Posted in Common Interest

Last week we celebrated our 20th birthday in our hometown Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington. From our first workroom in the Trades Hall, to pop up sales before we opened the store, this city has been the backdrop - an integral part of the journey.

Thank you Wellington for giving us a place to grow, question and create for the last 20 years. An excerpt from Gosia's speech below.

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"I started the brand 20 years ago to solve a problem in the fashion industry — mass pollution, plastics, no recycling, no accountability and no traceability. I asked myself: where does our clothing come from, and what happens to it at the end of its life?

A smart friend suggested I start a Fairtrade organic cotton clothing brand. With zero experience but plenty of motivation, I started exploring what that could mean — and quickly realised all clothing should be made this way."

From Gosia: Celebrating 20 years

"Kowtow has never been built lone.

The early years were a beautiful kind of madness — friends as models, beers and pizza as payment, family helping wherever they could, and a growing team of creatives, makers and collaborators bring their energy to the brand.

Twenty years on, that spirit remains. From our team and production partners to our collaborators, mentors and customers — it really does take a village.

Thank you to everyone who has helped shape Kowtow over the past 20 years. We wouldn't be here without you."

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