Dopamine Dressing for the Conscious Kid
Bennie & the Jets was a light bulb idea started by Suia Westbrook during one of many Covid lockdowns. Elton John’s song was playing on the radio whilst Suia was scrolling for hours through second-hand platforms and sustainable kids’ clothes stores to find fun but environmentally friendly produced products for her little boy.
Fast forward a few years, Suia's focus had shifted to other ventures and here I was on maternity leave with my second girl needing some mental stimulation. Having worked as a Lead Merchandise Planner in childrenswear for one of New Zealand's largest retailers for 7 years, the opportunity to take over Bennie and the Jets felt like the perfect marriage for me; a way to balance the corporate big-box 9-5 job I had been working in. The ethos of the store that Suia had started (who I went to university with many moons ago) resonated with me in more ways than one, so instead of re-writing this 'about' section, I will just quote what Suia wrote in the very beginning:
"I am an advocate for second-hand clothing, but sometimes you simply can’t get around needing to buy something new. Instead of turning to fast fashion, I believe in buying fairly produced, sturdy and organic products. Products that remain of high quality even if worn by several generations and that can be handed down to loved ones or lent out. I found this to be such a cash-saving and waste preventing way to dress the little ones, who - let’s face it - grow out of their clothes within the blink of an eye.
After moving back home to New Zealand from a decade of living in Berlin, I realised that it was hard to come by organic, sustainable, good quality products for babies and kids. There was really not much out there, so in comes Bennie & the Jets.
It’s not just about bringing beautiful and ethically produced products to Aotearoa, but I’d love to think that the products will go on to have a few more lives in order to have an impact, if only small, on our fragile environment. It is not about being perfect, but about being more aware and conscious in our everyday behaviour, doing what we can to be kind to our planet and protecting our planet for our little ones".
"Buy less, choose well, make it last!"
- Vivienne Westwood