because he had been sick for some time and was in pain. Shrek had become a member of his family, and "He was just an ordinary sheep, went Awol and hid, and when he was found he became the darling of the nation," Mr Perriam told TVNZ.

A Facebook tribute group has been created with almost 6000 fans already! A massive cheers to our woolly friend, although Shrek has gone to sheep heaven, he’ll still is loved and remembered worldwide! LONG LIVE SHREK :)

meet a mokpouna merino designer

2011-06-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

" Hi everyone, I’m Keb, the new designer for the Mokopuna team. I’m really excited about this new role, as I’ve been asked to help expand Mokopuna’s 6-12 range and dabble in infants, maternity, and accessories. Some of my previous roles include Mulberribush (Philadelphia), Brooks Brothers (New York), Line7 (Auckland), and The World of Wearable Art (Nelson/Wellington). Yeah, I’ve gotten around a bit.

Yes it’s true; I’m American, originally from Philly. I grew up just north of the city in colonial Bucks County. My parents have a small 18th century horse farm there, and I spent my childhood riding horses, dancing, and performing in local theater. This all sounds too darn quaint if ya ask me!

I first came to New Zealand in 1999, when I was following the romantic stories my grandfather always told about his time stationed in Wellington during WWII. I spent two years here, went back to America to work and study, and then in 2008, my husband and I came back to live. We now have a kiwi son, Wilde, who turned one recently. He’s a Cuba Street kid who spends most of his time climbing the tuatara statue and playing in the bucket fountain.

Since New Zealand is known as having some of the best trout fishing in the world, I have recently decided to take advantage of this by taking up the sport of fly-fishing. It’s been a real hoot and I’ll tell ya ladies, the gentlemen really like it when ya show up on stream and start catchin’ in the spot they just left!

So far, I’ve been lovin’ my time at the “phil&teds House”. Everyone’s been really inviting and I’m looking forward to showing y’all a great collection soon!

A meeting with mokopuna merino...

2011-05-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

mokopuna merino has many more benefits that meets the eye! The wonderful Ann Stucki (who writes as a Mum for phil&teds), tried them out & told us all about here mokopuna experience!

"I was delighted to meet another member of the phil&teds family recently through a lovely, lovely box from Mokopuna merino! The wonderful Nicola from p&t let us preview some of the amazing wool products and we were blown away!

Here is some mokopuna info from their company info:
Born in the pristine mountain wilderness of New Zealand’s
majestic Southern Alps, 100% pure mokopuna merino™ creates the softest and finest clothing range for newborns to 4 year olds (and beyond as they have added sizes for kids up to 14 years).

The mokopuna range consists of newborn essentials, sleepwear and easy mix & match styles in a unique colour palette including unisex and distinctive stripes.

The kids love them and I would like some adult sizes! (Seems there may be a maternity line coming soon!) Seriously, I would LOVE to add the cardigan and the wrap tunic dress to my own wardrobe right now! Easy care too for 100% wool. Machine wash, and they wash very well and look like new.
The kids got darling matching red hats and coordinated hoodies. They are so soft, light, warm but breathable. The colors are vivid and very pretty, and the sizing fits my tall kids well.

I cannot wait to see more of the colors they have to offer, some of the greens, cocoa, and glacier look especially lovely to me. I love looking at the online shop and planning future orders. They have some footed pants for babies that I am excited about for our baby #3's winter wear.

Colin, who can be picky about his clothes, has chosen this hoodie as one of his new favorite shirts. I asked him why he likes it so much and he told me, "because it is made of silk!" (I do not think Colin knows what silk is, but he knows it is soft. That is a pretty great testimonial of the softness of this wool from a 5 year old.) I really love how thin but warm it is for layering. I grew up mostly in the extreme cold of the Northern USA so I can appreciate good layering pieces. And as a Mom I appreciate having something light and thin to keep in my diaper bag to keep my kids warm in changing winter weather.

I can very much see these garments lasting well for several children! The styling is so classic it will not go out of style.

Thanks for such amazing products phil&teds and Mokopuna! Definitely a must for cold weather kids, but they also have a summer line which offers great sun protection. Another fun thing, the clothing arrived in very cute little gift boxes. I just wish I had a local retailer to see everything first-hand!

Thanks!!

100% New Zealand Merino: more than non itchy wool!

2011-05-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

Do you know what merino is? Yes I hear you say...but do you really know the benefits?

One thing's for sure, I didn't realise just how super merino is..and being a Brit I really should! More Brits need merino in their life - I mean we got to minus 8 in London last Winter! It was certainly a shock to my NZ system!

Why is it so super duper?! Not only that it is a natural fibre (fiber for our US/CA peops!), it is super gentle on skin, and whats more it regulates temperature too! What a clever piece of fabric it is. It's so super that it's oduorless, and if your little bean is asleep at night, and is slightly warm, clever merino & adjusts it suit your precious poppet. It's also not itchy. That right, no more itchy wool jerseys and jumpers - mokopuna is super smooth on your child's skin. It's also non-allergenic, so great if your little one has sensitive skin or eczema.

In places that experience super cold winters - merino is tip top! In New Zealand you'll find kids wrapped up in mokopuna merino everywhere. We recently gathered a group of Mumma's, and asked some Qs about merino - they all loved that it washes up the same EVERY time, and many of them with more than one little bean handed the items down to siblings!

lovely ladies chatting about the mokopuna range!

One thing's for sure - they loved the natural fibres against delicate skin. I learned a lot about how you have to look after precious new arrivals, and ensure that their organs are kept super warm at all times - merino is just perfect for that, with it's temperature regulating qualities! They also loved all of the colours in the range, and said that they really compliment each other - ideal for mix and match. The winter cosy hats we're definately a fav, and you can pre-order them online!

We've got some pretty exciting stuff going on behind the scenes here...so be sure to keep up with our blog, and social media madness!

Nics :)