My girls sketch every place they can, from Japanese Manga characters on their art pads to elaborate marker tatoos on their old Converse high tops and up and down their arms. Too bad I don’t have the wherewithall to spin those masterpieces into an eco-wear biz, like graphic designer Andrea Guevara Higham.
Her Pooka┞¢ brand organic cotton tees for girls and boys, launched in November 2007, proudly showcases the artistry of her children, Mairen (3rd grade) and Bailey (5th grade) as well as the designs of other young Picassos.
"My kids are at that age when they want a say in what they wear, so I told them to design their own stuff," shares Higham, who runs her online company in Costa Mesa, California. "The kids are into it since it’s a family business. They even have business cards with their names that they take to school to show to their friends."
I’ll say it’s a family business. The kids even model the unique green tees featuring their handiwork, like Mairen’s smiling Flower Tee and Bailey’s Pooka Tee peopled with a Kenny Scharf-like alien. The short sleeved shirts are $28 and Higham plans to introduce long sleeved additions and target stores for her product this Fall.
Besides being made with good stuff, including safe dyes and screening techniques, Pooka poo-poos the itchy tags usually found inside kids’ clothing. As any mom knows, tags drive kids up the wall.
"My kids want everything cut off," says Higham. "We screen print on the inside, instead."
They’ve crossed every tee and dotted every tag.
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