What inspired you to start Kooshoo?
In 2009 we quit our ‘career jobs’ and bought one-way tickets to
Asia. There, we travelled overland for a year, often venturing well off
the tourist trail. It was in those less-trodden locations that we came
face to face with the ethical and environmental impact the western
world’s addiction to cheap and disposable goods was having on
the communities making the products. It was seeing this firsthand
that made us decide to build a company that would show there is
a better way.
What’s with the name?
‘Kooshoo’ is the word that embodies what we’re all about. It means
‘feeling good’ in Norfuk, a language spoken exclusively by the people
of Norfolk Island – a small island in the South Pacific where Rachel is
from. The colour and beauty of the island acts as our constant inspi-
ration, no matter where we are in the world. Honouring the beauty
and awesomeness of a place like Norfolk Island (we all have our own
version of Norfolk Island – somewhere pristine and perfect that we
want to protect) is why we use materials that are of the earth, kind to
the earth and return to the earth.
Why does it matter what our hair ties are made from?
You might not want to hear this, but every hair tie you’ve ever owned
still exists! By our estimations, over one million hair ties are lost or
tossed daily in Australia. Continuing at that pace for the next 10
years, Australians alone will lose or toss 3.5 billion plastic-based hair
ties – that’s the equivalent of 250 city buses worth of plastic hair ties
destined for landfills, waterways and oceans in the next decade.
But our hair ties are a better option. Not only are they made from
100% biodegradable materials, they’re designed to perform when
you need them most and look good in the process. Our hair ties are
made of just two materials, organic cotton and natural rubber, both
of which are fully biodegradable.
How long do they take to break down?
When our hair ties are placed in a composting environment (soil,
for example), the organic cotton portion – approximately 75% of
the product – will break down to nothing in well under a year. The
responsibly sourced natural tree rubber (tapped from a tree, much
like maple syrup) will take slightly longer to biodegrade under the
same conditions. By our estimates, the natural rubber will be fully
composted in three to 10 years.Tell us about your partnership with Sea Shepherd...
We love collaborating with like-minded organisations that act as
stewards for our planet. Few organisations embody this more than
Sea Shepherd, who are dedicated to protecting and conserving our
oceans. Together we created a custom colour palette in honour of
their most famous ocean vessel, the Bob Barker. It was a great partner-
ship, as their mission is to conserve the oceans, and our hair ties are
a product that highlights how something so small can have a massive
impact on the lives of an entire ecosystem of creatures.What drives you?
We started Kooshoo because we thought we could create more good
in the world via a business than as individuals. Creating and spreading
good has always been our greatest motivator.
We have no interest in making frivolous products – our worst fear is
just creating more stuff. Instead, we’re passionate about designing
products that serve a purpose, do well by the people making them
and do minimal harm to our planet.
Knowledge is power. We love getting to share the message about
this product and what kind of difference it can make in the world. It’s
about igniting other people’s awareness of the implications of their
consumption decisions and hopefully encouraging broader conver-
sations. And it’s about empowering people to shop consciously –
to make small changes that result in real, impactful change when
added together. ”
“
You might not want
to hear this, but every
hair tie you’ve ever
owned still exists