"HERO AWARD a well deserved addition to the SNUGBAGS success" - Buy NZ Made

Baby and toddler sleeping bag specialist Snugbags is the latest New Zealand company to scoop the monthly Hero Award from the Buy NZ Made Campaign.

The Buy New Zealand Made campaign’s new 'Heroes' programme identifies companies who not only do a fantastic job promoting their NZ Made status but who have also excelled in other key commercial areas.  Snugbags has used its NZ Made status proactively and successfully in both domestic and international market places to rapidly rise to the sharp end of its industry – growing by more than 200% year on year for the past three years, a remarkable achievement.

Founded in 2010, Snugbags specialises in 100% natural baby and toddler Merino and organic cotton sleeping bags, swaddles and base layers. With a strong focus strong on innovation and design the Piha-based company has quickly become an industry leader in top quality sleeping bags.  It has sold and shipped thousands of sleeping bags around the world, with product shipped to more than 25 countries. Even some of Hollywood’s youngest celebrities sleep soundly in Snugbags comfort!

Founder and Managing Director Kim Snel was delighted with the latest success for the company, which has already taken out multiple international awards in the baby and toddler market place.

“We are thrilled and feel very honoured to have won the Hero Award for January,” she explained. “There are some amazing New Zealand made brands and to stand out and be chosen as one of the best is extremely rewarding. It shows that we are definitely on the right track and we are being appreciated and recognised because of our strong ethics and morals and that feels really good.”

Snugbags manufactures exclusively in New Zealand. It counts itself very much as an exponent of New Zealand made with more than 95% of its raw materials also produced locally.

“There is a huge trend towards more sustainable, high quality and ethical brands and we 100% fit these criteria,” added Kim. “Our customers love the fact that we are ethically New Zealand made, high quality and sustainable and they choose our products for that reason. We only use New Zealand merino which is far superior to other merinos on the market. Our customers know we manufacture to a very high standard and you simply cannot beat the quality and attention to detail that comes with being handmade in New Zealand.”

Its custom-made YKK zips are produced locally, along with the care labels in the products as well as the fabrics. All fabrics are knitted and dyed using organic fabric dyes in New Zealand and sewn by master tailors in its own Auckland studio. 
A ‘no-plastic’ policy means all packaging is made from recycled paper and cotton drawstring back-packs are used to package the sleeping bags. These back-packs are great for storing sleeping bags or double as a handy swimming, beach or pre-school bag – adding further value and appeal to the Snugbags product.

Buy NZ Made status has proved to be the perfect badge and brand to help the company grow its international presence, as Kim explained.

“Being able to use the NZ Made logo gives huge credibility to our brand as it is very well known and trusted here as overseas. We are immensely proud of being ‘ethically made in New Zealand’ and it is great to be able to use the logo so customers can see this at first glance.”

Snugbags make baby and toddler Merino and organic cotton sleeping bags, swaddles and base layers. As a winner of a Hero Award, Snugbags will receive a certificate, promotion on the Buy NZ Made website, promotion in target media and automatic entry into the annual competition where they and 11 other monthly winners will be voted on by the public for the Ultimate Hero Award.

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