About Us
Our Purpose
Our Purpose
Kose is an initiative founded in Melbourne.
Our vision is to revolutionise how the world rests and spends their downtime.
We believe in deep, rejuvenating moments away from the screen — mindful moments that reconnect you to yourself through the simple joys of reading a book and other offline pursuits.
We believe when done mindfully, everyday moments can be extraordinary. Whether it's drinking a cup of tea, having an indulgent box of chocolates under a cosy throw, reading or watching your favourite show.
Why do we, in particular, include a book with every box?
Unlike digital content which is consumed in short bursts, books, more than anything else in society, invite us to focus, ponder and connect with stories and ideas. They allow us to step in the lives of others and see the world from perspectives different to our own, particularly important in today's world where we are fed information based on our narrow algorithms). Books demand our sustained attention and contemplation. And of nothing else, a great books is just so captivating to read.
How We Got Here
I'm Shaista, I'm the gift wrapper, packager, shelf stacker, photographer website creator and product tester and founder behind Kose.
Here's a little about me —
1. I have an unnatural love of wrapping and beautiful gifts
2. I believe there is immense value in living a more screen free life.
3. I believe that absolutely every child should receive a quality education, regardless of country or circumstance, so we have committed to ongoing support of Save the Children.
This three circle venn diagram of my interests intersect to form Kose!
So, how did it all begin?
I was working a high-pressure corporate job, and while exciting, was incredibly stressful. I couldn't say no to anything asked of me, and was working around the clock, which ultimately led to being chronically sick for over 6 months.
My doctor told me to slow down, take some time off or work part time, but I didn't listen (highly recommend not doing this). So I was sick again after 4 months due to work related stress and I knew then, that I had to do something different with my life. My old career also wan't my passion.
About the same time, friends were going through similar experiences, leading to burn out and needing extensive time off work.
I was becoming increasingly aware that we mindlessly scroll after a busy day to unwind. Our bodies and mind are just not allowed to truly rest. And I was wondering if that was why I took so much longer to recover.
The affects of the smart phone use on anxiety, the nervous system, reduced attention, focus and lack of sleep are now well documented.
Doing less and deep rest are in fact the only ways our mind and bodies can repair and restore to perform at their best.
After much thought, I wondered if I could create something that could help other people step away from screens, because I knew how much it negatively affected me. The magic of a good book, discovering a new hobby or enjoying a warm cup of tea, offline. And to have that delivered to people like a gift on their doorstep, as a gentle reminder to reset. How wonderful would that be?
And so Kose was born.
How We Came Up with the Name 'Kose'
We wanted a word to encapsulate the purpose of the brand and how we want each of our customers to feel when they experience our boxes - cosy.
When you're cosy you feel content, calm and centred, away from distractions and stress.
We came across the Norwegian concept of 'koselig' and we loved it right away.
koselig
adjective/'kuːʃlɪ//'kuːsəlɪ/
"A feeling of deep contentment, happiness and personal well-being through a combination of mindfulness, nature, companionship and cosiness."
It is the quiet evening in while a storm roars outside, or wearing woollen socks while snuggled under a throw. A book with a warm cup of tea or a coffee break whilst hiking. It is a quality bestowed by the joy of simple pleasures.
A few people told us 'koselig' sounds like an Ikea furniture set so we decided to shorten it to Kose, and here we have it - Kōse.
